Maria's Lovers (released in 1984) - Starring Robert Mitchum, Natassja Kinski, and John Savage

Directed by a Russian, scripted by a Franco-Russian team, brilliantly photographed by a Spaniard, brought alive on celluloid by a breathtaking German beauty - they all come together in  the critically acclaimed 1984 period romance ‘Maria’s Lovers’. Starring Robert Mitchum, the beautiful Natassja Kinski, John Savage and Keith Carradine in major roles, the film is set in a small town in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1946, portraying ethnic Yugoslavian life during WWII.
Ivan Bibic (played by John Savage), a soldier, returns home from the War, where he was a imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp; it has left him physically and mentally blemished for life. The veteran had always hoped for a calm and loving life with his childhood sweetheart and fiancée Maria Bosic (Natassja Kinski), instead, his war experiences, coupled with post-traumatic stress – area dark clouds that hover above his horizon. “You dreamed about her too long. She lives in your dreams, not your body.”
His father (Robert Mitchum) wants him to labor on, regardless, believing that his peasant lifestyle and hard work will one day help him forget his travails in War. One day, when Ivan goes to meet Maria, who is living with her deaf grandmother, he is pained to see her in the arms of Al Griselli (Vincent Spano), a captain in the army. Mitchum advises Ian to forget about Maria, she’s ‘out of his league’, and tries to set him up with the eager Mrs.Wynic. Although rendered ‘psychologically impotent’ by the War, he is able to consummate his relationship with Mrs. Wynic, an act that remains unaccomplished with his lady love-Maria.
Al is fond of Maria, but has a roving eye, which Ian chooses to make use of to his advantage. Whilst the Captain is romancing a friend of Maria’s, Ian takes the opportunity to woo Maria - this angers Al, who shuns her. At long last, Ian marries the woman of his dreams.




Maria, her head full of a young bride’s dreams, seeks love and children - but Ian, overwhelmed with having met his dream, now tarnishes reality with the fear that he isn’t good enough for her - thus unable to consummate his marriage. This leaves Maria frustrated, and she is soon embroiled in an extra marital affair with the charming and slick Clarence Butts (Keith Carradine); though despite his love for her, Ian is on the lookout for another relationship as well.
And just like that, Ian leaves for another city, leaving Maria to fend for herself. She has a rendezvous with Clarence, who leaves her pregnant, and she rejects her lover. When Maria tells Ian of her state, he is cold and unresponsive. She is all alone now, even her grandmother is dead. On one of his drunken sprees, Clarence boasts of his prowess and tells of how he seduced Maria, who later left him. Unbeknownst to him, Ian is privy to this information, and at once lashes out at Clarence, who hasn’t recognized him.
Ian’s father is dying and persuades him to come back to Maria - realizing he can’t stop loving her no matter what- the two reunite. Once the two see each other’s foibles, they accept the human side of each other as well - and finally, in a beautiful scene, they consummate their emotional and physical love.
Maria’s Lovers is Andrei Konchalovsky’s maiden foray into Hollywood; he plays it safe by further exploring the clichéd sub genre of the return of the war veteran. However, what is new about the perspective Andrei offers is that there is a separation of the sexual aspect of love, from the emotion-love. Perhaps, its Maria’s quiet plea which highlights the mainstay of the film – ‘You should love me less.’

The Ambassador (movie released in 1984) - Starring Robert Mitchum, Ellen Burstyn and Rock Hudson

Directed by British film director, J. Lee Thompson (King Solomon’s Mines) The Ambassador is a romantic-political thriller. The story’s is loosely sourced from the novel 52 –Pick Up by Elmore Leonard. Notable for having a cast which was aged, yet well known for its acting prowess, the film tells of the US Ambassador Peter Hacker (Robert Mitchum) and Head of Security Frank Stevenson (Rock Hudson) head out to the Middle East, as it suffers yet another diplomatic set back concerning Israel and Palestine. They have brokered a peace deal with the PLO, and are going to meet a group of young Israelis and Palestinians in the midst of the Judean Desert-only to have the meeting disrupted by the Israeli Armed Forces, both the Ambassador and Head of Security are apprehended.
Unbeknownst to the Ambassador, his wife Alex (Ellen Burstyn) is having an affair with Mustapha Hashimi (Fabio Testi). On one of their trysts in Jerusalem, they are followed and the rendezvous is videographed, anonymously. Frank’s role in the apprehension in the Desert is suspect, as he reports to a superior that Hacker is unfit to be envoy, after the two meet with the Israeli Defense Minister Eretz (Donald Pleasence), who reaffirms his commitment to the peace process.
Alex, very much besotted with her lover, chooses to create a drunken scene at a diplomatic-do, going off in a frustrated huff to meet Mustapha. She calls him from a booth in front of his apartment, when an explosion injures her, killing several others. Hacker and Stevenson are clueless with regard to her whereabouts, a phone call alerts the Ambassador to come to a movie theater all by himself. When he enters the building, the recorded images of Alex and her lover are played out on the screen- Frank, who was close at Hacker’s heels- witnesses this as well.
The Ambassador is informed that his wife is alive, and being cared for in a hospital. When the two men visit her, Alex tells her husband she would like to leave Israel and return to the US.

Back in his office, Peter is privy to a phone call which warns him that if he doesn’t pay ‘hush money’, the videographed events will be mailed to the President of the US. Hacker refuses, saying he would do no such thing, and tells Frank that he suspects foul play. That night, Peter tells Alex he is aware of her affair and that she is pawn in a dangerous game.

Heartbroken and shocked, Alex wants to find out Mustapha’s real identity. She learns he is a prominent member of the PLO and a wealthy businessman. The film, it appears, was made by the Mossad, to be used in case of ‘protection of its interests’. But as luck would have it, the Palestinians steal it from them. Stevenson is able to crack the case, unearthing the identity of the blackmailers as well- who had managed to get $500,000 from Hashimi. The two men also reveal that the KGB has sent a man called Stone to assassinate the Ambassador.

Peter sets up a meeting with Mustapha, confident that he can once more embark on the path of peace. He meets Israeli and Palestinian students in the outskirts of Tel Aviv, the talks are successful, but tragedy strikes when the students are ambushed by Palestinian terrorists, it ends in a massacre, and the tragic killing of Mustapha Hashimi.

On their return to the Embassy, Frank foils an assassination attempt to kill Hacker by KGB hireling-Stone, shooting him in the back of the head. Peter, overwhelmed and saddened by the chain of events that has been wrought, despite his best intentions, wants to retire, but Alex bids him not to, and the film ends with Hacker, looking misty eyed as group of Israeli students hold a peace rally, still optimistic that someday the Conflict would be resolved.

All of Me (released in 1984) - a fantasy comedy starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin

This romantic comedy stars Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin along with Victoria Tennant in the lead roles. This film is based on the book “Me Too” by Edwin Davis. Directed by Carl Reiner, All Of Me is considered to be one of the best works of Steve Martin.
Martin plays Roger Cobb, an upmarket New York attorney who moon lights as a Jazz Musician. He has a well to do law practice and is dating his boss's daughter. Roger wants more out of his life but his girlfriend and his boss keep him on a tight leash. His uneventful life changes when he is summoned to an eccentric, spoilt millionairess, Edwina Cutwater's house. Edwina is terminally ill and requests Roger to make her last will and testament.
Edwina plans to transfer her spirit on to the youthful body of Terry, her stableman's daughter with the help of Prahka Lakha, an eastern swami who specializes in tantra. But all the planning fails as Roger comes during the transference ceremony and Edwina ends up in Roger's body. So with two spirits vying for control, Roger on the left and Edwina on the right, a laugh riot ensues.



With two crazy ditsy spirits in one body things become complicated, it is definitely hilarious to watch Roger and Edwina trying to walk out the body, Edwina trying to control the courtroom when Roger's spirit sleeps, when Roger is with his abrasive girlfriend and the most hilarious one is Roger trying to relieve himself in the mens bath room. These scenes are vintage Steve Martin and needs to be kept alive for future generations to come.
As Edwina and Roger fight for control, Roger's life go downhill. He looses his job and his girl friend leaves him. With that comes a sense of liberation and he is free to be the Jazz musician he wants to be. Soon a truce is signed and slowly Edwina also finds that she likes him. This “like” turns to love, but things get murkier as Terry the waif turns out to be Terry the gold digger. Never believing the soul transference business Terry soon tries to usurp Edwina's fortune and it is up to the split up duo to put an end to her evil designs.
Roger unmasks Terry's intentions and faced with the prospect of jail, Terry decides to move in to a near by horse's body and enables Edwina to get in to hers. Roger and Edwina get married to enjoy her limitless fortune for days to come.
This movie was a box office success and opened to rave reviews. The performances are top notch and Steve Martin outstrips all actors by a mile. Lily Tomlin and Steve Martin were nominated for the Golden Globes for her role as Edwina Cutwater and Roger Cobb. Steve Also won the best actor award from the National society of film critics and the New York Film Critics Circle. The humor may be little far fetched towards the end, but the split personality scenes itself make the movie worth while.