Bobby Deerfield (1977)

Directed by Sydney Pollack. Starring Al Pacino, Marthe Keller, Anny Duperey, Stephan Meldegg, Walter McGinn, Jaime Sánchez, Romolo Valli. [R]

He’s a famous, egotistical American racecar driver (played by a listless Pacino). She’s a flaky European free spirit of fine breeding (played by an erratic Keller). They meet at a clinic. He learns she’s dying of a glamorous disease that can be controlled by the plot requirements. They fall in love anyway. They cry their tears. We yawn our yawns. But we’re at least grateful the dialogue isn’t quite as atrocious as what can be heard in Love Story (the obvious road map influence). Good photography goes to waste. Warning to Formula One fans: there’s very little racetrack action to keep you awake. Dedicated to Pacino’s driving double, José Carlos Pace, who died in a plane crash before the film’s release.

30/100