I recently wrote that the movie THE BEAT GENERATION was an
interesting film because it felt like a time capsule that showed the world what
it was like back in 1959. The same can be said of this film as well. For those
who weren’t around to see the world as it was in the late 60s with the hippie
movement and the rest, you get a glimpse of it here. You also get a glimpse of
the fact that while some movies present an intolerant society when it came to
that group here you discover that it wasn’t as bad as most present it.
The movie is based on the hit song by Arlo Guthrie who stars
in this film. As it opens he reports for the draft and then heads off to
college to avoid joining the service. When things to bad there, he hitches rides
back east and ends up in Stockbridge, MA where his friends Alice and Ray Brock
have just purchased a failing church and are moving in with all of their
friends. Bell bottoms and suede vest abound as well as headband and beads.
Except for Ray who seems more blue collar in his appearance and more hippie
mode when it comes to his way of life.
At the same time the couple’s friends are all there to help
out fix up an old building that will serve as the restaurant Alice is planning
on opening. Everyone seems to be one big happy family, living together and
helping one another. No one goes hungry and everyone joins in to help where
they are needed. Honestly my only question while watching through this part of
the film was where the money was coming from to buy the buildings, supplies and
more needed to fund all of this. But that’s something never addressed.
Into this world also comes Shelly, an old friend of the
group who they pick up when he is released from Bellvue. Shelly was in for drug
addiction and is now battling his own demons while the world around him
preaches love and peace. There is an attraction between Alice and most of the
males in this group but in particular with Shelly. At times you wonder how Ray
feels about this but he seems as intent on helping Shelly battle his demons
like most parents would with tough love to the point you’re not quite sure he
isn’t aware of the attraction or that he ignores it in hopes Shelly will get
his act together.
Back and forth throughout the movie is Arlo visiting his
father, Woody, now in a hospital and dying of Huntington’s disease. While Woody
can no longer speak you can tell he enjoys seeing his son again. Arlo’s mother
stands by her man, taking care of him and keeping Arlo informed as to what is
going on. One visit in particular finds folk singer and friend Pete Seeger in
the room playing banjo and singing a folk song the two once did together. Arlo
joins in with him for another.
The story moves back and forth from one to another
eventually culminating in what was termed by Arlo as the Alice’s Restaurant
Massacre. Having invited all of their friends for a huge Thanksgiving dinner,
once they finish they clear up the mess and head to the town dump to dispense
with it all. Unfortunately the dump is closed for the holiday. On the way home
they find a spot where it looks like others have dumped their trash and follow
suit. A local witnesses this and call the police who then arrest Arlo and his
friend and take them to the sight. There they find tons of police officers from
various groups taking pictures, taking tire tread imprints, collecting garbage
and more in an attempt to arrest this group for something more heinous that
simple trash dumping. I won’t tell you what happens but if you know the song
you know already.
The last long portion of the film also ties into the song
with Arlo showing up for induction into the military. It becomes perhaps the
funniest moment in the film and again, if you know the song you know what
happens.
While the film doesn’t do any harm I also don’t see it doing
much good either. The display of a group of people who believe in peace, love
and understanding sounds great but in the end someone has to pay for it all.
I’ve seen reviews of the film that talk about how great it would be if this was
the world we lived in while slamming making a living, but they never seem to
talk about who will pay for it all. It’s a great idea but completely out of
touch with reality.
One thing of interest to me was that the film showed people
smoking marijuana but when it came to hard drugs the group was dead set against
them. While other films portrayed this lifestyle differently it was nice to see
a more realistic take on the whole drug scene of the time and a negative one at
that for harder drugs.
The most stunning thing about the film though was that it
was directed by Arthur Penn. I found it difficult to believe that the man
behind this film had done BONNIE AND CLYDE two years prior and a year later
would direct LITTLE BIG MAN. When you look at those and other films to his
credit it is hard to believe he could have been involved with this one. Perhaps
it was an experiment on his part. In the end it’s not a bad movie but not
something I’d revisit time and time again. It does make for an interesting time
piece and would be great (with a few scenes trimmed) to show kids today what
the whole hippie movement was like back then. Not a bad movie but nothing great
either.
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