DVD Review: A Fine Madness (1966)

Sean Connery became popular in the sixties for his amazing run as James Bond, but in-between making numerous spy thrillers Connery managed to appear in a few dramatic roles as well. One of the most unusual films he starred in during the sixties was undoubtedly Irvin Kershner’s dark comedy A Fine Madness (1966).

In the movie Sean Connery plays a womanizing poet with a bad temper named Samson Shillitoe, who’s suffering from a terrible case of writer’s block. This bout with writer’s block is starting to wear on the poet's nerves and he’s desperate to publish some work in order to make some much needed money. When the law shows up and demands that Samson pay his overdue alimony he begins to get a little crazy. He abuses his current wife (Joanne Woodward) and goes on a rampage at a poetry reading. His wife becomes so distraught that she spends what little money they have to get Samson some psychiatric help, but things only get worse. The angry and rebellious poet soon finds himself headed for a lobotomy.

These bizarre attempts to use psychology and medicine to soften Connery’s character and control his non-conformist ways seem vaguely reminiscent of ideas found in Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange and even Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which were both published in 1962 and later made into films. A Fine Madness was also based on a novel of the same name by author Elliott Baker that was originally published in 1964. It seems strange that A Fine Madness was adapted for the screen first, but it’s possible that Kershner’s film might have helped inspire Stanley Kubrick and Milos Forman's superior efforts. All three novels have minor things in common and can be read as cautionary tales about psychiatric medicine which was becoming more popular in the sixties.

Besides Joanne Woodward who seems incredibly silly and shrill as Connery’s wife, A Fine Madness also features the lovely Jean Seberg as a doctor's wife who Connery seduces. Unfortunately Seberg is criminally underused here. The talented Collen Dewhurst fares a bit better as one of the doctors trying to cure Samson, but this really is Sean Connery's film. His character Samson is hard to like, but Connery puts a lot of energy into his performance and it’s impossible to not be somewhat impressed by the versatility that he displays in the film. He also looks terrific running around New York in his mid-sixties era wardrobe.

Irvin Kershner's directing is interesting at times and the jazzy soundtrack by British composer John Addison is very good. Addison had previously composed music for films such as A Taste of Honey (1961), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), Tom Jones (1963), The Girl with Green Eyes (1964) and The Loved One (1965), and he brings the same level of creativity and skill to his score for A Fine Madness.

This odd little film walks a fine line between pertinent social commentary and laugh-out-loud farce, but much like Kershner’s later film S*P*Y*S which I reviewed for Cinedelica earlier this year, it often fails at both. Thankfully A Fine Madness had enough quirks and strange twists to keep me watching, but it’s a hard movie to recommend. The comedy often falls flat and it's almost impossible to sympathize with Connery's character at times even if the director clearly wants us to.

The Warner DVD looks terrific and the color absolutely pops. Extras include an original theatrical trailer and an interesting featurette called Mondo Connery which is a short film showing Connery in New York during the making of A Fine Madness.

For more information about the DVD please visit Amazon

- Kimberly Lindbergs

Comments

[Jeremy]

It has been a while since I saw this film but your review seems pretty spot on to me. I do think it is one of the most interesting non-Bond Connery Roles from the sixties but it is a flawed film. I also remember really loving Jean in this film, although I think you are right in saying that she was underused.
It is a film that I have been meaning to go back and take another look at. Thanks for your thoughts on it...great writing as always...