Delayed Reaction: Arthur

The Pitch: A drunk millionaire tries to get out of his arranged marriage.

Some movies don't make sense on paper. Like Arthur. Trying to describe the movie, it's hard to make Arthur sound likable. He's a spoiled, alcoholic millionaire who has to marry the beautiful daughter of his father's business acquaintance or else he's cut out of the will. The movie opens with him picking up a prostitute and making an ass out of himself everywhere he goes.

And that's where casting [and writing] matters. I can't imagine anyone other than Dudley Moore playing the role, because he makes Arthur so much more lovable than he should be able to be. Moore mastered the "man-child" role  25 years before Judd Apatow redirected the comedy scene with that character type. I'm not sure how much of the likability is that laugh of Moore's or his unrelenting British-ness. I'm pretty sure the biggest reason that character works is because John Gielgub's Hobson tolerates him. It's a classic case of "he likes him, so I can too". It's a simplistic but effective character-building tool. I haven't seen Liza Minelli in much other than her more recent work, but her role in Arhtur is well-suited for her.

Oh, and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" has been happily stuck in my head for several days now. I really can't argue with that song being an Oscar winner.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend