Michael Ritchie proved to be one of the finest directors in the ’70s with quite a few classic films including The Bad News Bears and Fletch. He arrived in 1969 with Downhill Racer starring Robert Redford. He followed it up with the badass gangster flick Prime Cut which pitted Lee Marvin against Gene Hackman. This led to him teaming back with Redford in The Candidate for scathing look at politics. Ritchie brought that strange critical eye to beauty pageants in Smile. The film starred Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Geoffrey Lewis, Colleen Camp, Melanie Griffith and Annette O’Toole. Smile gets a chance to shine as Fun City Editions upgrades the film to Blu-ray. There’s an essay in the booklet by the recently departed Mike McPadden. Here’s the press release from Fun City Editions with all the details:
| Works of cinema and music which exist outside of their time.  Smile (1975) The town of Santa Rosa is abuzz. That’s because it’s time again for the yearly Young American Miss Pageant. Talented “misses” from up and down California have gathered for the annual event where they will be choreographed by prickly song and dance man Tommy (Michael Kidd, whose many choreography credits include Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Guys and Dolls), produced by businesslike ex-pageant winner Brenda DiCarlo (Barbara Feldon, TV’s Get Smart) and judged by blustery RV salesman and town booster Big Bob Freelander (Bruce Dern, Coming Home, Nebraska and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Meanwhile, Bob’s young son Little Bob (Eric Shea, The Poseidon Adventure) and his pals get into some hormonally-fueled hijinks. Michael Ritchie’s (The Candidate, Fletch and The Bad News Bears) bittersweet satire of this peculiar tradition of small town Americana is a bona fide comedy classic of the New Hollywood era. The contestants include Melanie Griffith (Something Wild), Annette O’Toole (Superman III), Colleen Camp (Apocalypse Now) and Joan Prather (TV’s Eight is Enough). Veteran character players Geoffrey Lewis (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot) and Nicholas Pryor (Risky Business) are part of Bob’s cohort. Ritchie’s award-winning behind-the-camera collaborators include writer Jerry Belson (TV’s The Odd Couple and The Tracey Ullman Show), editor Richard A. Harris (Terminator 2 and Ritchie’s Downhill Racer) and director of photography Conrad Hall (In Cold Blood and Fat City). Smile has been restored from archival elements and comes to Blu-ray for the first time ever. Directed by: Michael Ritchie Starring: Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Geoffrey Lewis, Melanie Griffith 1975 / 113 min / 1.85:1 / English Mono Additional info: • Region A Blu-ray • New 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive • “Dernsie’s Credo,” a newly filmed interview with actor Bruce Dern • Theatrical trailer • Image gallery • Booklet with a new essay by film historian Mike McPadden • Newly recorded audio commentary by actor-filmmaker Pat Healy and film curator Jim Healy • English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing • Reversible sleeve featuring both primary 1975 U.S. ad campaign and alternate artwork Pre-Order |
