guybuc
This story had originality in the oft told, "boy loses girl by being stupid and gets her back in the end" idea. However, the rehashed idea limits it. That is not the only problem.You can see that maybe there was a "good movie" possibility, but in the end you have a mostly maudlin story with a happy ending. It just feels like it needed more time in the creative process. Maybe limited money?Do not take this as a complete waste of time. You do feel for the characters, such as Mick Jagger asking the trick he has fallen in love with to marry, or watching Andy Garcia's future seemingly disintegrate. However, there does not seem a balance, too maudlin.Watch this to see what could have been. It could have been...a contender?
daygc
With a ridiculous premise such as that in The Man from Elysian Fields, only superior writing, casting, or special effects (or a miracle) could produce a watchable film, let alone a good one. Sadly, this flop by director George Hickenlooper (whose credits include, uh, . . . well, we're still waiting for something creditable) wasn't rescued by any of these, and we are all just left to wonder why on Earth this film was made.Writer Byron Tiller (Garcia) is a deservedly down-and-out writer who somehow manages to snag a real gem for a wife. Dena Tiller (Julianna Margulies) is pretty, intelligent, long-suffering, attentive, and downright charitable in her marriage to Byron, whose only published work is a (coincidentally?) unbelievable novel entitled Hitler's Child. (I happen to agree with the bookstore patron who, after laughing hysterically at the book's premise - which even Tiller acknowledges is 'ridiculous' - and after realizing she is talking to the author politely asks that he autograph it, then promptly dumps it back in the discount bin after he leaves.)Why Byron decides to turn tricks instead of flipping burgers or going to night school to learn another profession is not clear. The fact that after sleeping with the multiple Pulitzer Prize winner Tobias Alcott's (James Coburn) young wife he is asked to co-write the aging author's next book is mind boggling for several reasons, the most obvious being that Alcott never sees any of Tiller's writing before making this generous offer. He simply endures some criticism from Tiller on his work in progress, then decides that the criticism is SO GOOD that he must have Tiller co-author the work with him. If Tiller's luck was this good for real he a) might have a successful novel of his own, or b) might not have ever met Luther Fox, the enigmatic man from Elysian Fields.Which brings us to the crux of the plot. Luther Fox (Jagger) is the aging founder and president of the Elysian Fields Escort Service, a haven for rich women with inattentive husbands. Somehow, for some inexplicable reason, Fox not only notices his across-the-hall neighbor's smoldering good looks, but also takes the time to read the aforementioned bomb-novel, Hitler's Child.' (We can only assume that the quality of this work is what makes Fox assume that Tiller would come to work for him.) Tiller's conversion is way too quick. He does some superficial soul searching before diving into the world of male prostitution. Forget for the moment that he doesn't have to do any old hags, homosexuals, or kinky kooks, and that his only client is the young, beautiful, and charming Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams.). Also forget that he is presumably paid very well. But try as we might, we just can't forget how easily this supposedly decent guy becomes embroiled in the lifestyle of the Elysian Fields set. We are expected to swallow the surface excuse given, that Tiller is willing to sacrifice (!) so much for his beloved wife and child. What a guy! We have to wonder why, when his altruistically driven wife would gladly go to work so they could both flip burgers to make ends meet, Tiller is such easy prey for Fox. We won't ever know, of course. We just have to accept, as Tiller himself says about his own flop of a novel, 'Premises are allowed to be ridiculous.' Right. Is that George Hickenlooper's excuse for making this film?Lastly, we turn to the character of Luther Fox himself. Our patience for imagination already stretched paper thin, we now have to contend with the panderer-turned-paramour, the man from Elysian Fields. Admitting that he is over the hill and should have retired years ago, Luther stays active on the job for one client: the rich and morally bankrupt Jennifer Adler (Angelica Huston.) Fox has been in love with his client for some time, and eventually proposes marriage, said proposal being immediately and hysterically rebuffed. Why we take this side trip is unclear because Adler drops out of the picture immediately thereafter. Luther decides to get out of the business anyway, and advises Tiller to do the same. Tiller's wife has already learned of his moonlighting activities and left him , so this advice comes under the 'too little, too late' category. And we won't even get into the absurdity of Tiller's wife, Dena, hiring one of the Elysian Field escorts so she can just ask him why a man would do this sort of work - we probably wouldn't get it anyway. To try and tie up this clunker into a neat ending, the screenwriter (Phillip Jason Lasker of notable masterpieces for TV Barney Miller and The Golden Girls) has Tiller working as a waiter - and a snotty one, at that - in a fancy restaurant, which begs the question as to why he didn't go this route in the first place. Mostly this comes about because Tiller gets gypped out of his share of the profits from the co-written Alcott novel, and has to seek honest, non-prostitution work to survive. No matter - it is hinted that Dena is going to take him back anyway and the film mercifully ends there. Fox walks off into the night, and really, who cares?Want to save $3.75? Watch The Golden Girls reruns - they're way better.
Random Task
The road to hell is always paved with good intentions. It is the axiom pitfall that catches so many; including Andy Garcia's character, Byron Tiller, in `The Man from Elesian Fields'. Having thrown years into a failed novel, Byron grows increasingly desperate to make ends meet for his family and find success. Compromising himself for what he needs, he finds an easy answer in the employ of Elesian Fields, a male escort service operated by Luther Fox (Mik Jagger). It is a classically executed set-up, but because the script has so much to say before the final fade out, it staggers like a buss boy who has picked up too many dishes from too many tables.After the proper cajoling and encouraging, Luther sets Byron up on his first assignment with the beautiful wife of a renowned multi-Pulitzer writer. Byron doesn't go easily into this abyss. He won't escort Andrea (Olivia Williams) beyond her limo door after an opera the first night and is greatly relieved to return home to his wife Dena (Juliana Margulies). The second date, however, progresses until the date and escort have their lovemaking interrupted by a visit from Andrea's elderly and approving husband, Tobias (James Coburn). Tobias extends an invitation for Byron to work with him on revising his last book. Byron soon finds himself leading the dizzying life of working for Luther, Andrea and Tobias while never letting Dena know about his escort duties with Andrea.The first hour of the film is tightly written and gracefully proceeds with the steady and beautiful cinematography of Kramer Morgenthau. After the writers start exchanging ideas, the pace of the film picks up considerably. Conversation becomes swept aside in montages and assumptions. Even the music, subtle and appropriate in the first half draws unnecessary attention in the second half. The situation is familiar. Betrayed couples are as old as time. Struggling writers are found throughout cinema. The thing that separates them is the individual characters and interaction. Those and the heartfelt dialog get lost in bringing the story to where it is expected to end to make the author's statement. Far from poor, but never really convincing, `Elesian Fields' is best noted for the acting it harbors. James Coburn plays a dying artist with dignity and is smart enough to let his poise crumble from time to time. Mik Jagger is wonderfully understated as the dispenser of temptation and his moments of disappointment with Anjelica Huston round out an award-worthy performance. Andy Garcia believably balances an quiet man whose temper gets the best of him now and again. Only Juliana Margulies is underused. It's unfortunate that so much talent could not overcome the other more intrinsic weaknesses.
