Worth Reviving – “Greaser’s Palace”
Review by Ray Schillaci
By now everyone knows who Robert Downey, Jr. is. They have his amusing patter down and enjoy every moment of it. Whether he is playing billionaire Tony Stark or one of his more earthier roles as in “The Judge,” his star power is always something to look forward to. But how many of you out there are familiar with his father, Robert Downey, Sr, a virtual powerhouse of audacity with sparks of brilliance demonstrated in so many of his off-the-wall films of the ’60s and ’70s?
Since the end of so many revival theaters that use to play host to Downey’s brand of lunacy, several generations have missed out on this maestro of the mad and unpredictable. Just when audiences thought that Downey had delivered his ultimate in radical ideas and most controversial picture in the outrageous social satire, “Putney Swope,” he went on to take a sacrilegious aim at religion and the popular mythos of the American west with “Greaser’s Palace”.
Over the years he must have mellowed, and the proof is in the DVD introduction where he actually opens up with a near self-deprecating apology. And, in this critic’s humble opinion, he needn’t bother. It would be like David Lynch, Woody Allen or Alejandro Jodorowsky asking for atonement on their earlier works. The older Downey appears humble, and does not seem to take himself or his art too seriously. It’s hard to imagine Downey not realizing how many filmmakers he influenced over the years artistically and unabashedly having encouraged their auteurism in a sea of blasé white bread and butter box office pleasers.
Downey’s film is definitely for the cult minded. It echoes Jodorowsky’s “El Topo” in many ways (check my REVIEW – scroll to the bottom). You can also sense a flavor of the spaghetti westerns as well. But what jars so many is his insistence of not telling the story in any normal sense of the way. Not only does he challenge the viewer, but dares you to put up through the brazen antics of his characters and the wildly conceived story of The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost returning to the old west and trying to make a go of it all over again, but this time with lots of bawdy humor that pre-dates Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” by a couple of years.
“Greaser’s Palace” is the hub for the decadent and depraved, set against the backdrop of a remote small town, and run by the evil-as-they-come Seaweedhead Greaser. Albert Henderson (“Serpico”, “Barfly”) delivers a nasty bravado to Greaser, and pays homage to so many villains from spaghetti westerns. It appears that he runs the town, but his demands go far beyond that as he requests pay-offs, entertainment from the lowly townspeople, and encouragement for his eventual bowel movements to the point of keeping a mariachi band in jail (along with his mother) in hopes that the music will help move things along. Yup, you read that right, and that’s only the beginning.
As some have pointed out, the Palace and Mr. Greaser represent the Catholic church, bell and all. So, not only do you have them ringing that bell to gather everyone together, but there happens to be a full-fledged attack on Seaweedhead’s son, Lamy Homo (pronounced, “lay me homo”). And, this is only the beginning of a lot of not-so hidden messages in this amalgam of misfits, miscreants, and maniacal offerings.
Jesus or Jessy (as he is named here) comes flying onto the prairie via a parachute while decked out in a zoot suit. Allan Arbus as Jessy reminds me of Gene Wilder from his early days with his wide-eye wonder, off-the-wall banter that is so out of left field for the 1800s, and, really, his whole demeanor. This time Jessy prefers to entertain with his song-and-dance rather than work the miracles of which he is capable.
Jessy seeks out Jerusalem throughout his journey, and on the way performs miracles that don’t always go as expected, but with humorous results. Then there are separate journeys of “The Father” and “The Holy Ghost,” that are more or less minor characters, but just as memorable. The Father prefers to shoot people with his invisible rifle that delivers real world Peckinpaw-style blows while The Holy Ghost parades around in a white sheet with two holes (yes, you’re reading this right. Either done for budget restraints or just plain outrageousness) constantly trying to figure out where he fits into the whole story.
If this sounds weird enough, add to it Greaser’s daughter, Cholera, who is the main attraction at the Palace, and inclined to top her act by lifting up her skirt and showing it all for big applause. She also is capable of having multiple orgasms with her clothes on. Horny men who have no problem displaying it (going as far as humping a post), cross-dressers, a homosexual midget (played by “Fantasy Island”’s Herve Villechaize), a bizarre French Padre (that looks like he escaped from David Lynch’s “Dune”), a male nun, and a group of Native Americans that appear as if getting high is their path to enlightenment, these are just a few of the whacked out wonders!
It sounds exhausting and perhaps tedious, but it’s far from either. It’s just a hard film to try and nail down in words. “Greaser’s Palace” enjoyed one of the many hot spots as a midnight cult favorite in the ’70s. Not only was it ahead of its time, but the movie was actually dubbed one of Time Magazine’s top ten films of 1972. With “Greaser’s Palace”, Robert Downey Sr. demonstrates a great slice of ’70s filmmaking while not being afraid to speak his mind and having fun while doing it.
“Greaser’s Palace” is available for the first time in a brand new 16×9 widescreen master from Scorpion Releasing. It also comes with a highly recommended interview with Mr. Downey Sr., who happens to have a wonderful story about his son’s debut in the film. The DVD is readily available new and used via Amazon.
Directed by: Robert Downey, Sr.
Release Date: Jul 31, 1972
Run Time: 91 Minutes
Rated: NR
Country: USA
Distributor: Cinema 5 Distributing
