Nickelodeon (film)

Nickelodeon

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	1976
Key people	Peter Bogdanovich (director), Irwin Winkler (producer), Robert Chartoff (producer), Frank Marshall (producer)
Products	Comedy film

Nickelodeon is a 1976 comedy film helmed by director Peter Bogdanovich and features performances by Ryan O'Neal, Burt Reynolds, and Tatum O'Neal. Drawing inspiration from anecdotes shared by silent film pioneers Allan Dwan and Raoul Walsh, this motion picture was showcased at the 27th Berlin International Film Festival.

Plot

Set in 1914, the story follows Leo Harrigan as he shifts careers from attorney to writer and ultimately to film director, all while courting Kathleen Cooke. During a hot air balloon sequence, Kathleen inadvertently becomes part of the production, leading to her recasting as the film’s female lead. After Buck's timely intervention, Kathleen and Buck become engaged and eventually wed.

At a modest nickelodeon in a small town, they stumble upon a compiled edit of their ten films called Tuttle's Muddle. Their recognition as stars by the audience results in an offer from Atlantic Pictures that requires them to move westward to Hollywood.

To avoid the influence of the Motion Picture Patents Company, Leo relocates from New Jersey to Hollywoodland, California. There, he creates a variety of short films spanning different genres. Initially perceiving cinema as mere transient amusement, Leo and his colleagues are profoundly affected by the 1915 debut of D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation, which transforms the industry landscape. The overwhelming success of this film leaves Leo feeling overshadowed but motivated to undertake more ambitious projects, including a war-themed feature proposed by Cobb.

Cast

• Ryan O'Neal as Leo Harrigan
• Burt Reynolds as Buck Greenway
• Tatum O'Neal as Alice Forsyte
• Jane Hitchcock as Kathleen Cooke
• Brian Keith as H.H. Cobb
• Stella Stevens as Marty Reeves
• John Ritter as Franklin Frank
• Brion James as Bailiff
• Sidney Armus as Judge
• Joe Warfield as Defence Attorney
• Lorenzo Music as Mullins
• Jeffrey Byron as Steve
• Priscilla Pointer as Mabel
• Philip Bruns as Duncan
• Frank Marshall as Dinsdale's Assistant
• Harry Carey, Jr. as Dobie
• James Best as Jim
• George Gaynes as Reginald Kingsley
• M. Emmet Walsh as 'Father' Logan
• Miriam Byrd-Nethery as Aunt Lula
• Les Josephson as Nickelodeon Bouncer
• Griffin O'Neal as Boy On A Bicycle
• Hamilton Camp as Blacker
• Elaine Partnow as Movie Fanatic

Screenplay

Producer Irwin Winkler sought to develop a film centered on the silent cinema era and commissioned W.D. Richter to pen a speculative screenplay titled Starlight Parade. The project captured attention from both United Artists and Columbia Pictures, with Columbia’s David Begelman recommending Peter Bogdanovich for directing duties.

Winkler recounted that although Bogdanovich initially rejected Richter’s script, he consented to direct and proceeded to rewrite much of it. Winkler observed that while the original screenplay was a compelling drama incorporating genuine silent-era tales, Bogdanovich’s adaptation emphasized historical accuracy over dramatic narrative and reflected his distinctive arrogance and unconventional approach to directing.

Offering his viewpoint, Bogdanovich stated that he completely discarded Starlight Parade and authored an entirely new script. His vision was for a black-and-white comedy-drama; however, disagreements with Columbia over this direction led to the project's cancellation. Eventually, financing was secured through British Lion, making it a co-production between Columbia and British Lion. Despite obstacles, the film was finalized under the new title Nickelodeon.

Casting

Initially, Bogdanovich aimed to cast Jeff Bridges, John Ritter, Cybill Shepherd, and Orson Welles in the principal roles. Nevertheless, Columbia Pictures executive David Begelman dismissed these selections, opting instead for Burt Reynolds and Ryan O'Neal. Begelman also prevented Shepherd from securing the female lead, fearing negative public reaction due to her recent commercial disappointments; consequently, her acquaintance, model Jane Hitchcock, was cast based on Shepherd's suggestion. Brian Keith assumed the part originally intended for Welles. Among Bogdanovich’s original choices, only Ritter appeared, albeit in a minor capacity as cameraman Franklin Frank, marking their first of three collaborations.

Reynolds characterized his role as reminiscent of "a kind of Gary Cooper with a touch of Buster Keaton," embodying a reserved and endearing persona that contrasted with O'Neal’s fast-talking character striving for success. The screenplay was crafted specifically with these two actors in mind. Tatum O'Neal, who had previously won an Oscar alongside Bogdanovich and her father in Paper Moon, joined the supporting ensemble.

The salaries for Reynolds and O'Neal were approximately $750,000 each, while Tatum O'Neal earned $350,000. These high fees contributed to budget inflation and initially caused Columbia to cancel the production. Producer Richter pointed to internal conflicts over budget reductions and criticized the elevated star payments that threatened financial stability before filming commenced.

Additional funding was secured from British Lion, enabling the project to move forward. Columbia invested $6 million, with British Lion providing $2 million. Bogdanovich’s directing fee was set at $700,000, including a $500,000 holdback as a completion guarantee. The project later transitioned from British Lion to EMI. Reflecting on the budget, Bogdanovich admitted the film "didn't need to cost nearly as much," but producers insisted on a more lavish production scale, which he reluctantly accepted.

Shooting

"The primary goal was to evoke the period since the original films were shot in black and white," Bogdanovich explained. "My cinematographer, Laszlo Kovacs, meticulously lit every scene to suit black-and-white aesthetics, which is why the lighting appears so refined. We employed numerous silent film techniques such as irising scenes in and out. There are no optical effects whatsoever in the movie. However, the studio desired another broad comedy along the lines of What's Up, Doc?"

During production, Burt Reynolds suffered a collapse on set that resulted in a two-week delay while he recuperated. The shoot exceeded both its timetable and budget constraints, compelling Bogdanovich to relinquish his $500,000 fee.

Bogdanovich later remarked, "I envisioned a smaller-scale picture. Both Burt Reynolds and Ryan performed well, and Jane Hitchcock was competent but lacked any real menace."

Ryan O'Neal described his experience on Nickelodeon as "terrible," criticizing Bogdanovich for abandoning the original writers and transforming the script into a farcical sequence of jokes. Orson Welles departed the project one week prior to filming commencement. O'Neal attempted to withdraw from the film but was unsuccessful.

Reynolds and stunt coordinator Hal Needham also endured dissatisfaction during production; they subsequently created Hooper, which featured a pretentious director character inspired by Bogdanovich.

Post-production

Producer Winkler described the rough cut as "atrocious," expressing dissatisfaction with Bogdanovich's tendency to attribute the film’s shortcomings to casting choices and the black-and-white presentation rather than addressing his own script management.

Reception

At the Los Angeles premiere, attendees were charged five cents as a tribute to early cinema ticket prices. Nevertheless, the movie underperformed commercially, becoming Bogdanovich's third successive failure following Daisy Miller and At Long Last Love, both of which were efforts to resurrect classic filmmaking approaches.

In 2004, Bogdanovich revealed that pressure from the studio forced him to downplay dramatic elements in favor of comedy, which ultimately weakened the project. He regretted cutting crucial scenes that enriched the narrative and pointed to ineffective promotion by the studio as a major reason for its lack of success.

Following this setback, Bogdanovich took a three-year break before making a comeback with Saint Jack in 1979. Notably, composer John Barry saw an increase in work opportunities after the film's release, as industry insiders sympathized with his situation.

Critical reception ranged from mixed to negative: Roger Ebert awarded two stars, describing it as "curiously flat" with lifeless acting except for Reynolds; Richard Eder criticized it as a series of "impersonations" without coherence; Variety labeled it an inconsistent period drama; Gene Siskel condemned its poorly executed humor; Kevin Thomas suggested its appeal was limited mainly to cinephiles familiar with that era; Gary Arnold deemed it dull and self-indulgent; John Simon bluntly dismissed it as lacking humor.

Filmink magazine pointed out flaws including excessive length, an overly broad timeline, weak dialogue, and rushed romantic subplots—issues that alterations in casting alone could not resolve.

As of August 2023, Nickelodeon holds a 7% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews with an average score of 4.7/10.

Alternative versions

The 2009 DVD edition includes a 125-minute black-and-white "Director's Cut." Bogdanovich explained, "Without color distractions... Ryan’s blond hair and blue eyes don’t pull your attention away, allowing you to concentrate more on the action. This is why some of the funniest films ever made were silent comedies—Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin. The absence of color directs focus differently since color can often divert attention."