Ex-model in Greenwich Village helps put together a music act that turns out to be novelty disco-ers The Village People. This movie is a novelty: as directed by Nancy Walker (of all people), it's a hoary, old-fashioned, "let's put on a show!" extravaganza done up in polyester and gold chains. By the time it was released, the Village People were already passé, and the film looked like a dated relic only a year or so later. Is anything good in this film? Yes, Valerie Perrine is good. Her character and most of her dialogue are trite, but the nonchalant, wiseass-yet-sunny manner of her delivery nearly saves the day. Perrine, not a trained actress, does as much for this part as anybody possibly could, and she looks great to boot. Athlete Bruce Jenner is amiable as an uptight square who gets involved (he has lines like, "your friends a little far out for me!") and Marilyn Sokol does a sex-obsessed best friend bit that gets some laughs, but hyped-up Steve Guttenberg is nerve-wracking and The Village People (each dressed as a separate gay fantasy figure) are mediocre in both acting and music. * from ****
Review of Can't Stop the Music
