Since hearing about her role in Lord Love a Duck,I've been interested in seeing a Comedy with Tuesday Weld. Checking for updates on Netflix UK,I found that a satirical Comedy starring Weld was about to get removed,which led to me opening the pack of this serial film.

The plot:

Seeing the Free Love revolution of the hippies drown the ways of his old life out, Harvey Holroyd tries to cling on to everything he has known about life. Ignoring the warnings from her husband Harvey, Kate jumps into all the New Age and Free Love on offer. Whilst trying to accept Kate's choices,Harvey starts to fear that his family is falling apart,when his daughter Joanie goes to join a cult.

View on the film:

Driving in with a fake US accent (that barely hides his distinctive tone) Christopher Lee gives a smashing performance as Luckman Skull,whose brash Wall Street image is merrily chipped away by Lee. Completely out of his depth, Martin Mull gives a very funny performance as Harvey,who is given a gleeful desperation by Mull of trying to grasp at the straws of the unfolding sexual revolution. Delving into all the indulgence offered in the era, Tuesday Weld gives a sparkling performance as Kate,via Weld giving Kate a hilarious deadpan manner in trying to give strange events (such as joining a cult) a normalisation.

Descending from the sky over Folk music credits,director Bill Persky & cinematographer Rexford L. Metz chain a Flower Power turned sour atmosphere,lining the walls with floral patterns that wash up on the clothes of the Holroyd's. Deflowering Cyra McFadden's novel,the screenplay by Rich Eustis and Michael Elias pulls the peace-loving hippy world with a deliciously dark wit. Making the movie more satirical rather than character based,the writers craft a sharp absurdist piece ripping at all the gooey goodness of Free Love and the New Age.

For those that didn't live through the 1970's, this is a great film to get a handle on that particularly stupid period of American history.

Cast is great. Film is funny as hell, especially for those that remember the decade.

Martin Mull is the great straight man for the rest of the cast. Tuesday Weld is wonderful as the massively dingy wife, and Christopher Lee is wonderful as Mull's overbearing boss.

Based on a the novel that was a send-up of Orange County, CA, this is a great film, if you can find it. I used to have it on video, and have no idea if they ever released on DVD. I doubt it, honestly.

And remember- Nunca!

"Serial" is a bright, upbeat comedy that does an excellent job of satirizing some of the tropes of sunny southern California of the period, focusing on one fad-crazed bunch in particular. The only "normal" one in the group is the flustered Harvey Holroyd (a likeable Martin Mull, in his first starring role), who has to navigate his way among all these trendy "types" (played by - among others - Sally Kellerman, Peter Bonerz, Nita Talbot, Pamela Bellwood, Barbara Rhoades, and the ever-adorable Tuesday Weld, who plays Harvey's wife Kate).

Based on a novel by Cyra McFadden, and scripted by TV veterans Rich Eustis & Michael Elias, "Serial" offers on-target jabs at its subjects without ever being particularly mean-spirited. It's hard to resist, especially with such a talented cast playing these characters. Also putting in appearances are Bill Macy, Tom Smothers, Stacey Nelkin, Clark Brandon, Robin Sherwood, Mark L. Taylor, Rosanna DeSoto, Peter Horton, and Scott Paulin. My personal favorite cast member was the great Sir Christopher Lee; although his role is relatively minor, it's also one of the unlikeliest of his career, and it's nice to see him cast against type (and equally interesting to see him playing an American).

The surefooted direction is by Bill Persky, the wonderful cinematography by Rexford L. Metz. A definite highlight is the priceless orgy scene, although the finale is lively and a real hoot as well.

This has been overlooked for a long time, so people looking for Hollywood diamonds in the rough are advised to check it out.

Seven out of 10.