Introduction to "John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!""John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!" is a 1965 funny movie directed by J. Lee Thompson and based on the novel of the exact same name by William Peter Blatty, who is much better understood for composing "The Exorcist". The movie stars Shirley MacLaine, Peter Ustinov, and Richard Crenna. It combines Cold War-era politics with college football and Arabian Nights fantasy, leading to an uneven yet often amusing satire.
Plot OverviewThe story starts with previous college football star John Goldfarb (played by Richard Crenna), who crashes his U-2 spy airplane in the imaginary Middle Eastern kingdom of Fawzia. The kingdom is a reflection of the age's stereotypes of the Arab world, total with hareems, oil wealth, and exotic settings. The ruler of Fawzia, King Fawz (Peter Ustinov), sees a chance in Goldfarb's mishap to fulfill his own ambitions.
King Fawz, who is consumed with American culture, especially college football, blackmails Goldfarb into training his own football group to bet the University of Notre Dame. Goldfarb is reticent however complies to prevent a global incident, as the U.S. federal government also wishes to keep the crash a trick.
Jenny Ericson (Shirley MacLaine), an ambitious magazine reporter, gets wind of Goldfarb's predicament and disguises herself as a hareem girl to penetrate the kingdom and get her story. While undercover, Jenny ends up being romantically entangled with Goldfarb and gets involved in the ensuing events.
Characters and PerformancesShirley MacLaine's performance as Jenny Ericson is vibrant and comical, bringing much-needed energy to her role as a savvy and persistent reporter. Peter Ustinov delivers a humorous representation of King Fawz, embellishing the character's obnoxious yet unusually lovely character. Richard Crenna's John Goldfarb is the straight man of the story, supplying a touch of severity to the otherwise zany plot.
The movie even more boasts a colorful cast of supporting characters, consisting of harem women, bumbling government authorities, and Fawz's foe, the Sheik of Bashir, all adding layers of humor and absurdity to the story.
Satirical Elements and ThemesThe movie parodies American foreign policy and cultural lack of knowledge, as well as collegiate athletics and diplomacy. It intends to lampoon the cultural misconceptions between the West and the Middle East, playing up stereotypes for laughs. The humor is rooted in the odd couplings of American and Fawzian practices and the satirical take a look at Cold War paranoia, with both American and Fawzian parties eager to prevent a political scandal.
Production and ReceptionJ. Lee Thompson, known for more major films like "The Guns of Navarone", brings a light touch to this broad satire. The production style successfully creates a pseudo-Middle Eastern setting within the confines of Hollywood soundstages and backlots, utilizing intense, vibrant outfit styles and sets that evoke an "Arabian Nights" feel.
Upon its release, "John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!" gotten combined evaluations from critics and audiences alike. While some appreciated its slapstick humor and energetic cast, others felt it was a disjointed and unsavory comedy that did not measure up to its capacity.
TraditionFor many years, "John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!" has actually gathered a small cult following who value its zany humor, colourful visuals, and satirical take on global relations throughout the 1960s. Although not extensively remembered amongst the classics of movie funny, it remains an interesting artifact of its time, reflecting the cultural attitudes and filmmaking trends of the mid-1960s with a mix of irreverence and kitsch.
Top Cast
