Being Paul Newman's favorite among his own vehicles (and which he also co-produced), calling it "the most significant film I've ever made and probably the best", I chose to watch WUSA on the third anniversary of his passing. For this reason, I had long been intrigued by the movie but, given its relative obscurity, the opportunity never presented itself until the Olive Films DVD was released earlier his year: having made a Newman binge at the time of his demise, I would have gladly added this one too to my collection, were it not for the fact that the bare-bones edition was too heftily-priced for my wallet!
Anyway, now that I have caught up with it, I was satisfied to a large extent – though the overall impression remains ambivalent (at least upon a preliminary viewing). The film is basically fuelled by numerous topical i.e. late 1960s attitudes, notably liberal-vs.-conservative politics (but even incorporating Flower Power, most amusingly when a trio of hippies forever "stoned out of their minds", who form a gospel{!?} band and befriend Newman, engage in a philosophical discussion with him but once it is over one of them exclaims: "What was that all about?!"). Incidentally the title should read W (as in Viva) USA (perhaps a nod to the same year's M*A*S*H, though it certainly did not duplicate that film's critical and commercial success!) which is obviously ironic, given the paranoid stance it takes at the attempt by a Southern radio station to brainwash the people to their own power-hungry ends. Even so, this was just one of several thought-provoking but unremittingly cynical pictures to emerge around this time – ranging from THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962; with which it shares both co-star Laurence Harvey and the assassination-at-a-political-rally climax) to NETWORK (1976; which centered around the even-more powerful medium of television).
Though direction (Rosenberg was recruited after his fortuitous collaboration with Newman on COOL HAND Luke {1967} and, despite WUSA's failure, would lend his services to two more of the star's efforts i.e. POCKET MONEY {1972} and THE DROWNING POOL {1975}), camera-work and editing (incidentally, the Preview Version ran for 3 hours and 10 minutes but, even as it stands now, the film is overlong – particularly the concluding after-rally scenes) make themselves felt throughout, WUSA mainly relies on the script and the acting to put its various points across. With this in mind, the former is literary (Robert Stone adapted his own novel to the screen) if verging on the hysterical and the latter ably served by an excellent cast.
Newman typically exudes cool amorality as the alcoholic drifter anti-hero who is appointed as d.j. of WUSA, though his supposedly subversive comments are basically limited to such subliminal messages as "The future of America is up to you" (in fact, the film was criticized for not really having the courage of its convictions by tiptoeing around its subject matter!) – he even takes to the mike at the rally in calming down the crowd, with his repeated but clearly sardonic assertion that "We {the Americans} are O.K." (his character's essential lack of commitment, which alienates the Joanne Woodward one and sends Anthony Perkins off the deep end, is rather baffling). Harvey is a con-man who is just at home spouting religious fanaticism as ideological elitism, and who likes to keep up-to-date with airport schedules since they are likely to become useful (thus sharing with Newman an instinct for survival). In my opinion, this makes for one of the Newmans' strongest outings as a team...even though Woodward's character is too derivative of Piper Laurie's in THE HUSTLER (1961) with her incarceration and subsequent suicide unfortunately seeming tagged-on this time around! – besides, the hippies' irresponsible behavior in getting her busted in the first place and their apparent nonchalance over her ultimate fate is appalling! Perkins plays typically awkward and easily manipulated, but eventually making a stand – albeit one that horribly backfires on him, thus emerging a martyr rather than a savior). For what it is worth, Newman had already appeared alongside Harvey in THE OUTRAGE (1964) and would re-unite with Perkins for THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (1972).
Pat Hingle, then, is the Macchiavellian head of WUSA, Moses Gunn is Perkins' hostile contact while conducting his 'prejudiced' survey in the city slums, Cloris Leachman is the facially-scarred Woodward's crippled friend, Bruce Cabot barely registers as a legendary cowboy during the rally set-piece, Clifton James is a sailor and improbable would-be client of aspiring 'barmaid' Woodward, and Robert Quarry (yes, Count Yorga himself!) is one of Hingle's underlings who becomes Perkins' prime target at his extreme and misguided outburst that leads to outright rioting and, in retaliation, police brutality! The DVD's superb widescreen image quality (particularly effective in capturing the two facades of the New Orleans setting) is unfortunately undercut by audio deficiencies (notably a constant imbalance between the sound effects/score and dialogue tracks and even a couple of glitches during one, albeit pivotal, scene where Perkins corners one of Hingle's yes-men inside a brothel and gives him a piece of his mind).
In conclusion and just for the record, the following are the unwatched Newman titles currently in my possession: YOU ARE THERE: THE DEATH OF SOCRATES (1953; TV), PLAYWRIGHTS '56: THE BATTLER (1955; TV), THE UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR: BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1956; TV), THE RACK (1956), THE HELEN MORGAN STORY (1957), UNTIL THEY SAIL (1957), ERNEST HEMINGWAY'S "ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN" (1962), THE SECRET WAR OF HARRY FRIGG (1968), WINNING (1969), POCKET MONEY, THE SHADOW BOX (1980; TV) – which he only directed, HARRY & SON (1984) – which the star also helmed, BLAZE (1989), THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994) and TWILIGHT (1998).
Anyway, now that I have caught up with it, I was satisfied to a large extent – though the overall impression remains ambivalent (at least upon a preliminary viewing). The film is basically fuelled by numerous topical i.e. late 1960s attitudes, notably liberal-vs.-conservative politics (but even incorporating Flower Power, most amusingly when a trio of hippies forever "stoned out of their minds", who form a gospel{!?} band and befriend Newman, engage in a philosophical discussion with him but once it is over one of them exclaims: "What was that all about?!"). Incidentally the title should read W (as in Viva) USA (perhaps a nod to the same year's M*A*S*H, though it certainly did not duplicate that film's critical and commercial success!) which is obviously ironic, given the paranoid stance it takes at the attempt by a Southern radio station to brainwash the people to their own power-hungry ends. Even so, this was just one of several thought-provoking but unremittingly cynical pictures to emerge around this time – ranging from THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962; with which it shares both co-star Laurence Harvey and the assassination-at-a-political-rally climax) to NETWORK (1976; which centered around the even-more powerful medium of television).
Though direction (Rosenberg was recruited after his fortuitous collaboration with Newman on COOL HAND Luke {1967} and, despite WUSA's failure, would lend his services to two more of the star's efforts i.e. POCKET MONEY {1972} and THE DROWNING POOL {1975}), camera-work and editing (incidentally, the Preview Version ran for 3 hours and 10 minutes but, even as it stands now, the film is overlong – particularly the concluding after-rally scenes) make themselves felt throughout, WUSA mainly relies on the script and the acting to put its various points across. With this in mind, the former is literary (Robert Stone adapted his own novel to the screen) if verging on the hysterical and the latter ably served by an excellent cast.
Newman typically exudes cool amorality as the alcoholic drifter anti-hero who is appointed as d.j. of WUSA, though his supposedly subversive comments are basically limited to such subliminal messages as "The future of America is up to you" (in fact, the film was criticized for not really having the courage of its convictions by tiptoeing around its subject matter!) – he even takes to the mike at the rally in calming down the crowd, with his repeated but clearly sardonic assertion that "We {the Americans} are O.K." (his character's essential lack of commitment, which alienates the Joanne Woodward one and sends Anthony Perkins off the deep end, is rather baffling). Harvey is a con-man who is just at home spouting religious fanaticism as ideological elitism, and who likes to keep up-to-date with airport schedules since they are likely to become useful (thus sharing with Newman an instinct for survival). In my opinion, this makes for one of the Newmans' strongest outings as a team...even though Woodward's character is too derivative of Piper Laurie's in THE HUSTLER (1961) with her incarceration and subsequent suicide unfortunately seeming tagged-on this time around! – besides, the hippies' irresponsible behavior in getting her busted in the first place and their apparent nonchalance over her ultimate fate is appalling! Perkins plays typically awkward and easily manipulated, but eventually making a stand – albeit one that horribly backfires on him, thus emerging a martyr rather than a savior). For what it is worth, Newman had already appeared alongside Harvey in THE OUTRAGE (1964) and would re-unite with Perkins for THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN (1972).
Pat Hingle, then, is the Macchiavellian head of WUSA, Moses Gunn is Perkins' hostile contact while conducting his 'prejudiced' survey in the city slums, Cloris Leachman is the facially-scarred Woodward's crippled friend, Bruce Cabot barely registers as a legendary cowboy during the rally set-piece, Clifton James is a sailor and improbable would-be client of aspiring 'barmaid' Woodward, and Robert Quarry (yes, Count Yorga himself!) is one of Hingle's underlings who becomes Perkins' prime target at his extreme and misguided outburst that leads to outright rioting and, in retaliation, police brutality! The DVD's superb widescreen image quality (particularly effective in capturing the two facades of the New Orleans setting) is unfortunately undercut by audio deficiencies (notably a constant imbalance between the sound effects/score and dialogue tracks and even a couple of glitches during one, albeit pivotal, scene where Perkins corners one of Hingle's yes-men inside a brothel and gives him a piece of his mind).
In conclusion and just for the record, the following are the unwatched Newman titles currently in my possession: YOU ARE THERE: THE DEATH OF SOCRATES (1953; TV), PLAYWRIGHTS '56: THE BATTLER (1955; TV), THE UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR: BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY (1956; TV), THE RACK (1956), THE HELEN MORGAN STORY (1957), UNTIL THEY SAIL (1957), ERNEST HEMINGWAY'S "ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN" (1962), THE SECRET WAR OF HARRY FRIGG (1968), WINNING (1969), POCKET MONEY, THE SHADOW BOX (1980; TV) – which he only directed, HARRY & SON (1984) – which the star also helmed, BLAZE (1989), THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994) and TWILIGHT (1998).