"Coronet Blue" A Time to Be Born (TV Episode 1967) Poster

(TV Series)

(1967)

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6/10
A Bit Rushed
jpspencer-1443512 August 2023
Part of watching an old series like this in modern times is how a show captures the style, music and habits of the time. After being intrigued for many years by the plot of the show, I took the plunge in ordered it on DVD.

This first episode feels like four episodes compressed into one hour. We go from the introduction to the series in the first 7 minutes, to suddenly fast-forwarding to the protagonist having a job and attending a fancy party. This series could have used a little more exposition.

I was struck by the fact that Susan Hampshire must have been a professional at appearing in pilots of cult TV shows, as she also appears in the pilot of "The Time Tunnel". This episode also features actors who've played Boston Blackie, the chief on "Hill Street Blues", and the governor from "Benson". Talk about a diverse cast....

As I continue watching, we'll see how this panned out.
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3/10
All talk, no action.
westernone17 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
When they put this together, they must have been thinking of a "Fugitive"-like series, the adventure of looking for the real killer while assuming new identities as the police are searching for the lead is replaced by the star looking for his identity while real killers search for the him. However, what suspense that could be drawn is dulled here in the origin story by overwriting, the hallmark of Plautus productions.

The protagonists engage in lengthy, artificial speeches, and our main interest, that is, "Who is this man, and why are these crooks gunning for him?" is pushed aside for fake sophistication, and showing the shallow characters' unnatural motivations and reactions. I never believed that Mr. Coronet Blue was really aware that he had such dire memory loss he didn't know his own name, or that it even bothered him. He's like a surly adolescent. The girl is cliché spoiled débutante who wants to be a rebel against Daddy. Daddy himself, after knowing CB for all of two minutes,knowing he has amnesia, gives him a high paying job in his boat showroom. And how about having a picnic under the Triborough Bridge? Do you know how awful that would be in real life? I guess he forgot his garden variety sense, too.
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