Main Cast: Eugene Troobnick, Hermione Gingold, Patricia Harty, Arlene Golonka, Will MacKenzie
Release Year: 1965
Country: US
Run Time: 76 minutes
Plot
In this comedy, an even-tempered fireman with a happily tepid life, finds his peaceful world disrupted when he becomes infatuated with the woman he saved from a burning building. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Review
Harvey Middleman, Fireman marked the live action debut of Ernest Pintoff, who had previously created a number of imaginative, slightly surreal and highly individualistic cartoon shorts. Middleman retains some of the quirkiness that Pintoff brought to his cartoon work -- but unfortunately, it didn't retain enough of it, and the gentle whimsy that is felt throughout the film is not enough to sustain it for its full length. A satirical fable about middle class life in 1960s America, Middleman starts out promisingly but eventually turns conventional and rather predictable. This would be less important if it were packed with solid laughs, but it isn't; it's pleasant, mind you, and very easy to watch. But it too often fails to grab the viewer, leaving his attention to wander in and out, becoming engaged for a while, the drifting away before returning again for a few more minutes. Gene Troobnick's lead performance suffers from the same inability to "connect" with the viewer on a consistent basis. At times, he is quite good, but the performance doesn't carry over and build from moment to moment. The supporting cast (including Charles Durning in an early role) is good, and there are some nice visual touches as well. If Middleman disappoints, it's still an off-beat, mildly entertaining little film, and for some viewers its "offbeat-ness" will more than compensate for its flaws. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Ruth Jaroslow - The Mother; Charles Durning - Dooley; Peter Carew - Barratta; Stacy Graham - Librarian; Maurice Shrog - Mr. Koogleman
Credit
Hilyard M. Brown - Art Director, Bernard Herzbrun - Art Director, Harold Belfer - Choreography, Anna Hill Johnstone - Costume Designer, Rosemary Odell - Costume Designer, Ernie Pintoff - Director, Douglas Sirk - Director, Russell Schoengarth - Editor, Hugh A. Robertson - Editor, Joseph E. Gershenson - Composer (Music Score), Bernard Green - Composer (Music Score), Ernie Pintoff - Composer (Music Score), Joseph E. Gershenson - Musical Direction/Supervision, Bernard Green - Musical Direction/Supervision, Gene Callahan - Production Designer, Don Malkames - Cinematographer, Clifford Stine - Cinematographer, Ted Richmond - Producer, Joseph Hoffman - Screenwriter, Ernie Pintoff - Screenwriter
