MADE FOR EACH OTHER (1971)

Title: MADE FOR EACH OTHER

Year of Release: 1971

Director: Robert B. Bean

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Synopsis: Two people meet at a group therapy session, and find love despite their personal, and cultural differences.

Within a film history context: Movies which focus upon an interfaith relationship were largely non-existent before MADE FOR EACH OTHER in 1971. They appeared on a slightly more regular basis after the film was released, with Sydney Pollack's THE WAY WE WERE (1973), the popular love story of a Jewish woman and a Christian man set in World War II United States, and EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE (1986), directed by Moshe Mizrahi, about the love affair of a World War II Christian pilot, and a Jewish woman in Jerusalem, two notable movies in the genre. There were, though, several examples of interfaith relationship movies, beginning from the 1920s, which are of interest in cinema history. One of the first was Swedish film, THE AVENGER (1915), directed by Mauritz Stiller. In this picture, a young Christian man has a relationship with a Jewish woman, and leaves her pregnant, but does not want to marry her on account of their religious differences. 

A comic take on interfaith relationships was served up by James W. Horne's silent KOSHER KITTY KELLY (1926). Here, a number of misunderstandings set in motion prospective relationships between Jewish and non-Jewish characters, but status quo ensues, and first loves between characters of the same faith prevail. More progressive in matters of the heart was ABIE'S IRISH ROSE (1928), directed by Victor Fleming. Charting the relationship, and marriage, of an Irish-American Catholic woman and a Jewish-American man, with various consequences for both, it was based upon a popular stage play that also spawned a critically savaged 1946 film remake. Into the 1960s, Otto Preminger's EXODUS (1960) featured the romance of an American nurse with an Israeli soldier, in this story of simmering racial tensions in 1948 Middle East. MADE FOR EACH OTHER had more in common with the lighter-hearted films such as KOSHER KITTY KELLY and ABIE'S IRISH ROSE, but also, shared the pathos of THE WAY WE WERE.

MADE FOR EACH OTHER had the same type of love story/story structure with THE WAY WE WERE and ABIE'S IRISH ROSE. In the case of MADE FOR EACH OTHER Panda, a Jewish woman and Giggy, an Italian man, find their way toward each other throughout the course of the movie. It was reminiscent of THE WAY WE WERE with its lively, unconventional female lead, but Giggy in MADE FOR EACH OTHER is equally as quirky as Panda, both in terms of personality, and family background. Giggy, though, is the polar opposite of the more intellectual Hubbell from THE WAY WE WERE, this giving the film a point of difference in its lead male character. MADE FOR EACH OTHER also goes much further than the others in painting a portrait of two people not only hampered by the particular mindsets of their families but also, their own idiosyncrasies. This brings out the humor, and quieter scenes the movie exhibits. Apart from this, MADE FOR EACH OTHER, more so than the other films, is also an exploration of Jewishness, Italianness, family, religion, sex, psychology, and relationships, subjects the other films did not always touch upon. The tackling of these themes gave the film a more topical edge over the other movies, in that MADE FOR EACH OTHER provided exhaustive attention to these issues which, by and large, had not been addressed until that time. Other features of the movie are also deserving of discussion.

MADE FOR EACH OTHER traverses much more into psychological territory than its predecessors, ensuring that the audience knows exactly where Panda and Giggy are coming from. The viewer gets to know them as real people, rather than two-dimensional figures. This is something the other films only briefly examined, which makes MADE FOR EACH OTHER more in-depth in terms of the intimate dissemination of its characters' emotions. The delicate nature of the male-female pairing, with them loving, fighting, and reuniting, was also evident in THE WAY WE WERE with its own love duo. Where THE WAY WE WERE diverted from MADE FROM EACH OTHER is in the soothing, more romantic aura it exuded, in comparison to the broader, more rambunctious antics of the latter movie. MADE FOR EACH OTHER capitalizes on the ethnicity of its characters, and the raucous nature of the interaction of the families within the film, which provides quite a few amusing moments. An introspective take on interfaith relationships, MADE FOR EACH OTHER is an entertaining film which makes for good viewing.

Overview: Robert B. Bean was the director of a single film in his career, being MADE FOR EACH OTHER. This being the case, and with no other movies in his filmography with which to compare and contrast, this overview will focus specifically upon MADE FOR EACH OTHER. Mr Bean has crafted a movie that, on the surface, is well-made, and overall satisfactory. The scenes flow well, and are connected between one segment and the next with assurance. Robert Bean has constructed a film that gets into the heart and soul of its characters, and the viewer thereby a full understanding of what makes them tick at all times. The characters and their motives are never a mystery to the viewer, which gives the film a feeling of warmth and comfort. It is unalike other films of the 1970s which many times left character motives, and their psychology up to the viewer to interpret, brimming with gray areas. While this works on one level, it can also be seen to detract from the film's impact as a whole.

By being precise, and emotionally true to the story and its characters, MADE FOR EACH OTHER, in many instances, feels overloaded. Scenes are overlong at times, and the stretching out of these can sometimes make for frustrating viewing. Points could have been made in a more consice manner, for example, with less dialogue, and more non-verbal facial expressions. A case in point is the scene where Giggy introduces Panda to his family. It seems to go on forever, and what, at the outset, is a witty scene, becomes overwrought with shouting and wailing. This is a tendency the film possesses that can be grating for numerous reasons.

MADE FOR EACH OTHER attempts to produce a comic-tragic effect in its execution, but it falls flat on occasion. The insistence on sending up situations, and characters, makes their pain, and the effect of these, seem risible. This does not appear to have been the film's intention, but it effectively hurts the movie. If there were extra scenes of interpersonal interaction such as revelations delivered in a muted tone, these would not have been out of place. The sequence where Panda discovers her boyfriend in a threesome with two other women, and her reaction to this, was among the most honest, heartrending moments in the movie. Again, Panda's lack of response to Giggy's shouting at the end is another emotional piece de resistance for the film, making one wish for more of these sequences. Any which way, despite having quite a few shortcomings, MADE FOR EACH OTHER should be praised for attempting to make a movie about a interfaith relationships, albeit in its disparate, sometimes brassy fashion.

Acting: There are several performances in MADE FOR EACH OTHER which stand out. As Pandora, Renee Taylor shines as the sympathetic woman looking for love, but somehow missing the mark in many instances. A carefully shaded acting part that Miss Taylor delivers in a moving and understated manner, it is the best contribution in the film. Joseph Bologna, as Giggy, works well with Miss Taylor, his fieriness a dramatic foil to Renee Taylor's more meditative style. As Pandora's mother, Helen Verbit exuded sensibility and humor in equal manner, with a touch of class. The final acting of note was by Paul Sorvino as Giggy's father. Mr Sorvino lends his authority, and earthiness, to a small part that definitely would have benefitted from longer screen time, but he does very well despite this.

Soundtrack: The instrumental theme music by Trade Martin is soft and easy on the ears, sweeping in a beautiful way that complements the story. The main diegetic music is played during Panda's nightclub performances that work, especially during Pandora's imitation of Marlene Dietrich.

Mise-en-scene: The cinematography by William Storz gives MADE FOR EACH OTHER a mellow, polished feel, in keeping with the bittersweet nature of the material. Colour is neither too bright nor washed out, but just right. The homes of the characters reflect their respective personalities, the production design greatly emphasizing this. Special mention must be made of Pandora's funky apartment, with its assortment of knick knacks and items, making perfect sense in terms of her character, and zany life. There is quite a lot of outdoor location filming which gives the film a freshness and zing, particularly Pandora and Giggy's final scene at the New York waterfront, something that a studio setting could not quite duplicate for its authenticity.

Notable Acting Performances: Renee Taylor, Joseph Bologna, Helen Verbit, Paul Sorvino.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Adult themes.

Overall Grade: C

Link: IMDB Page