The Fan

THE FAN

D: Edward Bianchi (1981); with Lauren Bacall, Michael Biehn, James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, Hector Elizondo.

When I first saw The Fan in 1981, I thought it was a stylish, gripping thriller. Upon viewing it 20 years later, I stand corrected -- in 1981, it was a stylish, gripping thriller, but not anymore. It contains several of those "Who would pay money to see that?" performances-within-performances that we have written about before. This time, the perpetrator is Bacall, playing a Broadway actress (naturally) who talks/sings her way through a few self-important numbers about what it's like to be a famous star. The numbers are simply awful; this is the kind of routine that gives people who hate Broadway plenty of ammunition. The best thing about Bacall's performance is her Halston clothes. Riding high from his days as the conquering hero of the Seventies, Halston was going through major personal and business problems at this time, but the clothes he produced then are nothing short of magnificent American classics. In addition to the traditional Halston looks of cashmere twin sets paired with straight-legged slacks with gorgeous trenchcoats draped over the shoulders, Bacall wears a few of Halston's most spectacular creations. Though many of the most interesting details are lost on the screen, Bacall wears Halston's "spiral-cut" caftans created from a single piece of fabric with a single seam that winds around the body. The way they drape and mold to the body is a testament to Halston's incredible creative abilities. The clothes, as beautiful relics of that era, are the best thing about this movie.