Next to his screenplay for Roxanne, Steve Martin's best mature work to date is L.A. Story.
Like all great movies, L.A. Story is a layered movie. The most obvious story layer is the love story between Martin's character and Tennant's character.
The next layer is Martin's tribute to the city of Los Angeles. That is the real story in this movie. Everything that happens to the characters happens because of the backdrop of L.A.. The movie's most important character is the city. This is perhaps most telling when you understand that the most powerful character is the Freeway Sign. The Freeway Sign is the only character that can create change and is not subject to fate. The Sign is part of the city's infrastructure, hence it is the city that is changing the other characters' fates.
The final layer is the personal changes experienced by Martin's character, Harris Telemacher.
This movie is quiet and slow moving. It has some of Martin's trademark surreality (rollerskating through art museums and Shakespeare in the cemetery), but it lacks the nutty antics he displayed in The Jerk and All of Me.
All in all, it is a wonderful love story, a quiet comedy, and a great tribute to L.A..
Like all great movies, L.A. Story is a layered movie. The most obvious story layer is the love story between Martin's character and Tennant's character.
The next layer is Martin's tribute to the city of Los Angeles. That is the real story in this movie. Everything that happens to the characters happens because of the backdrop of L.A.. The movie's most important character is the city. This is perhaps most telling when you understand that the most powerful character is the Freeway Sign. The Freeway Sign is the only character that can create change and is not subject to fate. The Sign is part of the city's infrastructure, hence it is the city that is changing the other characters' fates.
The final layer is the personal changes experienced by Martin's character, Harris Telemacher.
This movie is quiet and slow moving. It has some of Martin's trademark surreality (rollerskating through art museums and Shakespeare in the cemetery), but it lacks the nutty antics he displayed in The Jerk and All of Me.
All in all, it is a wonderful love story, a quiet comedy, and a great tribute to L.A..