简介：RHODA,aslender,palewomaninasensibledressandsensibleshoes,isinastate.Todescribeherasbeingextremelyupsetwouldbeanunderstatement,muchlikeapsychiatrist'ssayingthatsomeonewhoisintheprocessofcommittingsuicideissufferingananxietyattack.Slangismoreaccurate.Rhodaisverynearlyoutofherwig,thoughherhairisapparentlyherown. Rhodaseemstobeinatackyballroom,theguestofhonoratherownbirthdayparty,surroundedbyuncaringstrangers,herchilly,know-it-alldoctorandherpatronizinghusband,whoforceshertodancewiththedoctor.''Faster,faster,''saysherhusband,butthemusichasstopped.Theguestssingadrearversionof''ForShe'saJollyGoodFellow''andanequallyunenthusiastic''HappyBirthday.'' Alongwithfiveorsixotherwomen,Rhodacrouches,onekneeonthefloor,asiftogetready-and-setforafootrace.Whenthe''Go!''signalisgiven,themusicstartsupandtheotherwomensimplyflopontothefloor.Rhodatriestobepatient,tounderstand,butobviouslythesystemisdesignedtoterrorize.YetRhodawillnotbeterrorized.WithsomethingoftheunflappabilityofLewisCarroll'sAlice,shepersistsinseeingthisdreamthroughtotheend. Thisismoreorlesstheoutlineof''StrongMedicine,''thefirstfilmtobemadebytheplaywright-directorRichardForeman,oneofAmerica'smosthighlyacclaimedtheaterinnovators,thefounderanddirectoroftheOntological-HysteriaTheater.ThefilmopenstodayattheFilmForum. Like''TheLovers'Exile,''thefilmedversionofaproductionbyJapan'sBunrakudolltheatercompanynowplayingatthePublic,''StrongMedicine''ismoreofatheatricaloccasionthanacinematicone.ThoughMr.Foreman,innotessuppliedtothecriticbytheFilmForum,talksknowinglyaboutthedifferencesbetweentheater''space''andscreen''space,''''StrongMedicine''clearlyistheater,buttheaterinwhichtherearefourwallsinsteadofthree. ThekindofanarchicstatesofmindthatMr.Foremandramatizessoebullientlyonthestage,insuchworksas''Dr.Selavy'sMagicTheater,''''RhodainPotatoland''and,mostrecently,in''PenguinTouquet,''arefarmoreeffective,funnyandun-self-consciousinthelivingtheaterthantheyareonthescreen. Thedifferencebetweenwatchingthemovie,''StrongMedicine,''and''Dr.Selavy'sMagicTheater''onthestageisthedifferencebetweentakingafunvacationinAlbaniaoneselfandbeingforcedtositthroughsomeoneelse'scolorslidesoftheirownsuchvacation.Themovielacksanyimmediatepersonalassociations.Filmalsoseemstoinhibitthegrowthofaneventthat,onthestage,continuallyappearstobeevolvingintosomethingelse. Muchmoreunfortunate,though,isthemovie'sponderouslackofhumor.There'sarecurringsequenceinwhichthebewilderedRhoda,ontheadviceofherdoctor,attemptstotakeavacationonatrainthat,ofcourse,goesnowhere.ItissuitablynightmarishandweirdbutnowherenearascomicasasimilarsequenceinWoodyAllen'sself-mocking''StardustMemories.''''StrongMedicine''islessthanthesumofitsgaudyparts. Thecameraisnotkindtothissortoftheatricalenterprise.Thechorusofmiddle-aged,middle-classharpies,whorepeatedlycryout''JesusChrist,myfeethurt,''evokenotanelevatedkindoflunacybutappeartobe,underthecamera'sclosescrutiny,simplyagroupofactressesbehavingpeculiarly.It'sdifficulttorespondtoRhoda'shighanxieties,becauseoneisalwaysconsciousoftheplacementoftheperformers,theirrelationtothecamera,theirmakeup,theircarefullychoreographedmovementsandanumberofnotso-startlingjuxtapositionsofbizarreimagesandsounds.SomethingobviouslyisgoingoninMr.Foreman'smind,butthefilmstandslikeaninvisibleshieldbetweentheeventandtheaudience. Evenwiththeseproblems,KateManheim,Mr.Foreman'sfavoriteactress,isconsistentlyinterestingasthepoor,put-uponRhoda.ShealsohassomeofthesamebeautyandwitoftheremarkableDelphineSeyrig.DavidWarrilowplaystheimperiousdoctor,arolehehasdoneinMr.Foreman'sstageproductions.ThelargesupportingcompanyincludessuchpeopleasBuckHenry,JonasMekas,CarolKaneandWallaceShawn(whosebriefappearanceisunbilled). ''StrongMedicine''exertsahypnoticeffectafterawhile,anditisdisturbing,asitshouldbe.It'salsointimidating.Itremindsmeofaveryearly''Honeymooners''segmentinwhichJackieGleason'sRalphKramdentellsoffhiswifeAlice(AudreyMeadows)foralwaysbelittlinghisdreamsofgrandeur.Saysthefurious,frustratedRalph,''It'sagoodthingyouweren'tatKittyHawk,Alice.Icanhearyounow:'Ralph,getoutofthatthing.You'remakingafoolofyourself.''' ''StrongMedicine''isthekindofmad,riskyventureonehesitatestointerrupt.Mr.Foremanmayberight. Mad,RiskyVenture STRONGMEDICINE,writtenanddirectedbyRichardForeman;directorofphotography,BabetteMangolte;musicbyStanleySilverman;editedbyMr.ForemanandKarenStern;producedbyMaryMiltonandSimonNuchterninassociationwithEricFranckandJordanBojilov.AttheFilmForum,57WattsStreet.Runningtime:84minutes.Thisfilmhasnorating. Rhoda.....KateManheim Oldwoman.....ScottySnyder Youngman.....BillRaymond Oldman.....HarryRoskolenko Max.....RonVawter Doctor.....DavidWarrilow Eleanor.....RuthMaleczech WITH:BuckHenry,CarolKane,RaulJulia…