To call this movie enjoyable is to do a great disservice to the English language. At heart a comedy from 1982, this wistful tale relays in pictures one young man’s fascination with the glory days of the motion picture industry. Mark Linn-Baker plays Benjy Stone, who also happens to be the narrator of this engrossing story. Stone is a junior comedy writer for a variety show starring Stan ‘King’ Kaiser. As a special upcoming guest, they find the famous (though largely washed-up) Alan Swann (portrayed by Peter O’Toole), a swashbuckling actor from Hollywood’s golden era. However, when Swann shows up, they realize that he is roaring drunk. Kaiser is all set to dump him when Benjy intervenes and promises to keep him sober during the week leading up to the show.
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