Foolin' Around
| Foolin' Around | |
|---|---|
 VHS cover | |
| Directed by | Richard T. Heffron |
| Produced by | Arnold Kopelson |
| Written by |
Michael Kane David Swift |
| Starring |
Gary Busey Annette O'Toole |
| Music by | Charles Bernstein |
| Cinematography | Philip H. Lathrop |
| Edited by | Peter Zinner |
| Distributed by |
Columbia Pictures 20th Century Fox |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
Foolin' Around is a 1980 film directed by Richard T. Heffron and starring Gary Busey and Annette O'Toole. The film was shot on location in Minneapolis and St. Paul.[1] The theme music was performed by Seals and Crofts.
Plot
College student Wes (Gary Busey) who comes from Oklahoma to a university in Minnesota, signs up to participate in a psychological experiment where he meets Susan (Annette O'Toole). The two are instantly attracted to each other. Besides the problem of their differing socio-economic backgrounds, Susan is also engaged. However, Susan's grandfather recognizes her fiance's opportunism and when he sides with Wes, their relationship is given more of a chance, in spite of the concern Susan's mother has about social status.
Susan's fiancee is Whitley (John Calvin). As events unfold, her grandfather (Eddie Albert) places his millions on Wes' side of the table since Whitley's opportunistic streak is as apparent as the white stripe on a skunk. Maybe the lovers have a chance after all, even if Susan's mother (Cloris Leachman) is hung up on social status.
Principal cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Gary Busey | Wes |
| Annette O'Toole | Susan |
| Cloris Leachman | Samantha |
| William H. Macy | Bronski (as W. H. Macy) |
| Tony Randall | Peddicord |
| Michael Talbott | Clay |
| Eddie Albert | Daggett |
| John Calvin | Whitley |
Critical reception
Janet Maslin of The New York Times gave the film a mixed review:
| “ | Foolin' Around is an affable, meandering comedy with a nice cast and nowhere much to go... The rich-girl scenes are perked up considerably by Cloris Leachman, though... Richard T. Heffron's direction has a television blandness (most of his other work has been in television), but he keeps the story moving briskly even when it's familiar. The performances vary widely, from Tony Randall's peculiarly humorless turn as a diabolical and/or drunken butler, to Miss O'Toole's personable but innocuous heiress, to the rough-hewn, easygoing Mr. Busey and Eddie Albert, as a construction mogul who thinks Mr. Busey may grow up to be just like him. Mr. Calvin is also noteworthy, for making Whitley much less of a dope than stock characters like Whitley usually are.[2] | ” |
Filming Locations
Susan's house, where Wes comes to play tennis and crashes her bridal shower, was the original Pillsbury family home called "Southways"--so named because one must go "south a ways" to reach this most singularly significant estate on Lake Minnetonka. The address is 1400 Bracketts Point Road, Orono, Minnesota. It is a large, 32,461 square foot home situated on 12.91 acres, built in 1918. 1,700 feet of lakeshore, cottage guest house, greenhouse, 13 garages, outdoor pool and tennis court, and attached tandem 4-car garage. It was listed for $54M and then dropped to $24M, still unsold as of September 2015.