MARSHA MASON as Georgia Hines in ONLY WHEN I LAUGH

MARSHA MASON

Strong at the broken places. All the adult characters in ONLY WHEN I LAUGH are doomed somehow; bitter, self annihilating and really good at teasing each other with humor to mask their own pain. This movie always feels like old home week for me. I loved it this film as an 11 year old and I still love it. This is really how my mother’s side of the family operates. In the face of unspeakable ugly and pain – we tease each until there’s a big bursting laugh with a tiny catch at the end.

Georgia Hines is one of the most interesting, complicated characters that Mr. Simon, the master of the sometimes self-defeating one-liners, has ever written. Georgia is played with remarkable gusto, edgy, self-mocking charm by his wife, shortly thereafter, ex-wife Marsha Mason. It’s not the playing of one emotion (fear, dread, jealous, anger, joy) at a time that’s good acting; it’s playing both at the same time. Playing opposite emotions are signs of true greatness, but it isn't easy. This is a great example of a strong willed character that is also completely vulnerable. Two opposite emotions co-exiting at the same time. I watched JULIE & JULIA last night again. Meryl's letter from her sister is a good scene example of how that is done right.  When her sister, Jane Lynch, is pregnant – and Meryl reads the letter aloud to her husband. Her being happy for her sister and jealous sad, (for herself), in the same breath... with no dialogue. Marsha Mason does the same thing in ONLY WHEN I LAUGH throughout. Tittering on the edge playing two opposite emotional currents pulling her each way at the same time. 'I'm fine', but underneath she's not fine. She’s raw and unstable and has to try to get through day by day without having a drink. Alcohol is the antagonist in this film. It hovers over each scene like Hannibal. The daughter arrives needing solid ground / stability. It’s been thirty years, but any recovering alcoholic would know this is too much, too soon. But in 1981 – 12 step living had not really just begun to take hold; ‘trigger’ or ‘enabler’ weren’t part of our lexicon yet.

Up to this point, Marsha Mason has received three Oscar nominations (for ''Cinderella Liberty,'' ''The Goodbye Girl'' and ''Chapter Two''), but she has never given a performance to equal this one. A role that was mirrored a reality so closely – usually when they cut so directly to the bone – and actor will distance him or herself but Mason stays right on the brink and it’s exhilarating. This is one of my favorites. Like a warm fire with my mother sitting behind me sprawled out on the couch, (drinking a Gin and Tonic) and lil me on our shaggy carpet in front of her. This film and this performance brings it all right back.

Before there was Aaron Sorkin and THE SOCIAL NETWORK there was Neal Simon – especially in this film - The movie has the look and sound of New York on crack… but completely understandable and sane. All of the performances are excellent, beginning with Miss Mason and including the buoyantly optimistic and lonely work of Mr. Coco, (one of the first full bodied truthful Gay representations on film – with depth and folly) and the hysterical, pampered, upper east-side Miss Hackett (She knew how to through a phrase with a punch. She was a delicate, graceful tall creature that had a nuclear powered thrust in her sweet rezoned voice).

Marsha Mason is wonderfully funny and touching as "Georgia", the recently re-habbed actress. Neil Simon, and taken from his original stage play, "The Gingerbread Lady", it is full of witty New York theater repartee, as only Simon could write, incomparably delivered by Marsha Mason. It starts with "Georgia's" somewhat premature (fresh out of rehab) re-immersion into the world of theater via the starring role in a somewhat biographical play, written by her former lover, with whom she had the turbulent relationship that preceded her breakdown.

Through the emotion of that experience, and her relapse, her two best friends, also wonderfully played by James Coco and Joan Hackett, accompany her. Their 3 way friendship would be called co-dependent nowadays, then...it was just being a supportive good friend. It’s a New York threeway friendship for sure, in LA I think they’d just find another group to hang with. Even though they are all messes; you want these kooky, dear, flawed people as your best friends. Kristy McNichol, who really chews up some furniture in the big scene at the end, projects and does what’s best for her mother and herself at the end – but never stops loving.

Georgias attempts to re-establish a relationship and trust with her previously somewhat ignored daughter are very funny and very touching, with McNichol often ending up as the parental figure. This is just a wonderful, under-rated little gem of a movie, a sweet story in which Marsha Mason gives her best performance. The moment that always kills me is when she’s on the pay-phone trying to reach her doctor, white-knuckling-it, suppressing her emotions. No one submerges tears better than Marsha Mason. She slams down the phone THREE TIMES HARD but not without giving the operator a earful. It’s painfully funny. I consider her a terrific actress, and it's a shame that, for whatever reason, she is not creating more wonderful roles. A lovely, funny, truthful, timeless film about friendship, human frailties and perseverance. Joan Hackett who died shortly after she lost the Oscar, and James Coco died a few years later as well. And Marsha Mason who’s barely worked since – are all truly missed.