Many actors down the years have had a go at directing themselves in a film; Bloomfield marks the one and only effort from 'enfant terrible' Richard Harris, around the time he was also fancying himself as something of a singer. There's something about Bloomfield which has a hint of autobiography about it – the Harris character is a big celebrity (in this case a footballer) adored by some and ridiculed by others; constantly pressured to behave more responsibly and plan for the future, yet unable to get much further than his own impulsive nature and penchant for self-indulgent recklessness.
In Israel, youngster Nimrod (Kim Burfield) obsesses about football so much that his father (Zvi Yaron) begins to worry that he needs to do something to get him back on track. Nimrod's idol is Eitan (Richard Harris), a top player with Tel Aviv who will shortly be playing his final match. Eitan is loved and loathed in equal measure – some feel he is a genius of the football field; others consider him a burnt-out wreck, too insistent on living a self-indulgent lifestyle to have any real future on or off the pitch. His love-hate relationship with artist Nira (Romy Schneider) seems to be under threat, especially since she finds her career rocketing upwards just as his is winding down. Determined not to miss Eitan's final game, Nimrod runs away from home and treks across Israel to be there for the player's swansong. He gets more than he bargained for when he actually meets Eitan by chance and gets to spend the whole day leading up to the match in the company of his idol, learning a few life lessons about fame, wasted talent and personal demons along the way.
Hampered by a hopelessly dated soundtrack and some amateurish performances, Bloomfield is nevertheless far from a total loss. Amid the film's many misjudgments there are plenty of interesting touches too. The Israeli locations are quite unusual and give the film a strangely appealing look; the relationship between Harris and Schneider is quite interestingly developed, and well-played by the film's two strongest actors; and the story makes some worthwhile points about what people can (and can't) do with their lives once their one true talent fizzles out. Ultimately the amateurishness and the wholly unconvincing football sequences (done in a pseudo-arty manner) – plus a handful of peculiar and unpersuasive plot developments – prevent Bloomfield from being much more than a curiosity item. However, fans of the star will probably enjoy seeing him in something so atypical, and the film's sheer 'offbeatness' makes it worth a peek.
In Israel, youngster Nimrod (Kim Burfield) obsesses about football so much that his father (Zvi Yaron) begins to worry that he needs to do something to get him back on track. Nimrod's idol is Eitan (Richard Harris), a top player with Tel Aviv who will shortly be playing his final match. Eitan is loved and loathed in equal measure – some feel he is a genius of the football field; others consider him a burnt-out wreck, too insistent on living a self-indulgent lifestyle to have any real future on or off the pitch. His love-hate relationship with artist Nira (Romy Schneider) seems to be under threat, especially since she finds her career rocketing upwards just as his is winding down. Determined not to miss Eitan's final game, Nimrod runs away from home and treks across Israel to be there for the player's swansong. He gets more than he bargained for when he actually meets Eitan by chance and gets to spend the whole day leading up to the match in the company of his idol, learning a few life lessons about fame, wasted talent and personal demons along the way.
Hampered by a hopelessly dated soundtrack and some amateurish performances, Bloomfield is nevertheless far from a total loss. Amid the film's many misjudgments there are plenty of interesting touches too. The Israeli locations are quite unusual and give the film a strangely appealing look; the relationship between Harris and Schneider is quite interestingly developed, and well-played by the film's two strongest actors; and the story makes some worthwhile points about what people can (and can't) do with their lives once their one true talent fizzles out. Ultimately the amateurishness and the wholly unconvincing football sequences (done in a pseudo-arty manner) – plus a handful of peculiar and unpersuasive plot developments – prevent Bloomfield from being much more than a curiosity item. However, fans of the star will probably enjoy seeing him in something so atypical, and the film's sheer 'offbeatness' makes it worth a peek.