Handle with Care [Citizens Band] **** (1977, Paul LeMat, Candy Clark, Ann Wedgeworth, Marcia Rodd, Charles Napier) – Classic Movie Review 5364

Writer-director Jonathan Demme’s appealing fourth movie (after Caged Heat, Crazy Mama and Fighting Mad) is this 1977 cult comedy about citizens’ band radio fanatics with names like Spider (Paul LeMat), Papa Thermodyne (Roberts Blossom) and Hot Coffee (Alix Elias). Expertly handled and played, it is a warm-hearted, engaging, agreeable cult movie success.

The amusingly quirky characters, wry character observation, amusing citizens’ band dialogue and a celebration of American community spirit take priority over an elaborately set up but thinly developed plot in the screenplay by Paul Brickman.

Charles Napier plays trucker Chrome Angel, a husband with two wives and separate families, who is put in hospital after an accident. His Dallas wife Dallas Angel (Ann Wedgeworth) and his Portland wife Portland Angel (Marcia Rodd) simultaneously turn up in the small town where both CB fanatic and local coordinator Spider (Paul LeMat) and his brother Blood (Bruce McGill in his first movie) are chasing Electra (Candy Clark). Papa Thermodyne (Blossom) is Spider’s grumpy father.

Also in the cast are Ed Begley Jr as The Priest, Richard Bright, Michael Rothman, Michael Mahler, Harry Northup as The Red Baron, Will Seltzer and Leila Smith.

It was known in the UK as Citizens Band.

Paul LeMat went on to star in Demme’s sixth film Melvin and Howard (1980).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5364

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