SHORT TAKES
FREEBIE AND THE BEAN (Warner Bros.):: There are more dead pedestrians in this script than anything since What's Up, Doc? There is also more fagbaiting by James Caan than in anything he's ever done. There is also, however, Alan Arkin, who in one grimace can be both funny and vicious, which makes me think he should have played Lenny Bruce. So what's he doing here?
FREEBIE AND THE BEAN (Warner Bros.):: There are more dead pedestrians in thisscript than anything since What's Up, Doc? There is also more fagbaiting by James Caan than in anything he's ever done. There is also, however, Alan Arkin, who in one grim-
ace can be both funny and vicious, which makes me think he should have played Lenny Bruce. So what's he doing here? Showing up everybody else, including Valerie Harper, who plays the ignored wife. These are some of the
components of the underdog co-partners cop movie {Busting, Law and Disorder). You're supposed to forgive murder, fag jokes, and egotism in the name of justice and/or manhood. And Freebie and Bean don't even break the dope ring, because they're such (loveable) dufos that they fumble the job. The godfather's wife is in love with the police commissioner so she, of course, is the snitch. Shit, it doesn't even pay to figure these movies out anymore.
Georgia Christgau