Thursday, December 14, 2023

The One and Only (1978)

Amiable if somewhat annoying tale of seeking wrestling stardom.

Andy (Henry Winkler) is an aspiring actor, unfortunately he finds it hard to get any parts despite being the most self-confident man in the universe. This is a concern to his wife Mary (Kim Darby) especially as she is now pregnant. 

Andy learns from another actor Milton (Hervé Villechaise) that he can make money in the ring as a wrestler. Mary is not that keen on this change in direction but Andy tends to ignore her concerns anyway (why she stays with him is the film's biggest mystery) but soon gets the bug and seeks super-stardom in the squared circle with a hot new gimmick...

This is a fun enough film, Andy's character is very annoying but Henry Winkler makes it bearable. It is a decent comedy though not without flaws. Real wrestlers who appear in the film include Roddy Piper and Chavo Guerrero Snr.