When Roy suggested “Friday the 13th” for Friday the 13th, I reflexively nixed it. I’m not a slasher guy. But when he came back with a counteroffer of “Freaky Friday” (1976), a memorable Disney farce from our childhood, I said sure, why not.
Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster are the whole show, as mother and daughter who, through unexplained supernatural circumstances, swap identities, leading to a day of very, very broad farce (too much detergent in the washing machine, mom on water skis, a burnt turkey, etc., etc.). It’s not exactly Preston Sturges, but it is an undemanding 97 minutes that leaves no lasting damage to the viewer’s psyche, even as it does no favors to the reputation of law enforcement.
In the supporting cast, John Astin (TV’s Gomez Addams) and Marc McClure (Superman’s Jimmy Olsen) are joined by a gallery of familiar comic faces (Dick Van Patten, Kaye Ballard, Ruth Buzzi, Marvin Kaplan) who show up with puzzlingly little to do. Marie Windsor, one of the hottest dames in ‘40s noir, has a memorable, if somewhat dispiriting turn as an aged alcoholic housekeeper. (Oh, the ‘70s.)
Toss some salt over your shoulder and bring your horseshoe to the comments section, when we livestream on Facebook, YouTube, etc. Roy and I push our luck, as we converse about “Freaky Friday,” on the next Roy’s Tie-Dye Sci-Fi Corner, this Friday the 13th at 7:30 PM EST!
Leave a Reply