HAPPY

US, 1983, 100 minutes, Colour.
Dom Deluise, Dee Wallace, Jack Gilford, Henry Silva.
Directed by Lee Phillips.

Happy is a telemovie with Dom Deluise as executive producer and star. He gets the opportunity to portray a TV comedian called Happy - whose show has been cancelled, but who travels the countryside playing at malls, hotels and other engagements. He is divorced, but has a loving son (played by Deluise's own son, David). His sidekick is Jack Gilford.

Performing in a hotel, he witnesses a gangland killing. The police do not believe his identification of the killer - but there is an eventual confrontation in a TV studio. Deluise enjoys himself in the role. Dee Wallace is attractive as a sculptress who befriends him, Henry Silva does yet another of his villains. An enjoyable telemovie.

1.Interesting and entertaining drama, story of a comic, the gangland killing and the investigation, confrontation?

2.The American locations, authentic, on the road, the malls, hotels, police precincts, homes? The credibility of the plot, characters and behaviour? Musical score and songs?

3.The title, the character, Roger as Happy - covering his own personality? Performance and style, TV popularity, Bernie's criticisms, the clown make-up, referred to as a clown? Drawing responses from the audience? The finale?

4.Roger as Happy: performing, with audiences, becoming his character? His puppets and design? Friendship with Bernie, Bernie's exasperations? Friendship with Sandy, the divorce, taking Roger Junior out? Love for his son? The performance at the hotel, rehearsals, friendship with Marilyn? The performance and welcome, the older generation liking him? The killings, standing up to the killer? The police questioning, everybody else witnessing that the killer was black, Happy knowing make-up? The sculpture with Marilyn? The dangers, the killer confronting his son? His moving away? Going to see Bernie, Bernie's death? The award by the city for his bravery? The possibility of performance, TV, luring the killer, getting the gun, the chase, the confrontation in the studio? His overwhelming the killer? The happy ending?

5.The killer, the brutality of the murders, the identity? His disguise? Return to the hotel (and the unreliable witness of the desk clerk, the prostitutes)? Reading the paper, the sculpture, visiting Sandy and Roger, the menace? Sandy warning Happy? The disguise at the studio, the confrontation?

6.Marilyn, sculptress, cocktail server, friendly with Happy? Sharing with him, his apartment, her apartment, the puppets, her performing with the puppets?

7.Sandy and David, friendship with Roger, the breakdown of the marriage, the continued friendship? The dangers for Roger?

8.Bernie, the producer, sidekick and stooge, his performance - in the diner, the pea soup boiling etc? Injury, final scene with Happy?

9.The police, investigations, witnesses, their exasperation, not believing the clown? Going on hunches? The identity of the killer? The ending?

10.The blend of drama, comedy, gangland thriller?