Arthur 2: On the Rocks ** (1988, Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud) – Classic Movie Review 9391

Director Bud Yorkin films an inferior sequel to the 1981 hit Arthur in the 1988 comedy Arthur 2: On the Rocks, with all three stars from the original returning, but not the original writer-director Steve Gordon.

Alas, Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli return to their 1981 success with much less intoxicating results. In Andy Breckman’s screenplay, Arthur loses his whole $750 million fortune and his wife Linda wants a baby.

Penniless ex-playboy Arthur Bach (Moore) and his wife Linda (Minnelli) are trying to make a family, while Arthur is trying to survive as a broke, unemployable alcoholic, in a sentimental and contrived story that misses the funny bone too often.

Moore’s drunken hamming and his boyish humour still raise enough laughs to save the day and John Gielgud pops back in a spirited cameo as the ghost of his Oscar-winning self, butler Hobson. The crew clapped when Gielgud arrived on set to film his cameo.

There was no third episode, but a poorly received flop remake of Arthur starring Russell Brand and Helen Mirren, taking on John Gielgud’s part, was released in April 2011.

Also in the cast are Geraldine Fitzgerald, Stephen Elliott, Kathy Bates, Jack Gilford, Cynthia Sikes, Paul Benedict, Ted Ross, Daniel Greene, Brogan Lane, Barney Martin and Thomas Barbour.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9391

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