They All Laughed (1981 Peter Bogdanovich & scr)

"Why don't you kiss me anyway. It's such a nice afternoon."

Brimming with humour and romance, They All Laughed is one of the most likable films ever made that no one has heard of. (They All Laughed is not the best title and I wondered afterwards if Everybody's Bopping would have been better - though you'll have to watch the film to get it.) Everyone's falling in love: private investigators Ben Gazzara (wonderfully charismatic), John  Ritter ('so natural he doesn't seem to be acting' as Bogdanovich's alter ego), Blaine Novak (who co-wrote) and boss George Morfogen are pitched against Dorothy Stratten, Audrey Hepburn, Patti Hansen (an amorous taxi driver),  Colleen Camp (country singer) and secretary Linda MacEwan, with Hepburn's son Sean Ferrer also featuring ("Who's this tall drink of water?")

The film's release was almost certainly overshadowed by the murder of star Dorothy Stratten (above with Ritter) and Bogdanovich's career as a brilliant writer-director never really recovered, which is a shame, as this film proves his hugely cinematic talent. Filmed on location, almost on the run, it is staged extremely cleverly like an old school production, though you'd never notice. Robby Muller's on location photography is similarly unshowy but outstanding, with some great whip pans probably performed by operator Edward (Far From Heaven) Lachman. There's no music, just natural diegetic sound and C&W songs (impossible to dislike).

Ritter, MacEwan, Novak, Gazzara ("Sure he's my son. He curls his hair to embarrass me".)

The utterly delightful Patti Hansen ('Sam'), who two years later married Keith Richards and remains so to this day.

Features tons of action / reaction shots and sign language, making it thrillery, plus great screwball moments e.g.
"Would you like some new shoes?"
"New shoes?"
"I said would you like some new shoes?"

"I don't know what to say."
"Neither do I."
"Let's have lunch and talk about it."

DVD contains great interview by fan Wes Anderson, who points out there's no bad guy and delights Bogdanovich by praising it as the most Renoirish of his films. Tarantino is also a big fan, rating it as one of his Top 10.