T.R. BASKIN (1971)

Title: T.R. BASKIN

Year of Release: 1971

Director: Herbert Ross

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: A disaffected young woman from Ohio moves to Chicago, but finds nothing but loneliness, and isolation.

Within a film history context: The trials, and travails, of young women from a small town who go to live in the big city were explored a number of times before T.R. BASKIN. With Burton King's silent A LITTLE GIRL IN A BIG CITY (1925), a young woman from the country wins a beauty contest, falling into elaborate traps set by a cunning magazine publisher, but emerging with her dignity intact in this drama. THE RED KIMONO (1925), directed by Walter Lang and Dorothy Davenport, was a morality tale of a young woman from a small-town who becomes a prostitute, and is enveloped in a murder case when she discovers the man she loves has been cheating on her. Into the sound era, one of the most famous films about a small-town girl in the city was William Wellman's A STAR IS BORN (1937). A young woman desires to become an actress, and comes to Hollywood, but her meeting with an alcoholic star brings her not only happiness, but also, much grief. In comparison, NOTHING SACRED (1937), again directed by William Wellman, had a young lady who was thought to have a terminal illness, but discovers that she was misdiagnosed. She plays along with the ruse that she is ill, and a reporter looking for a story falls for her lies, and in love with her. On the other hand, Gregory La Cava's UNFINISHED BUSINESS (1941), featured a small-town woman who proceeds to New York, has an affair with a man, but is subsequently ignored by him. She then marries his brother on the rebound, but this marriage is tested in this romantic comedy.

PRESENTING LILY MARS (1943), directed by Norman Taurog, was the story of a young woman from Indiana who yearns for the stage, and at first is not taken seriously by a Broadway impresario. When she ends up in New York, and pushes him for a chance, she finally receives this. A suspense mode was employed in William Castle's WHEN STRANGERS MARRY (1944). When a young woman from a small town comes to New York to meet with her husband, she is forced to realize that he, in fact, may be a psychopathic killer. UNWED MOTHER (1958), directed by Walter Doniger, related the tale of a young woman from the country who heads to Los Angeles, and into the clutches of a Lothario, who leaves her pregnant, and in the lurch. Similarly downcast was Brandon Chase's GIRL IN TROUBLE (1963). When a young woman leaves the safety of her family farm to make it big in New Orleans, she becomes a stripper, and is subjected to nothing but maltreatment, and sadism, in this exploitation drama. CONFESSIONS OF A BAD GIRL (1965), directed by Barry Mahon, followed the narrative line of the previous entry. A young woman comes to New York to be an actress, but finds that auditioning involves the casting couch to the nth degree in her case. More exploitation fare with sex and nudity was found in Tony Orlando's HOT NIGHTS ON THE CAMPUS (1966). A young woman from Indiana comes to New York to attend college, and lives with four other women who initiate her on a crash course of permissive behaviour, which culminates in her falling pregnant. T.R. BASKIN was a movie which closely surveyed the life of a small-town girl from Ohio, examining her new existence in Chicago.

T.R. BASKIN was of a dramatic persuasion, and had most in common with those films which approached their subject in a serious manner. It was furthest as could be from those light entries where a small-town girl becomes a success in the big city, such as NOTHING SACRED, and PRESENTING LILY MARS. It lacked the sentimentality of these pictures, with their upbeat protagonists, instead, presenting a portrait of a young woman, essentially, on her own in the city, and living by her wits. There was a slight correlation between T.R. BASKIN, and movies from the 1950s and after, such as UNWED MOTHER, GIRL IN TROUBLE, CONFESSIONS OF A BAD GIRL, and HOT NIGHTS ON THE CAMPUS. In these movies, the morality of the young woman in question was the key issue here, and how her transplantation from a small town, to the big city, was a driver in her path to promiscuity. While this may be a simplification on the part of these films, nevertheless, this narrative line does infuse these examples. 

Having a young woman corrupted by her exposure to the big, bad city lended itself to much angst and melodrama, such as in UNWED MOTHER and GIRL IN TROUBLE. HOT NIGHTS ON THE CAMPUS concentrated on the sex and nudity angle, unlike the other movies, which were more straitlaced. The sexual element was but a small part of T.R. BASKIN, and not the raison d'etre, as in HOT NIGHTS ON THE CAMPUS, with its racy scenes. T.R. BASKIN was also not obvious in terms of its central character, and her psychology. It provided a limited account in this respect, mainly charting the woman's reaction to the coldness, and loneliness, of city life, and some of its people. The woman's interactions with other people were muted, and noted in a dry, distancing manner. The city itself could be seen as being a character of sorts in T.R. BASKIN, with the endless secretarial office space, and T.R.'s gloomy apartment just two examples of this. A different view of a small-town young woman in the big city, T.R. BASKIN offers an interesting account in this arena.

Overview: Herbert Ross was an American director who helmed twenty-four films over a twenty-six year period. His output consisted of romances, comedies, and musicals. Mr Ross' inaugural movie, GOODBYE, MR CHIPS (1969), was a remake of the 1939 version with Robert Donat and Greer Garson. This time around, the male school teacher was played by Peter O'Toole, with his showgirl ladylove, by Petula Clark. Next came Herbert Ross' first comedy outing, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT (1970). The tale of a prostitute and a bookish man finding love, was a raucous effort that rang the box office bell, due to the presence of Barbra Streisand and George Segal, and a healthy dose of sauciness. Mystery was the name of the game in THE LAST OF SHEILA (1973). A movie producer invites a group of friends to his yacht, who were present at his home one year to the day when his wife was killed in a car accident. A game of cat and mouse then ensues, with red herrings aplenty in this thriller. Mr Ross then tackled the sequel to FUNNY GIRL (1968), being FUNNY LADY (1975). Continuing the story of Fanny Brice, her career highs, and personal relationships, it was another success for the director, with Barbra Streisand again in the lead. 

THE SUNSHINE BOYS (1975), was a comedy of two vaudeville comedians reuniting for a television special after many years, but whose existing offscreen animosity might affect their current project. Mystery THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION (1976), focused upon duo Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes, and how Watson seeks to assist Holmes with his psychological issues through Sigmund Freud. There was a change of pace for Herbert Ross with THE TURNING POINT (1977). Two friends involved in ballet compare their lives until the present, with the daughter of one becoming a ballerina, this making the women reassess where they have been, and where they are going in life. Also successful was THE GOODBYE GIRL (1977). The unlikely teaming of a struggling actor, a dancer, and her daughter in a New York apartment, was box office gold for Warner Brothers, also bringing an Oscar for Richard Dreyfuss in the lead role. Another well-regarded movie for Herbert Ross was CALIFORNIA SUITE (1978). With an all-star cast including Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Maggie Smith, and Walter Matthau, this peek inside the lives of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel was a fun cinematic diversion, with some moments of pathos. 

The 1980s began a run of less-prominent projects for Herbert Ross. Biopic NIJINSKY (1980), though, was not as well-liked as his 1970s efforts. The life of Russian dancer Vaslav Nijinsky was the topic here, and his crumbling mental state. Despite a stellar cast, with Alan Bates, Janet Suzman and Sian Phillips, it was not a financial success. PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (1981), was another box office disappointment. The life of a sheet-music salesman in 1930s Chicago, and his romance with a schoolteacher, made up the content of this ambitious, but unpopular musical drama. I OUGHT TO BE IN PICTURES (1982), was also a loss maker, being the story of a young woman trying to break into the movies, and reunite with her screenwriter father. Herbert Ross made a comeback with FOOTLOOSE (1984). When a young man from the city moves to a small town, and rails against its stance toward music and dance, he starts a revolution of sorts in this energetic drama with a pulsating soundtrack. In contrast, comedy was at the core of THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS (1987). A young university graduate finds a way of progressing his career without undue strain in this romantic comedy. 

DANCERS (1987), also examined ballet, as with THE TURNING POINT and NIJINSKY. The romance between a male ballet dancer and his younger muse was charted here, with Mikhail Baryshnikov in the central part. Despite this, it failed to recoup its costs at the box office. Success again came Herbert Ross' way with STEEL MAGNOLIAS (1989). When a young beautician gains employment at a salon, she is made to feel at home by the town's womenfolk. With an all-star cast including Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah and Shirley MacLaine, it was a bonanza for Tri-Star Pictures. Comedy was also at the heart of MY BLUE HEAVEN (1990). When a federal agent is assigned to watch over a gangster and his wife, fireworks ensue in this comedy crime caper. TRUE COLORS (1991), had a male-male friendship at its core. The very different perspectives of two young men, both law students, are examined here, and how their aims to progress in Washington take them in opposite directions. This, unfortunately, was another of Herbert Ross' misfires, making back only a fraction of its production costs. Herbert Ross' cinematic sawn song was in the form of BOYS ON THE SIDE (1995). The close relationship between three women drives this narrative, which was not only a box office success, but also, critically acclaimed. T.R. BASKIN was Herbert Ross' third film, but one of his lesser movies.

Herbert Ross has made an unsatisfactory picture with T.R. BASKIN. The story of a young woman from Ohio who seeks a new life in Chicago, and running into inherent difficulties along the way, it is a deflating viewing experience. A number of reasons point to this in the movie. Although the acting is one of its best qualities, the lead actress, in particular, is let down by the film's reticence in providing a backstory for its titular character. Aside from the fact that T.R. Baskin is seeking a new life in Chicago, one never gets a sense of why this is so. This subsequently poses questions about her which are never answered, such as what she is running away from, and how she arrived at the decision to move to Chicago. Even though one receives some information about the character through her interactions with other characters in the story, for the most part, T.R. Baskin remains an enigma. Thus, audience identification with her is not an easy feat. While Herbert Ross aptly paints a picture of difficulties in city life, alienation, and loneliness through the visual aspects of the film, the narrative leaves much to be desired in terms of its execution. The movie largely limps along at a snail's pace, and with little to capture the emotions of the spectator. A demanding but disappointing work, T.R. BASKIN stands out as a dismaying movie from Herbert Ross. 

Acting: There are several notable acting performances in T.R. BASKIN. In the lead role of T.R. Baskin, Candice Bergen is excellent. Carefully unravelling the many layers of this young woman to the audience, with a revelation in the final section of the movie, it is one of Miss Bergen's most psychologically complex roles, and one she delivers with finesse. As Larry, T.R.'s love interest, James Caan adds his unique persona to the film. With his easy-going ways, crackly voice, and engaging personality, it would have been good to have seen more of Mr Caan in the picture. The final noteworthy acting in T.R. BASKIN was by Marcia Rodd as Dayle, T.R.'s colleague at the office. Miss Rodd's good humor, knowing attitude, and nous make her one of T.R. BASKIN's brightest lights, in what is otherwise a dispiriting movie.

Soundtrack: T.R. BASKIN takes a very lean approach to its soundtrack, which makes sense in terms of the film's themes, and presentation. Aside from diegetic music in scenes such as the restaurant sequences, there are two notable sequences which employ non-diegetic music. The first is the passage where T.R. and Larry are walking in the city, with a tinkly piano tune quietly playing in the background. The next is when T.R. strolls along the riverside after leaving Larry's home. These are some of the most pensive moments in the film, and nicely punctuated by the solemn scoring in these segments. The closing credits are in contrast to the lack of music in T.R. BASKIN as a whole, with Jack Elliott's piano theme ending the picture in a thoughtful manner.

Mise-en-scene: The visual experience for viewers is one of T.R. BASKIN's best qualities. Cinematography by Gerald Hirschfeld is beautiful, compensating for the deficiencies in the narrative with its subtlety. In turn, production design, and art direction by Albert Brenner is memorable, with the never-ending typing pool where T.R. Baskin works, her apartment, Larry's warm abode, the restaurants, bars, and department store which T.T. visits with Dayle, all excellent examples of his work. Costuming is also of a high standard, Agnes Lyon's creations ensuring that the cast is well-outfitted in upscale, smart apparel, this applying to both the male, and female performers.

Notable Acting Performances: Candice Bergen, James Caan, Marcia Rodd.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Brief female nudity, adult themes.

Overall Grade: D

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer