简介：AnOldMan(LouGilbert)risesoutofLakeMichiganandinteractsbrieflywithafewcreativepeopleashedriftsmerrilythroughChicago,atonepointridinginatruckfromtheGoldsteinCompany.Ametalsculptor(TomErhart)looksfortheoldmanwhiletryingtopatchuphisrelationshipwithSally(EllenMadison).Shediscoversshe'spregnantandmakesarrangementsforabizarreout-of-townDoctor(SevernDarden)toperformanabortion.ThesculptoraskshisfatherforhelpandbringsalonghisfriendJay(BenitoCarruthers),wholiftsthefather'swallet.Jayusessomeofthemoneytobankrollanightwithsomefancyladies,whilethesculptorcontinuestosearchfortheinspirationalOldMan. Goldsteinisfarfrombeingcompletelyabstract,butitcloudsitsplotlinetothepointthatnormalnarrativecluesareobscured.Wethinkwe'reconcernedforthefilm'scentralcouple,butSallydropsfromthepictureafteramock-comicabortionscene(surelyshockingfor1965)thatturnsintoaperformancepiecebySevernDardenandhispreeningassistantAnthonyHolland.ThesculptorexpressesconcernforSallybutshiftshisinteresttofindingthemissingOldMan,asiftheOldManwereamagicalcreaturecapableofgrantingwishes.It'simpliedthattheOldManmayrepresentthesculptor'screativespirit-hesimilarlyinspiresaviolinist,whilepushinghiminawheelchairandblockingtraffic.ThiscentralconceitjoinsGoldsteintoFedericoFellini'sJulietoftheSpiritsinwhichLouGilbertplayedasimilarlyaddledgrandfather. AuthorNelsonAlgren(TheManwiththeGoldenArm,WalkontheWildSide)showsupforalengthydialoguescene,oneofmanythatservenoprecisepurpose-thescriptoperatesontheloose"letthemagichappen"modelassociatedwithmanydrearystudentfilmsandtheoccasionalbreakthroughmasterpiece.Moreoftenthannot,the"magic"turnsouttobeeasily-interpretedsymbolism,aswhentheOldManhappilyjettisonsmodernappliancesandatelevisionsetfromthebackofamovingtruck. GoldsteinwasapparentlyaravingsuccessatCannes,areactiondifficulttoreconcilewiththepicturewesee.It'sinterestingenough,butseemstooawareofitsmissionasanAmericanartpicture.Ithasn'tmuchofasenseofhumorandfartoomuchofitsrunningtimeisdevotedtoopen-endednon-scenes:CharactersdriftaroundChicagowithoutmuchrhymeorreason.Itseemstailor-madeforprogressive60sfestivalaudiencesreadytoapplaudanythingthatthumbsitsnoseatconventional,linearfilmmaking. Kaufmanofcoursewentontoasterlingcareer,makinginterestinggenrefilms(TheGreatNorthfieldMinnesotaRaid,InvasionoftheBodySnatchers)aswellascharacterstudiesaboutartistsontheedge(Henry&June).Someofhispicturespracticallyinventtheirowngenre,likeTheWhiteDawnandTheWanderers.Hisnextmovie,FearlessFrankwouldbeasecondshoestringChicagoeffortstarringmanySecondCity/CompassPlayersandintroducingJonVoight.Abizarreandsometimesincoherentsuperherofable,itattemptsaflipsatiricalattitudeakintoJean-LucGodard.MGM/Sonyshouldreallytrytofindawaytobringitout.…