JasparLamarCrabb One thing a movie musical should not do is come to a grinding halt when most of the cast members begin to sing, but that's exactly what happens in Peter Bogdanovich's fitfully entertaining film. An homage of sorts to the sophisticated musicals of the 1930s where high society types live, love and break into song (usually written by the Gershwins or Irving Berlin) and dance. Instead of Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Edward Everett Horton, we get Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd, and John Hillerman...and Madeline Kahn, Eileen Brennan and somebody named Duilio Del Prete. Not necessarily lacking in talent, but this crew, with the exception of Kahn, show absolutely no musical capabilities. Reynolds looks the part, with Gable-esque mustache and tuxedo, Shepherd is undeniably charming and both Hillerman & Brennan are great comics, but Bogdanovich really sets them up for failure, having them sing (croak in most cases) a slew of Cole Porter songs and dance around lightly to mask their lack of ability. The film is not REALLY bad, but it is bad. There's cinematography by the great László Kovács, art direction by Gene Allen and a few clever wisecracks (delivered in most part by Brennan). There are a few colorful cameos by the likes of M. Emmett Walsh, Liam Dunn and Mildred Natwick, as Reynold's energetic mother.

justincward There are worse films. There are worse musicals. There are far worse singers than Burt Reynolds, and far worse dancers than Cybill Sheperd. This movie is full of things that are far from as bad as they could be.It's a worthy attempt at making a traditional musical in a contemporary way, and the segues into the Cole Porter songs kind of work, and it reminded me more than once of the camp original Batman series, in terms of its grip on reality. But A.L.L.L collapses at the first hurdle because the characters and plot absolutely fail to engage within the first scene, let alone the first twenty minutes. As the actors drift, some more stiffly than others, into one cheerfully interpreted Porter classic after another, you realise that that's all this movie has got: it's shot its bolt within 15 minutes. So if you want a high camp disaster musical get Xanadu or even Cliff Richard's Take Me High or Wonderful Life - or the Bee Gees' Sergeant Pepper for a real jaw-dropping treat. At Long Last Love is not worth your time on any level, which is sad really because with the right pacing and a stronger story Bogdanovich might have carried it off. The musicality isn't the worst thing about it - don't imagine it's a camp classic.

MartinHafer Director, writer, producer Peter Bogdonovich has managed something amazing in AT LONG LAST LOVE. He actually managed to make a musical with leads who actually sang worse than those in Joshua Logan's PAINT YOUR WAGON. I used to think seeing and hearing Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood singing in Logan's film was the height of horrid casting, but Bogdonovich managed to find four singers who were equal to or worse than Marvin and Eastwood. That's no small feat, as perhaps only Andy Devine and Marcel Marceau were more ill-suited to a musical than Madeline Kahn, Burt Reynolds, Cybill Shepherd and Duilio Del Prete (not to mention many other supporting actors in the film who simply couldn't sing).And, by the way, WHO the heck is Duilio Del Prete and why is this Italian playing a guy called "the Spaniard"--especially since his command of English and acting skills are marginal, at best?! Plus, his having previously been in THE ASSASSINATION OF TROTSKY wasn't exactly a glowing endorsement of his talents! This is just one of many bizarre casting decisions by Bogdonovich.Bogdonovich's idea of making a homage to 1930s style musicals (complete with excellent and familiar Cole Porter songs) isn't bad at all. In many ways, the film is reminiscent of some of the Astaire/Rogers films--minus the quality singing and dancing. In fact, it looks much more like a community theater or talent show production because of all the insane choices that brought the quality of the film to an unbelievably low level. It's really a shame, as a similar idea was very well executed in MOVIE MOVIE a film made about the same time as AT LONG LAST LOVE. Here, however, wretchedly inappropriate actors and singers doomed the film from the start--especially since audience members really wanted to hear singing that didn't totally suck or see dancers with two left feet (go figure!).This film was crucified by the critics--and deservedly so. The singing is simply so bad, so grating and so painful that the viewer is left to wonder what the heck everyone involved was thinking! In fact, 1979's book, "The Fifty Worst Movies Ever Made" included it among it's selections--and I heartily agree.Cole Porter must have spun in his grave like a rotisserie when this terribly failed experiment debuted. What an incredibly big waste of a nice idea and a film only of interest to the curious and bad movie buffs.

ianlouisiana Peter Bogdanovich was annoyingly clever and annoyingly young.His girlfriend was the annoyingly beautiful Cybille Shepherd and he had made an annoyingly large amount of money from his annoyingly successful films. Naturally the vultures were gathering.They swooped on "At long last love". They gorged themselves on malice and envy(he'd been a critic too)and,when they'd picked his bones clean he was never quite the same man. It isn't a masterpiece - it's far too idiosyncratic - but it is a brave experiment,unpolished leads tackling sophisticated material backed up by good old pros doing their schtick.Live musical numbers making up in spontaneity what they lacked in well rehearsed technical excellence. It certainly isn't one of the "Great Musicals" either.Let's concentrate on what it is.It's fun,it's tuneful,it's energetic,it has two wonderful performers - Eileen Brennan and Madeleine Kahn - and a lot of enthusiastic if not particularly expert hoofing from Mr Reynolds and Miss Shepherd. It's got some good lines and the costume design is terrific. 30 years on,Burt Reynolds is sending himself up in a good-natured way and Cybille Shepherd is still annoyingly beautiful. I've only ever seen it on TV here in the uk once.If it comes on again -carpe diem.