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ms Lemmoh film' is no lemon
By WEI Huffrasn
Alzx end the Gypsy (Douglas 3) is an
offbeat, unpretentious fUm that provides
a worthy vehicle for its two step, Jack
Lemmon and Genevieve Bujold.
Lemmon plays Alexander Main, a bail
bondsman who meets his former mistress,
a fiery young gypsy girl names Maritza
(Bujold).
For her role, Bujold sports coal-black
hair and a wildly impetuous temperament.
Lemmon bails Bujold out of jail, against
I I UNICO
his better judgment, after she has been
arrested for stabbing her husband.
The film centers on the pair's unusual
relationship, which oscillates between ten
derness and hate as Lemmon struggles to
keep - the gypsy from skipping bail and
causing hun financial ruin.
- The idea of the fabled rootless gypsy is
integral to both Bujold's character and the
whole film, so director John Korty shows
several different sequences of the gypsy
community.
In one sequence, there,' is a funeral
where a sin above tha coffin reads "Good
Luck in Heaven-Win, Place or Shew"
and another at a festival in the country
side. Drftp2csep2sy
The scenes with the gypsies show them
with a carefree and uninhibited view of
life, and this bright philosophy is starkly
contrasted with the stodgy outlook of the
rest of society.
Lemmon plays the man caught in the
middle who longs for his own freedom,
but is too tied down in his established
surroundings.
In the best Lemmon tradition, his
protrayal of the bailbondsman combines
the brisk, wisecracking, exterior with -anxious,
troubled interior. Lemmon is per
haps the most adept of all actors in realiz
ing this type of inner tension.
The brash, fast-talking hustler, gnawed
by self-doubt, has been Lemmon's spec
ialty as far back as Days of Wine end
Roses, and his work iaAkx end the Gypsy
is among his most convincing.
New rr8 in Ulent
As the gypsy, Bujold displays a new
range in her talent. It is probably her most
aggressive performance, and she carries
it off with a great deal of conviction.
. Without the customary reserve of her
previous roles, Bujold emerges from the
subtle nuances of her earlier films and gives
-the character of Maritza an earthy flavor,
worthy of Sophia Loren or Anna Magnani.
The tension between Bujold and
Lemmon is the core of the" film, and their
constantly changing relationship makes
them one of the oddest couples in recent
screen history.
Although all their problems aren't
solved, the ending of the film provides
Lemmon with an exhilarating release from
his pent-tp frustrations.
Akx and the Gypsy isn't a particularly
ambitious film-its sole interest is in the
bailbondsman and gypsy's unique relation
. ship. Within this scope, the film succeeds
quite admirably.
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25sh Cntury-Fox
Pleasant Akerm
By Michsel Zsngsri
There are an incredible amount of LP's released every
month. '
Many are good, a few are exceptional, and the rest be-,
come hits for Barry Manilow.
. -, EzzzlX,' - JL... -is has to do with Willi sm Akerman and
In Search of the Turtle's Navel a self-styled "quest for
steel string guitar" album, is wrapped up in a myth. The
myth is, if a song is good or an artist talented, eventually
birds win sing, the sun will shine, and the rightwr ho
have paid thei iU be seated at Elton John's right
hand in "top 40 anu tracks" heaven.
But this just isn't true .
Success depends on a combination of factors, talent
laying somewhat below exposure, marketability, gimicry,
and lately, if you can "shake your booty."
Ackerman's "booty" (a jazz team for a person's rear
end ) hasn't been exposed as far as I know. In fact, he
probably sits on it for a majority of his live performances.
Album well-done
In Search of Turtle's Navel is, for the most part, a
quiet, well-done album of accoustic guitar music that you
won't see in your local record store and more than likely
will not hear on your radio before midnight.
It's not so much because these artists are untouchable.
Jack Lentsscn is a bell bondsman end Generjeve Bujdd is the gypsy girl he loves
tsd tiniest Icses to tie law in the new romantic comedy "Alex & the Gypsy."
urn features auitarisi's.talent
They are the select few that have a decent living
.with their guitars blindly in front of them.
This is not to sliit fine accoustic efforts by Larry .
Coryell or John Mac Laushlin or any cf the other fine
guitarists. The point is we are dealing with a narrow circle
of well known artists who commercially dominate the
market. : " ''
Akerman's music is more classically oriented than you
would fxpect from ca album dealing totally with a steel
stringed guitcr.
Classical guitar traditionally has been played on gut
strings. -
The thought of playing traditional classical music on a
steel-stringed guitar initially is abrasive.
But in Akerman's case, the use of the folk guitar on his
classically oriented composition works well. lie sacrifices
none of the depth and adds a great deal of clarity.
Akerman's mucis grows from a number of sources, and
often builds from his classical roots into other influences.
"What the Buzzard told Suzanne," opening side two, is
a prime example. .
Pace hs2i
It builds from an initial slowness into a powerhouse of
nice chord manipulation. A faster fo!k4ased rhythm
Dim? productions
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extends just far enough before he ends the song. Akerman
is not one to unnecessarily drag out a tune.
Side two of the album is strong. "Barbara's Song,"
"Slow Motion Boast Beef Restaurant Seduction" (in
which the woman across from you confesses all resulting
in the expected flood), and a suprise vocal track, ''Woman
She Rides," are all well done.
Side one is more up tempo, and features such never to
be forgotten hits as "The Pink Chiffon Tricycle Queen,"
"Dance for the Death of A Bird", and '-The Second Great
Tcrtion Bar Overland of West Townshend Vermont, Jo
Pepsi Attending." The latter is a simple song about the
ritualistic death of a four-wheel, drive truck, according to
Akerman.
Akerman's album is not fantastic. It is pleasant and
quite a bit better than most If you like guitar music from
a talented source, can get into atmospheric music and
have a fetish for strange tune titles, you might take a
chance on Akerman's In Search of a Turtle's Navel
Concert's receipts
will help singers
A benefit concert by the Nebraska Chamber Orches
tra will be at Kimball Recital Hall at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets are 53 and $4. One dollar of the $4 ticket will
go to the Nebraska Wesley an University (NWU) Chorus.
The chorus plans to tour Rumania Dec. 30 to Jan. 19.
The orchestra will be conducted by Robert Emile, the
The program will include The Back and Brsdenburg
Concerto No. 2. It demonstrates the high pitched Bach
trumpet, sometimes called the piccolo trumpet, according
to Nelson Potter, chairman of the Lincoln Friends of
Chamber Music.
Steve Erickson, featured soloist, will play the piccolo
trumpet. -
The orchestra also will play Mozart's Pisno Concerto
No. 21, featuring pianist Audun Ravnan. Ravnan will
play the "middle slow movement" of this work, which
was a hit from the fiLa Fhira Madgm, Potter said.
It is a three movement ciece thit hai segments nf fst
and slow tempos, Potter said.
The program will include music by WBliam Walton
entitled facade", and poetry w21 be recited by Vena
Genuchi, a UNL music graduate student. Edith Sitwell
a the author of the poetry .
"It's a kind of nonsense poetry done very rhythmic
aJy and the result is very witty " Potter said.
The last piece is by Lincoln composer Robert Walters,
and is called "Freedom is a River." Words which are set
to music are by Nancy MeCkery, a Lincoln poet
McCktry has.been a poet in public schools and associated
wiJi the Nebraska Arts Council prof ram.
The NWU chorus wO ting to "Freedom is a River."
The concert wl be filmed by Nebraa Educstiond
Television for later viewing.
rrTickSe.avaiIab!fi at e Krr.bl Redid Iii3 box
?-fuT m1J w'fk Dept. office, from members cf the
r U Chorus and at the concert