Bert Rigby, You're a Fool

Director Carl Reiner has had some hits (Oh God!, All of Me), and misses (Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, Summer Rental) in his long and checkered career. But one thing that has always been appealing about Reiner's films are their wide-eyed appreciation of the old Hollywood. His latest stars the versatile Robert Lindsay as Bert Rigby, a mine worker in a little English village, who's dream in life is to buy and refurbish the town's lone movie theater. After winning a local talent contest, Bert is whisked away to Hollywood, where he does a sneaker commercial (as Buster Keaton), works as a dialogue coach for a slob actor (Corbin Bernsen), and serves as a butler to a producer's wife (Anne Bancroft)--before making the big time as a beer commercial star. Like the commercials, the whole film is fairly lite and frothy. But Lindsay, who garnered numerous awards for his song-and-dance performance in the Broadway smash hit Me and My Girl, is worth watching as he pays tribute to Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Gene Kelly. His two-minute version of Singin' in the Rain is both impressive and hilarious. An enjoyable lark. Recommended. (R. Pitman)