SURRENDER. Directed and written by Jerry Belson; produced by Aaron Spelling and Alan Greisman for Warner Bros. Starring Sally Field, Michael Caine and Steve Guttenberg. Rated PG (sexual references, a little mild vulgar language).
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Surrender tries to be a screwball comedy, but doesn't come anywhere close to the best of that type of movie. It's a silly picture with little to recommend it other than the presence—although in less than inspired performances—of its two popular stars.
Sean (Caine) is a successful novelist who is not so successful in his love life. He's been taken to the cleaners by ex-wife, ex-girlfriend and even a lady of the evening. So it's not too surprising that he's soured on romance and thinks no woman could be interested in him for anything but his money.
Daisy (Field) is also unlucky in love, but also in her chosen vocation, which is painting. Anxious to have a family before her biological clock quits ticking, she puts up with the insufferable but loaded Marty (Guttenberg), hoping eventually he'll decide to marry her.
These two lonely people have to meet, of course, but the circumstances of that meeting are a little unusual, to say the least. While attending a charity whing-ding, they and their fellow guests are held up by thieves with a surreal sense of humor. They leave their victims stripped completely and tied up together in male/female pairs. Naturally, Daisy and Sean are one of those couples.
Despsite this rather original meeting sequence, the plot of Surrender is pretty standard fare, although it's perhaps even a bit more ridiculous than most romantic comedies.
Will Daisy choose true love with Sean (who has told her he is broke, to test her affection) or financial security with Marty? When she finds out Sean is really loaded, can she forgive him for lying to her?
Then, when she wins $2 million in a Lake Tahoe casino (I am not exaggerating; this really happens) can she remain the same sweet, unspoiled charmer that Sean fell for in the first place?
There are some funny situations in Surrender, such as the art assembly line where Daisy works, turning out pictures for motel rooms. And a few funny jokes. But not nearly enough to save it.
Most of the dialogue is trite and tired, and some of the bits that are supposed to be funny are more than just un-funny, they're in exceedingly bad taste as well. I'm thinking in particular of a long, drawn-out phone conversation Marty has concerning a chemical plant explosion in some third world country. It's obviously modelled on the explosion in Bhopal, India, that killed thousands of people. Hilarious, right?
Guttenberg is very good at playing self-centered jerks, and most of his scenes are pretty funny. But it's impossible to have any respect for a woman who lets someone like Marty use her for a doormat. So the success of his portrayal actually results in Daisy's character being less successful. She seems pretty unrealistic, and even unsympathetic at times.
Peter Boyle has some good lines as Sean's long-suffering attorney and friend, who tries to get good settlements for his client at his divorce and palimony hearings. Likewise for Julie Kavner, who plays Daisy's friend at Art Extraordinaire Studios.
And Field and Caine do have a certain amount of chemistry as a couple. It would be interesting to see them together again in some other movie, one worthy of their talents.
October 28, 1987