The Ski Bum (film)
| Industry | Film production |
|---|---|
| Founder | Joseph E. Levine |
| Parent | Embassy Pictures (distributor) |
The Ski Bum is a 1971 American dramatic motion picture helmed by director Bruce D. Clark, with a screenplay by Clark and Marc Siegler. The film features performances by Zalman King and Charlotte Rampling and is adapted from Romain Gary's 1965 novel The Ski Bum. Production was managed by Joseph E. Levine Productions, and distribution was handled by Embassy Pictures.
Plot
Johnny, a ski instructor, becomes romantically involved with Samantha, a married hostess working at a ski resort. Samantha convinces Johnny to provide skiing lessons to the wealthy Stones family, whose head is the leader of a corporation seeking to purchase the resort.
Cast
- Zalman King portraying Johnny
- Charlotte Rampling as Samantha
- Joseph Mell in the role of Burt Stone
- Dimitra Arliss playing Liz Stone
- Tedd King as Maxwell Enderby
- Dwight Marfield in the role of Doctor Walter Graham
- Freddie James as Brad Stone
- Lori Shelle portraying Lisa Stone
- Pierre Jalbert as Roger
- Anna Karen Morrow playing Golda Lanning
- Paul Jabara as Rocco
- Michael Lerner in the role of Rod
- Don Campbell as Randy
- Noah Keen portraying Marty
- David Chow as Otto
- Penelope Spheeris as Star the Witch
- Deborah Smaller playing Janey
Background
The adaptation rights for Romain Gary's novel were secured by Joseph E. Levine in 1964, but development faced challenges over several years in obtaining an appropriate script; among contributors was author and critic Hollis Alpert. Various actors considered for the lead role included Peter O'Toole, Christopher Jones, Warren Beatty, and Jon Voight, with Robert Redford declining to participate. Eventually, Levine assigned a team of three film students from the UCLA a budget of $750,000 and creative autonomy, producing a movie that diverged significantly from the original novel.
Release
The movie debuted at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco but was withdrawn after just one week.
Reception
In The New York Times, critic Roger Greenspun commended the actors’ performances, particularly praising Joseph Mell and Lori Shelle, though he remarked that the storyline lacked strength. On the other hand, Gene Siskel from the Chicago Tribune rated it zero stars, criticizing the filmmakers’ depiction of interpersonal dynamics and their excessive use of electronic music and sound effects. Har. of Variety considered the alterations to the source material harmful and found minimal value in the completed film. Jeanne Miller from The San Francisco Examiner described it as a sincere yet unsuccessful attempt to portray existential despair, faulting its inability to effectively convey its critique of corporate avarice through engaging cinema.
External links
- IMDb page
- AFI film entry