Good Times marks the unremarkable feature directorial debut of William Friedkin, who later would helmed the highly acclaimed blockbusters The French Connection and The Exorcist.
Grade: C
Mixing genres, the comedy-musical-western, the picture was initiated and starred Sonny & Cher at their prime.
The film also co-stars George Sanders, Norman Alden, Larry Duran, Kelly Thordsen and Lennie Weinrib.
Sonny and Cher appear as themselves in this spoof of various genres, including mysteries, westerns, Tarzan movies and spy thrillers.
The plot revolves around a film contract offered to Sonny by powerful executive Mr. Mordicus, played by George Sanders, who also plays the antagonist in each of Sonny’s ideas for the film.
Structurally, the film consists of a string of uneven skits, which feature music and dancing by the duo.
Sonny Bono wanted to make a movie starring him and Cher and was introduced to William Friedkin, a young documentarian who had just moved into drama. Like Bono, he was represented by the William Morris Agency. They got along well and Abe Lastfogel got Steve Broidy to finance the movie.
Novice screenwriter Nicholas Hyams suggested Sonny and Cher make a film about them. Hyams was hired but the collaboration was not easy–“he was condescending to Sonny and disdainful of me,” Friedkin recalled.
Hyams was fired and Friedkin and Bono wound up writing the script themselves based on Hyams’ idea. Broidy wanted to call the film “I Got You Babe,” but Bono preferred Good Times, based on a song he was writing.
The film was originally meant to be made for $500,000 but the budget came in at $800,000. Broidy then sold the film to Columbia for $1.2 million, ensuring he was in profit before shooting began.
Good Times received poor-to-middling reviews as a pastiche of s mediocre skits.
Friedkin later commented that “I’ve made better films than Good Times but I’ve never had so much fun.”
The film earned $600,000 in U.S. rentals and $200,000 internationally. After distribution fees, prints and advertising and the negative cost were deducted, ABC reported loss of $1,050,000.
Cast
Sonny Bono as Sonny
Cher as Cher
George Sanders as Mr Mordicus / Knife McBlade / White Hunter / Zarubian
Norman Alden as Warren
Larry Duran as Smith
Kelly Thordsen as Tough Hombre
Lennie Weinrib as Leslie Garth
Peter Robbins as Brandon
Phil Arnold as Solly
