The following is a review of the movie "Pete 'n' Tillie" which appeared at the Confederation Center last week.

It is pretty good, all things considered, like those plays that win ann— ual prizes in off years. Though directed by Martin Ritt of "Sounder", "Pete 'n' Tillie" reads like the 'serious picture' that dir ectors of comedies and ac- tion films are always pro— mising to make when they have realized enough money from their hack work. Few of them ever do, it is embarrassing. All the hours in pursuit of the easy have rubbed off, and their very vision has be- come so saccarine that "serious" means a few "ser ious" characters stuck inr the sugar, like on a wedd— ing cake.."Pete 'n' Tillie fares better solely on the strength of Tillie's part.

Tillie is well into her thirities when she meets and sleeps with Pete, a defensively wise—cracking market researcher. (Whether Pete is actually supposed

.to be funny~a la Neil Simon or not is hard to say. The fact is, we are conditioned to laugh at the mere sight of Walter Matthau, and we do.) Pete and Tillie marry and have a child, with the- ir sit—com problems gradua— lly being replaced by the

After bangs, Bing's: Burnett and Matthau as Pete ‘n' Tillie.

serious ordinary kind that we in the audience have.

It is an interesting plan, to take them our comic ic— ons and turn-them quasi— tragic. Carol Burnett, as» Tillie, pulls it off mag— nificently, with grace and depth I never gueSSed she had. She was given a touch— ing, full, well —conceived part and she enriches it. Matthau as Pete does his best.

But that's as far as it goes, as Ritt and writer, Julius J.Epstein keep blowing it on the incident—

‘als. For example, Tillie is called to have lunch "like civilized women" with one of Pete's mistresses. goes, and over a drink tries to make the best of the time by asking the girl friend what she finds so attractive in Pete. should know," the mistress replies a trifle petulantly

She

"You

"he's kind, has a great sense of humour and...

he's a pistol."

"What?" asks Burnett.

"You know", says the

mistress, "a pistol".

At the end of a very short

lunch Burnett gets up to leave ant the mistress asks "If you know about Pete a and me, why do yOu stay wir- th him?" "H's a pistol" Burnett replies. In between those exchanges and I think they are terr-

ific— Ritt has the.mistress drop her contact lens into her martini. Very funny. "Pete 'n' Tillie" does that tOO often for comfort. Burnett keeps it moving.

but she has to work over- time to do it.

recunls

Phoenix/Grand Funk - SMAS 11099

If you've been following Grand Funk for their past few albums you have probab- ly noticed a drastic change in style. This change first came to light when GF rec- orded their Closer to Home album. More attention beca—

me concentrated on the lyr- ics, a far cry from GF's earlier albums. This new approach to music will pro— bably kill one of the most tal—nted bands in the world today.

Side one of Phoenix exhib— its one phase of GF's evo- lution. More emphasis is put on Mark Farner'a organ work. This addition results in a fuller, funkier sound. Flight of the Phoenix is a 'good example. Led by Farner on organ and Doug Kershaw on violin, Flight of the Phoenix is by far the best out on the album. As a who- le, side one comes off qu- ite well, the emphasis be- ing put on GF's instrument- al abilities. Unfortunately they blow what could have been an excellant album on side two.

"I'm afraid of over—pop- ulation/I don't want to die

from suffocation,/ the wor- ld is full of pollution/ and Jesus is the solution/" Please spare us. Side two is garnished with such nau- seating sermons from the Rev. Farner. This is para— noia-rock at its worst. NOT since Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Ohio", has the- re been such drival put on record.

Rock and Roll Soul is the last cut, and in some ways it ressurects the Grand Funk of old. But its too little too late. It Grand Funk continues to put out the same kind of crap found on side two of Phoenu ix, their days are numbered If they can come out with an album along the same li- nes as their fantastic E' Plurbis Funk they will be reinstated as the number one group in the world, a position they are capable

of attaining. The next Grand Funk alBUm should tell the story.

BEST WISHES AND A HAPPY ST.PATRICKS DAY

from

THE ROYAL BANK

#J