Comfort and Joy *** (1984, Bill Paterson, Eleanor David, Clare Grogan, Alex Norton, Patrick Malahide, Rikki Fulton) – Classic Movie Review 7250

Writer-director Bill Forsyth’s 1984 Comfort and Joy is a sweet enough confection about an Italian ice-cream sellers’ feud in Glasgow, but its wafer-thin comedy offers only some smiles and a few laughs yet little joy.

However, much comfort is to be found in Bill Paterson’s likeable highlight performance as a Scottish radio host DJ called Alan Bird, who gets caught between the warring companies of the Bernardi and the Rossi families after he witnesses one ice cream van destroyed by an angry competitor.

Forsyth was nominated for BAFTA Film Award for Best Screenplay – Original, though you expect more from the director of the Eighties British film renaissance classic Local Hero (1983). Nevertheless, it is still quite entertaining and enjoyable, with nimble efforts all round by a good cast.

Also in the friendly nice cast are Eleanor David, Clare Grogan, Alex Norton, Patrick Malahide and Rikki Fulton, with Roberto Bernardi as Mr McCool, George Rossi as Bruno, Peter Rossi as Paolo, Billy McElhaney as Renato, Gilly Gilchrist as Rufus and Caroline Guthrie as Gloria.

Comfort and Joy is directed by Bill Forsyth, runs 106 minutes, is made by Lake, Kings Road Entertainment, Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment and STV, is released by EMI and Universal Pictures (US), is written by Bill Forsyth, is shot in Technicolor by Chris Menges, is produced by Davina Belling and Clive Parsons and is scored by Mark Knopfler.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7250

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com