Bobby Deerfield

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Bobby Deerfield is a 1977 film based on the novel "Heaven Has No Favorites" ("Der Himmel kennt keine Günstlinge) by Erich Maria Remarque, and stars Al Pacino as Deerfield, an emotionally distant race car driver. The film quickly establishes Deerfield as a calculating, control-obsessed loner who has become used to winning the checkered flag on the track. But after he witnesses a fiery crash that kills a teammate and seriously wounds a competitor, Deerfield becomes unsettled by the spectre of death. During a visit to the survivor, Deerfield's world is further set askew when he meets Lillian Morelli (Marthe Keller), a quirky, impulsive woman racing against time.

Some have labeled 'Bobby Deerfield' an "odd-ball drama," and there's no denying that the film would have caught Al Pacino's growing legion of fans by surprise. It is a classic example of 1970s-era atmospheric filmmaking ('Three Days of the Condor' being another example). The decadent, cynical and naughty Europe that readers of Irwin Shaw would appreciate provides the perfect backdrop for the story. Indeed, there are some memorable scenes that make 'Bobby Deerfield' a visual smorgasbord: Deerfield and Morelli's drive from Leukerbad, Switzerland to Firenze; the beauty of lakeside Bellagio; and hot air balloons floating above the Italian countryside, to name a few. Dave Grusin's mellow soundtrack completes the mood. Yet for all that, 'Bobby Deerfield' is a touching story that hinges on a simple adage: life is sweeter when you take the risk. Pacino, for lovers of his slow-burn or sturm und drang performances, could be forgiven for thinking him miscast in the title role. But the genius of his performance is in its minimalism. Pacino is able to convey a maximum range of emotion through a minimal amount of dialogue. His face is the medium. Small wonder that Pacino said he felt closer to the character of Bobby Deerfield than to any other character he had played up to that point. Moreover, the onscreen chemistry between Pacino and Keller looks convincing because it extended offscreen: the two became lovers during filming and remained so for some time after.

Evidently, the critics panned this effort by director Sydney Pollack for its over-the-top melodrama and plodding story line, and audiences actually laughed where they weren't supposed to. Since its release, many have reassessed the film, finding Pacino's understated performance among his best of that era, and declaring that the comical undertones were Pollack's intention. Race film fans, expecting another Grand Prix or Le Mans were disappointed that the story didn't play out on the race track, however the exciting action footage was filmed by racing cinematographers over the course of the 1976 Formula One season and features actual drivers, Carlos Pace, James Hunt, and Mario Andretti.

'Bobby Deerfield' has yet to be released on DVD, but remains available in VHS format. The soundtrack, recorded on the benighted Casablanca Records label, has been unavailable for years. The Erich Maria Remarque book on which the screenplay is based is far different than movie, taking place just after World War I. The Swiss town of Leukerbad makes no mention of the on-location filming that took place there.

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Last updated on Monday March 03, 2008 at 20:56:08 PST (GMT -0800)
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