Thursday, January 19, 2012
Drew On Movies #13: Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)
Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976)
Not long ago, I was skimming one of my movie websites to see if anything would catch my eye- was a lazy sorta day when I just wanted something to kill time watching. Alas, I did not find anything, but a title caught my eye that seemed so out there that further research was required. Like with the previous entry whose title was enough to pull me in, this time around it was the title.
Look at that title- can you really blame me for wondering just what the heck kind of movie would have a name like that? Sure, it was from the 1970s and that was a different time, but still the name really hit me so I needed to know more. Quick check of the cast list and the words "dark comedy"- one of my favorite genres of film, and my interest was peaked. Of course, finding a copy to watch took a little longer, as not only is the film over thirty years old, but it's not exactly a blockbuster.
Still, with the internet one can find anything, and I was able to procure a copy of my own to watch, but didn't put it on until today- I blame a recent Bill Cosby kick brought on by a co-worker of mine. While the movie is dated and a little lacking at times, it was still worth a watch. This is Mother, Jugs & Speed.
Plot
Bit of history that I was unaware of, but early on in their inception, Ambulance companies were privately owned and profit driven- they might still be I'm not sure, but I've always looked at them as extensions of the hospital- you call, they show up, and bring you in. Still, this movie takes place during these earlier days, and show just how far people will go for profit. The story follows the drivers of the F&B Ambulance Company as they compete with the rival Unity Ambulance Company for clients. F&B's best driver is Mother, played by the legendary Bill Cosby, a hard drinking, cynical man who has seen it all and lived to tell about it. Mother is good at his job, mostly due to his apathy towards the rules- he is not above bribery or sabotage to get one up on Unity's drivers. F&B's receptionist is Jennifer, nicknamed Jugs by the drivers, played by the lovely Raquel Welch, who has to put up with the sexist name and the come ons from all around asshole driver Murdoch, played by Larry Hagman. After Murdoch's partner is injured on a run, the company hire Tony Malatesta, an ex-cop on suspension for suspect drug dealing, which leads to the crew naming him Speed. The trio come together after Jugs reveals she has been working on getting her certification to be an EMT at night and Speed helps her out of a jam, Mother loses his partner on a botched call with a junkie, and Speed attacks Murdoch on a run when the other man attempts to sexually assault an unconscious co-ed. Thus Mother is forced to share his rig with the two newcomers, and make sure the company stays afloat against the competition. This a very basic overview as to go into any more detail would take away from the movie- trust me, I could go on more but then I'd be telling you the entire movie- and if you want to know that you can go to Wikipedia.
Thoughts
First off, Bill Cosby is in top form in this movie. He gets the best lines and delivers them with perfect timing. He also shows his dramatic side, and yes, this movie has some drama in it- the dark in dark comedy tends to fall into that side of things. He is a likeable character, even when he is being an asshole it's all in good fun. Likewise, Raquel Welch does her job well, and I don't just mean looking pretty- she plays the role of the woman trying to get into the business realistically, and when she deals with her first bad run, she does what almost anyone else would do in the same situation. Harvey Keitel is very much the straight man of the film, and he excels in this as he really just needs to react to everyone else. He does so with humor and with seriousness, and it's the balance that keeps his character and the film working. The supporting cast are good, with Allen Garfield as slimy company owner Harry Fishbein who is willing to do whatever it takes for an extra buck and Larry Hagman's sleazy horndog as the atypical dislikable character- when a movie has no real villain, you need someone to hate, and the character fits the role perfectly.
The plot is pretty basic as stated above, but there are some great scenes and dialogue, mostly from Cosby, that help elevate the film. This easily could have been a straight up comedy but the writers were smart enough to play with conventions and add in the right amounts of dramatic tension to make the film a little more relatable. That's not to say there isn't enough comedy in the mix because there is, right from the start, when Harry is delivering a speech to his crew about their jobs and how important they are, while ignoring Jug's message about a call. It's absurd yes but fits the character well, and sets the tone for what is to come- more absurdity. The film falters at some points however, as there are moments that just seem to drag the plot down a little. However these are few and far between and don't really take away from the film as a whole.
As stated, Cosby gets the best lines, and the first that stuck me comes from him early on after Murdoch is yet again shot down by Jugs.
"One of these days, Murdoch, we're gonna pool together and get you something that won't fight back. Like a quadruple amputee. "
It's a quick line, but shows us two things- first, how much of a sleaze Murdoch is, and how everyone knows it, second, how quick Mother can be to knock someone down. Later in the film, he and Speed take a call in Unity territory on a golf course. Mother tries to get a golfer away from the patient only to be told he is a doctor. Without missing a beat Mother fires back with
"Christ! Today's Wednesday, you must all be doctors!"
Do I even have to explain why this line works?
There is also a great scene that really buries the needle on the absurd meter, and it is when Murdoch's partner is injured on a run. The two are attempting to carry an overweight woman with a broken hip down an old flight of stairs, when the stairs give out under the partner, causing him to let go of the gurney. Of course the gurney with the woman strapped on it flies down the stairs and outside, but the scene stretches this as she goes down the outside stairs, into the street, down a hill, avoids being hit by some cars, and the stops after crashing into a parked car head first. In reality something like this is not funny, but in reality this also rarely happens, so we can enjoy the visual of it because it is so out there we have to laugh.
Conclusion
The movie is not one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, which is no one's fault except time really. However the cast is in top form, the writing is decent, and as a quick little flick, it's definitely enjoyable. I'd say if you are a fan of Bill Cosby you should check it out, better then this one of his crap films. You could do worse, so if you can find it, give it a look, you just might like it. Or maybe you'll just like Raquel Welch, and if so, no one would blame you.
3 Speeding Gurney's out of 5
That's all out of me for this time, I'm off to pick up some DVDs. Until next time I'm the Drew and I Be Awesome.
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