This was just one awkward movie that probably didn't fulfill the vison of John Updike's novel of the same name. James Caan stars as the title character, a nickname he earned when he was the fastest player twenty years earlier on his high school basketball team. Trapped in a loveless marriage with a pregnant wife, Harry Angstrom (Caan) runs off to see his former coach (Jack Albertson) for some consolation and advice. The first about-face in the story occurs when Coach Tothero seems to want to convince Harry to return to his wife, but the next day, takes him out on a double date - with a hooker no less!! That was just a major head scratcher for me. Caan's character proves to be virtually mindless when he falls in love with Ruth Leonard (Anjanette Comer), despite her obvious profession. Their very unconvincing love scene back at Ruth's apartment was terribly staged, it looked like both were going through their motions without emotion. Very strange. Made even stranger when in conversation later on, Harry asks Ruth - "Are you really a whore, honey"? Yet the conflicted Harry returns home to his wife (Carrie Snodgress), assisted in some measure by the local Reverend Jack Eccles (Arthur Hill). The reverend sets Harry up with some part time work as a gardener for an elderly widow, who ironically had a husband she talks about with the same name 'Harry'. It makes you wonder if the actress (Nydia Westman) made a mistake, and the filmmakers just went along with it. At least that's what I thought.
Feeling remorseful, Harry returns to his wife after two months just as she's about to have their second child, with no good-byes to Ruth. A stunning tragedy occurs after the baby is born, as Janice Angstrom's alcoholism overtakes her mobility and reason, and she suffers an accident from which there is no recovery. Unwilling to face the reality of his involvement in the tragedy, Harry runs back to Ruth, and in her own hasty judgement, states that she would like to marry Harry. It's the ending here that really didn't click for me, as Harry runs off with a soundtrack in the background that seemingly celebrates his freedom from responsibility, almost as if he were the hero of the picture, instead of the miserable cad that he turned out to be.
Feeling remorseful, Harry returns to his wife after two months just as she's about to have their second child, with no good-byes to Ruth. A stunning tragedy occurs after the baby is born, as Janice Angstrom's alcoholism overtakes her mobility and reason, and she suffers an accident from which there is no recovery. Unwilling to face the reality of his involvement in the tragedy, Harry runs back to Ruth, and in her own hasty judgement, states that she would like to marry Harry. It's the ending here that really didn't click for me, as Harry runs off with a soundtrack in the background that seemingly celebrates his freedom from responsibility, almost as if he were the hero of the picture, instead of the miserable cad that he turned out to be.