Four By Fonda - China Syndrome, 9 to 5, Electric Horseman, Barefoot in the Park

I've been on Jane Fonda kick lately. Here are my short reviews:

China Syndrome (1979).   A well-made propaganda film/thriller that attacks nuclear power. Playing on our fears of radiation and nuclear power safety, China Syndrome has muckraking reporter Jane Fonda teaming up with whistle-blower Jack Lemmon to expose an unsafe Nuclear Plant. Everyone gives a fine performance, especially Lemmon. The only real flaw?  The "Evil-safety be damned -Corporate Execs" are overdrawn.  These guys not only try to kill whistle-blowers, they're willing to destroy their own nuclear plant and kill their workers, in order to scrimp on plant safety!  And I'm not sure if PG&E actually has hit-squads, but then I pay my bills on time. Oh, and Michael Douglas is somewhat obnoxious, but you already knew that.

Nine to Five (1981).   My favorite Fonda comedy, although she's completely overshadowed by Dabney Coleman, Dolly Parton, and Lilly Tomlin. Dabney plays the ultimate bad boss - an arrogant, male chauvinist who bullies Fonda, harasses Parton, and  takes credit for Tomlin's work.  But "the Girls" band together and he eventually gets his comeuppance. The story drags in the middle - and gets a little too silly and unbelievable at times - but the great cast (especially Parton and Coleman) pull it off. Some better lines and less sadistic slapstick would've made it a classic.

Electric Horseman (1979)- After aging, drunken cowboy Robert Redford sees a Cereal Company's "official Horse" being mistreated, he steals it and goes on the lam. Later, toughie reporter Jane Fonda joins him - and romance/laughs result.  An old-fashioned movie, with an old fashioned plot, it achieves its goal of re-uniting Redford and Fonda in an acceptable Rom-com. Its a talky movie, and a little too long. Fonda is excellent - she's better here than in Barefoot in the Park.  But Redford seems more Wall Street banker than Cowboy. He's no Clark Gable - but then who was in 1979?

Barefoot in Park (1967) -  Based on a Neil Simon Broadway play,  Redford plays a stuffy young lawyer sharing a walk-up NYC apartment with his kooky new bride.  Charles Boyer and Natalie Hatwick lend adequate support.  Fonda and Redford are impossibly good-looking and attractive, and the only reason to watch the movie.  Its the standard Neil Simon set up,  two characters sharing an apartment, one is stuffy/straight/normal - the other is Kooky/odd/adorable (cf:  Come blow your Horn, Goodbye Girl, and the Odd Couple).  We also get the standard Simon jokes and comedic characters - which haven't aged well.  Redford is perfect fit for his role, while Fonda struggles with being adorable and silly.  She's just too intelligent and strong (and a little too old at 30) to be the daffy newlywed.  But its an enjoyable piece of fluff.