I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982)

Hmm... it looks as though this video once belonged to Milt Kellar.

Synopsis:  Grumpy-yet-loveable old cuss welcomes estranged daughter into his home...and then craps all over her dreams of getting into show biz.

Blurb From the VHS Jacket: "Neil Simon's Heartwarming Hit!"

What Did I Learn?: 1) Writing your name and phone number on the back of a valet parking stub is not an effective marketing technique. 2) Neil Simon wrote some shitty one-liners. Oh wait – I already knew that from California Suite.

You Might Like This Movie If: You know it's not exactly easy to audition for movie roles. [I wanted to post this during my tribute to Star Wars].

Really?: 1) Hold on, Herb returns Steffy’s money after she pays his gambling debts, and then... we never hear anything more about this matter. Does he have a gambling problem? Does he owe a lot of money? Is he in any trouble with the mob? It’s a wee bit unresolved. 2) Considering Simon created new characters when he adapted this movie from his theatrical play, couldn’t he have written a scene where Libby phones her mom to let her know she’s in California, and ok?

Rating: I Ought to Be in Pictures is a touching, yet quickly forgettable character-driven drama featuring fine performances from Walter Matthau, Dinah Minoff and Ann-Margret.  Matthau and Minoff share some great scenes, especially near the end when she asks him about sex, and how to get ahead in Hollywood, but the film doesn’t exactly go anywhere, and the dialogue is marred by too many unfunny quips. 6.5/10 stars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084109/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1