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List Price: $19.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 66135
Released: February 3, 2009 |
| Our Price: $9.79 |
| Used Price: $9.79 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Elliott Gould stars as a womanizing Vietnam veteran who returns to the university to obtain a degree in education and finds himself involved in campus unrest. This socially relevant comedy co-stars Candice Bergen, John Rubenstein and Harrison Ford.
Description of Getting Straight:
Though its plot varies widely from the "bad trip" films of its time (The Trip or Psych-Out), Getting Straight exists in this movie vein that illustrates the 1960s countercultural movement, both through its settings--wild parties and college campus hallways--and through its experimental camerawork, such as the way the lens focuses and de-focuses on characters as they converse. Moreover, the protagonist’s best friend, acid drop-out Nick (Robert Lyons), does make several good points throughout the film pointing out absurd realities, as characters typically do in this hippie film genre. That said, Getting Straight has a fairly complex story, and stars the excellent Elliot Gould as Harry Bailey, a Vietnam Vet whose past commitment to activism has been put to the test as he struggles to earn a living. Under the tutelage of conservative Professor Willhunt (Jeff Corey), Bailey is studying for his Master’s degree to become a teacher, to the chagrin of his radical friends, like Nick, and like his girlfriend, Jan (Candice Bergen), who waffles between wanting a conventional relationship and total freedom. Directed by Richard Rush, who worked for Roger Corman previous to making this film, Getting Straight has a B-movie feel in a good way, maybe because there are several stylishly clichéd characters in Bailey’s social circle. Yet Elliot Gould injects so much angst into Bailey’s character that this movie offers a well-rounded glimpse into the mind of someone whose idealism is at odds with learning to "exist," as Bailey says, in a Capitalist society. Dialogue gets heady and psychedelic at times, sometimes feeling as if Terry Southern (Candy and The Magic Christian) wrote the film. In all, Getting Straight is perfect for those aficionados of the 60s genre film, and will also please Gould fans who may have missed this entertaining gem. --Trinie Dalton
Stills from Getting Straight (Click for larger image)
Getting Straight Reviews:
70s great copy 
2009-12-12 - Interesting review of the 70s and the sexual revolution on a college campus somewhere in California. Amazing crystal clear print, letter-boxed.
Nostalgic 
2009-10-08 - It had been many years since I had seen this film. I had forgotten the 'feel' of America at this time. It expresses the students' constant struggle where societal and real world survival pressures collide all while he and she are trying to discover who they are and where they 'fit' into the world. I suppose it helped me to remember the confusion and to be able to better appreciate what's going on with my son (the junior at university).
Long timewait
2009-04-18 - I saw this movie when it first came out in l970 and fell in love with it. I've been looking for it first on VHS and and then 8 years ago DVD. I never gave up. You can imagine several weeks ago how delighted I was in finding it in Amazon. Its a really good movie. And the price was too good to be true, and I received it in less than a week. thats what I call super service. Thanks again, and we will be doing more business in the future. Terry
Holding It All Together In The '70's
2008-04-22 - Synopsis: Harry Bailey (Elliot Gould) is a Viet Nam veteran, student-teacher and graduate candidate working on his Masters Degree in English. With a career path clearly set before him and Jan (Candace Bergen) a beautiful, adoring girlfriend by his side a sedate, middle class future appears secure.
However when Viet Nam War protests break out on campus dividing the student body and the pressures and absurd expectations put on his thesis dissertation by pretentious professors becomes evident Harry begins to doubt the necessity for his long sought after graduate degree. Will Harry play by the rules of the establishment and maintain the status quo, or will he march to the beat of a different drummer? How will he ultimately define his need for `Getting Straight'?
Beyond all the craziness `Getting Straight' is an intelligent thoughtful film with a solid script exploring the absurdities of life inside and outside of the university setting. If you enjoy movies like `The Hospital' and `Network' you'll enjoy this one too.
Get Straight about the Sixties!
2007-02-18 - It had been about twenty years since I had seen this film, and I found it to be a great way to recall the issues of the late sixties/early seventies and feel a nostalgia for the "Revolution." The best elements of the film in my view are as follows: Elliot Gould's tour de force performance is unlike anything you can see in film; the campus demonstration scenes are very well done and realistic (the cops are pretty brutal); the teaching episodes are funny and meaningful; if you've ever had to drive a junky car you'll love Gould's contraption; the oral examination near the end of the film should have earned Gould, the director and/or the screenwriter an Oscar(s). Additionally, it was interesting to see a youthful Candice Bergen and a youthful Harrison Ford. If you want to (re)live a very special time--whether you were around then or not, you owe it to yourself to watch this movie.
