Smile (DVD)

The town of Santa Rosa is abuzz. That’s because it’s time again for the yearly Young American Miss Pageant. Talented “misses” from up and down California have gathered for the annual event where they will be choreographed by prickly song and dance man Tommy (Michael Kidd, whose many choreography credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Guys and Dolls), produced by businesslike ex-pageant winner Brenda DiCarlo (Barbara Feldon, TV’s Get Smart) and judged by blustery RV salesman and town booster Big Bob Freelander (Bruce Dern, Coming Home, Nebraska and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Meanwhile, Bob’s young son Little Bob (Eric Shea, The Poseidon Adventure) and his pals get into some hormonally-fueled hijinks. Michael Ritchie’s (The Candidate, Fletch and The Bad News Bears) bittersweet satire of this peculiar tradition of small town Americana is a bona fide comedy classic of the New Hollywood era.

The contestants include Melanie Griffith (Something Wild), Annette O’Toole (Superman III), Colleen Camp (Apocalypse Now) and Joan Prather (TV’s Eight is Enough). Veteran character players Geoffrey Lewis (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Nicholas Pryor (Risky Business) are part of Bob’s cohort. Ritchie’s award-winning behind-the-camera collaborators include writer Jerry Belson (TV’s The Odd Couple and The Tracey Ullman Show), editor Richard A. Harris (Terminator 2 and Ritchie’s Downhill Racer) and director of photography Conrad Hall (In Cold Blood and Fat City). Smile has been restored from archival elements and comes to for the first time ever.