Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus attempted to give their Cannon Group a little artistic shine by recruiting directors like Andrei Konchalovsky to helm pictures that were more “prestigious” in tone and appearance than Cannon's usual assortment of ninjas and breakdancers. The Russian director's American feature debut, “Maria's Lovers,” may be a cut above the usual Golan-Globus exploitation offerings from the mid '80s, yet this is still a messy and ultimately unsatisfying film that never gels, despite the best efforts of its cast.
John Savage gives a sensitive performance as a haunted WWII vet who returns to his blue-collar Pennsylvania hometown and immediately falls for one of his old sweethearts (a miscast Natassja Kinski). Unfortunately, their blissful marriage is compounded by his inability to physically perform in the bedroom, leading to the PSTD-afflicted Savage skipping town and Kinski hooking up with a vagabond troubadour (Keith Carradine).
The authentic feel of post-war small-town America is effectively captured here by cinematographer Juan Ruiz-Anchia and Konchalovsky, but the script – tellingly credited to four different writers, including the director, Gerard Brach, Paul Zindel and Marjorie David – is all over the place. Certain dramatic elements, from Savage's father (a wasted Robert Mitchum) to a handful of friends he later meets (Bud Cort, John Goodman, Tracy Nelson), are poorly integrated into the movie's narrative fabric and the central relationship between Savage and Kinski, who seems completely out of her element as the all-American “girl next door.” Only Carradine livens things up as the musician who wedges his way into their troubled existence, while the lack of a prominent music score proves to be an additional lack of support.
Code Red and Kino Lorber's Blu-Ray debuts a fine MGM catalog master (1.85, 2.0 DTS MA mono) with the trailer and new interviews with Savage and co-star Vincent Spano.