Ryan O'Neal, Robert Downey Jr. & Cybill Shepherd in Chances Are (1989)

Last in our Ryan O'Neal series is this 1989 comedy about death and rebirth, reincarnation and second chances. Louie Jeffries is killed in 1964, leaving a widow, Corinne (Shepherd) and daughter, Miranda (Mary-Stewart Masterson). Louie bypasses St. Peter and bolts back to earth to be reborn without having his past life memories extracted from him. Corinne never remarries and leans heavily on Louie's best friend Phillip Train (O'Neal) to help raise Miranda. When Miranda comes home from school and brings new boyfriend, Alex Finch (Downey Jr.) the latter realizes he's Louie reincarnated and immediately transfers his affections from daughter to mother, who is very perplexed until he convinces her of his true identity. A honeymoon period occurs between them, which hurts and confuses Miranda and Phillip who harbors feelings for Corinne. Will they renew their relationship and cause a rift with the ones they love?

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This film was a hit when it was released, but has fallen into obscurity since. The action is frenetic, but the performances are charming and the overall effect quite tender. Robert Downey Jr. is very effective as a man who suddenly finds himself at a life-altering crossroads.

Chances Are is available on DVD and is well remembered by fans, but has quite a low profile among films of the era with infrequent television airings. The trailer for the VHS tape is above, uploaded to YouTube by OldSchoolTrailers.

Obscurity factor: 2 (still remembered by fans, somewhat forgotten by the general public, on DVD)

Ryan O'Neil in So Fine 1981

Obscurity factor: 6

Next in our little Ryan O'Neal festival is this 1981 comedy. Bobby Fine is an egg head professor, the son of garment manufacturer Jack (Jack Warden). Jack's business is going down the tubes, and so is Jack if he can't come up with the money to pay loan shark Eddie (Richard Kiel) back. To further complicate matters, Bobby is having an affair with Eddie's wife, Lira (Mariangela Melato) - not something you do to a 7 foot tall man. One morning after being trapped under Lira's bed Bobby escapes the house, but isn't able to retrieve his clothes, so he wears a sweater and jeans belonging to Lira. On the way to his father's office he rips the ass in them and stuffs the holes with plastic. When he finally gets to the office a new fashion fad is born - So Fine jeans with windows in the back. Needless to say the public goes mad for this new fangled fashion fad, but will Bobby and Jack be able to stay alive long enough to enjoy the success?

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This wacky comedy was written and produced by Andrew Bergman, who lent his writing talent to Blazing Saddles, among other kooky films. Look for Fred Gwynne in a small role, and a riotous scene in during an unfortunate production of Othello. Unfortunately we don't get to see Ryan O'Neal's backside in the jeans for near long enough.

This film was recently released on DVD by the Warner Archive as a print-on-demand title. Above is the So Fine commercial and montage of the jeans success featuring Anita Morris, who was making a big splash on Broadway in Nine at the time. It was uploaded to YouTube by TheViewMonster.

Obscurity factor: 6 (Remembered for its gimmick, newly available on DVD, largely forgotten otherwise)

Ryan O'Neal & Omar Sharif in Green Ice (1981)

Ryan O'Neal has been in his share of obscure films. I'm featuring a few of them this week. This one slipped under the radar in 1981. In a strikingly similar scenario to yesterdays film (The Thief Who Came to Dinner) Joseph Wiley (O'Neal) is an electronics expert who travels to Mexico to get over a divorce and meets a sultry beauty, Holbrook (Anne Archer). They embark on a career of purloinery. This time the loot is limited to emeralds owned by underworld kingpin Meno Argenti (Sharif) who has killed Holbrook's sister, despite wanting Holbrook to marry him.

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Though this film didn't do well critically, there is some fun to be had in it. The opening scene depicts the murder mentioned above and is quite disconcerting, which contrasts with the lighter quality to the rest of the film. Sharif is suitably despicable and Archer is beguiling. Look for John Larroquette in an early role and opening credits done by Maurice Binder of James Bond fame.

This film is available on DVD, but is out of print and copies are expensive. It can also be watched on Amazon on demand. Above is the scene where our protagonists use balloons in their bid for the emeralds featuring Maria - Midnight at the Oasis - Muldaur singing "Floating", uploaded to YouTube by RudyHerak.

Obscurity factor: 8 (on DVD, but hard to find, also available online on Amazon, largely forgotten)

Ryan O'Neal & Jacquline Bisset in The Theif who Came to Dinner (1973)

Obscurity factor: 7

This stylish caper film owes a lot to The Thomas Crown Affair. Webster (O'Neal) is bored with his job as a computer programmer in the bustling metropolis of Houston, Texas. He decides to quit and become a jewel thief - The Chess Burgler - he leaves chess pieces and a note with a chess move at each of his jobs. His first caper is the Henderling home, where he secures not only jewelry and cash, but some incriminating documents, which he uses to blackmail Henderling (Charles Cioffi) into introducing him into society. At a party Henderling gives he meets Laura (Bisset), with whom he begins a relationship. She becomes his accomplice, helping him by throwing parties to get people out of their homes, providing alibis for him and helping him plan and execute his capers. The wrench in the works is Dave (Warren Oates), a pensive insurance investigator who suspects Webster, but can't prove that he's the theif. Dave dogs Webster's tail, tries to set him up and even enlists the help of a chess expert (Austin Pendleton) to publicly challenge him to a game, which is played out in a newspaper. As the stakes get bigger, will Webster have the nerve to continue with Dave there waiting for his first misstep?

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This film has a light charm that is missing from most films today. The performances by all the cast members are especially good, but the highlight - as in Thomas Crown, is the relationship between O'Neal and Oates, who does a terrific, subtle turn as the insurance agent. Ned Beatty as the fence and Jill Clayburgh as O'Neal's ex wife also turn in stellar performances. Look for a wacky costume ball scene with Houston's elite dressed up in space costumes.

This film has yet to make it to DVD. It's available on VHS and you can watch it in full on StageVu.com above. The score by Henry Mancini is also available.

Obscurity factor: 7 (not on DVD, available to watch online, not well known, but loved by most who remember it)

Ryan O'Neal & John Hurt in Partners (1982)

Benson (O'Neal) has a new partner. His name is Kerwin (Hurt), and he's not what Benson is used to - Kerwin is gay and they've been assigned an unusual case. They're to solve a series of murders in the gay community in LA by setting themselves up as members of it. This film walks a fine line of trying to be sensitive to the newly visible gay community and milking it for comedy - frequently the comedy wins out. Benson is given a ridiculous car and wardrobe to match, obviously playing on the stereotypes straight America had of gay men in 1982. Though much of the film is strained and uncomfortable to watch, there are some fun moments - particularly Benson's modeling session for a gay mag.

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This film was not well received by the gay community and was eviscerated by the critics when it was released. If you've never seen it, it's worth a watch as a time capsule of where we were in our attitudes toward gay men in 1982. It's also an interesting study of the objectification of the male form, and how uncomfortable it made, and still makes some men. 

Partners was released on DVD in '08. There's very little video of it online, however. Above is the scene where Benson gets his new car. It's uploaded by Tudorhead.

Obscurity factor: 5 (available on DVD, remembered, if not fondly by many)