Smile (1975)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writer:

Jerry Belson (written by)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

It's time again for California's "Young American Miss" beauty pageant, the biggest event of the year for Big Bob Freelander and Brenda DiCarlo...

Plot Keywords:

Beauty Pageant | Beautiful Woman | Ambition | Talent Contest | Satire

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Dern	...	Big Bob Freelander
Barbara Feldon	...	Brenda DiCarlo
Michael Kidd	...	Tommy French
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Wilson Shears
Nicholas Pryor	...	Andy DiCarlo
Joan Prather	...	Robin (Miss Antelope Valley)
Denise Nickerson	...	Shirley Tolstoy (Miss San Diego)
Melanie Griffith	...	Karen Love
Annette O'Toole	...	Doria Houston (Miss Anaheim)
Maria O'Brien	...	Maria Gonzales
Colleen Camp	...	Connie Thompson (Miss Imperial Valley)
Kate Sarchet	...	Judy Wagner
Dick McGarvin	...	Ted Farley
William Traylor	...	Ray Brandy
Titos Vandis	...	Emile Eidleman

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Santa Rosa, California, USA

Company:

David V. Picker Productions

Trivia:

In 1986, "Smile" was turned into a short lived Broadway musical. The show had music by Marvin Hamlisch, and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, who also directed. The musical featured Jodi Benson, who later provided the voice of Ariel, the title character in Disney's "The Little Mermaid", for which Ashman also wrote the lyrics.

Goofs:

Continuity: During pageant finale, many letters in the electrical Young American Miss sign are unlit in a long shot of stage, but shine brightly in other angles.

Quotes:

Doria Houston: Santa Rosa is so beautiful. I mean, I thought the shopping mall in Anaheim was great until I saw yours. It's... a credit to the vision of your business community.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

Spring Is Here

Biting satire at its finest

Santa Rosa, California, is the true star of this great satire. Barbara Feldon is magnificent as the hard-hearted pageant dominatrix. And Bruce Dern, is the true suburban everyman. Nicholas Pryor, Michael Kidd, and Geoffrey Lewis are all brilliant in their cynical supporting roles. But, the contestants steal the show -- especially Melanie Griffith, Joan Prather, Colleen Camp, Maria O'Brien, and Annette Toole.