The first original musical from MGM since 1955 (as film critic Peter Rainer points out on the informative audio commentary track), director Herbert Ross's 1981 Pennies From Heaven was also quite different from any musical (MGM or otherwise) that had gone before it. Based on the BBC miniseries by Dennis Potter, the film stars Steve Martin in a breakout dramatic role as Arthur Parker, an itinerant Depression-era sheet music salesman who “wants to live in a world where the songs come true,” as opposed to the real world of an unhappy marriage to a sexually repressed wife (Jessica Harper). Drifting into the arms of an elementary school teacher (Bernadette Peters), Arthur's life becomes even more complicated when his mistress becomes pregnant, and she, in turn, becomes a streetwalker under the wing of oily pimp Christopher Walken. Downer? You bet, but what elevates Pennies From Heaven into such a bittersweet experience are the lavishly-staged musical numbers based on popular songs (the title track, “Yes, Yes!”, “Let's Misbehave,” “Let's Face the Music and Dance,” etc.) that play in the characters' heads in fluffy counterpoint to the hardscrabble humiliation and bad luck of their actual lives. While flawed (Martin is not always up to the dramatic task, especially in scenes opposite Harper, who acts rings around him), this unique musical has built a solid following among critics and fans, who are sure to greet the DVD debut with mixed feelings. Boasting a handsome widescreen transfer, the film's Dolby Digital mono soundtrack is clean and clear but the material begs for a DD 5.1 remix. On the extras side, in addition to the commentary, the disc features a 36-minute amateur filming of a reunion panel interview hosted by Rainer, with Martin, Harper, and others. Recommended, overall. [Note: also newly available from BBC Video is the three-disc boxed set of the original 1978 British miniseries Pennies From Heaven, priced at $59.98.] (R. Pitman)
Pennies From Heaven
Warner, 107 min., R, DVD: $19.98 Volume 19, Issue 5
Pennies From Heaven
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: