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One from a flock of films from Sam Shepard…
A wee post on the lovely Sam Shepard who starred as a dishy doctor (of sorts) in Baby Boom.
Baby Boom 1987 extended TV trailer, robatsea2009
As I took a wee break from the blog, I was upset to learn that an actor I’d discussed recently had passed away. The film was The Notebook and the actor was Sam Shepard. His presence in this Nicolas Sparks written film reminded me of his more memorable parts such as Steel Magnolias (1989) and The Right Stuff (1983).
As my review of The Notebook indicated, this by the numbers romantic film was not my thing. This was despite the presence of these much-loved actors (and Rachel McAdams). However looking back at Shepard’s career, there were many more Realweegiemidget friendly films on the watched and on the to watch pile. However, my favourite of his movies was (and always will be) Diane Keaton’s romantic love interest in Baby Boom (1987).
In Baby Boom (1987), Shepard appears in the latter part of the movie. I reviewed this film earlier in relation to the villain of the piece, played by the 80s favourite douchebag in the movies, James Spader. Spader appears in the first part of the movie and toward the end and more on his part can be found HERE.
So to sum up the film, Diane Keaton stars as J.C. Wiatt, a yuppie career woman of the 1980s respected for her tough lady attitude and business prowess and nicknamed the Tiger Lady. She is bequeathed her cousin’s six-month baby girl and Wiatt tries to balance her career and her new motherhood. Losing her then-boyfriend Steven (Harold Ramis) and job in the process, she then decides to move to Vermont with the baby in tow, buying a new house.
In Vermont, she’s a fish out of the water and we meet Sam Shepard’s character, the rakishly handsome, Jeff Cooper. The pair meet after she collapses from exhaustion and a nervous breakdown caused by her domestic situation (her house has many structural faults) and the subsequent financial concerns. She also has just started a new business making apple sauce for babies, inspired by an abundance of fruit from her orchard.
After collapsing, Wiatt wakes up at what she assumes is the doctor. After regaling her story to him, it’s revealed his next patient has arrived. And in a wee twist, it’s revealed that Cooper’s a vet to her absolute mortification and horror. Later her car breaks down with him as her knight in shining armour. His easy charm easily steals the scene from the harassed Keaton.
Here he kisses her so passionately she feels it in her boots. However, luckily he’s the understanding sort and after remeeting and joking about it at a local dance the pair dance… And the pair start a relationship.. and if you don’t want spoilers don’t read on.
She is then reoffered her old job and this scene leaves us in fear of an eventual break-up of their budding romance. However, after a passionate speech at her old work, she returns to her daughter, new life, business and love in Vermont to my and her old colleagues sobbing.
Shepard was just lovely in this movie as Wiatt’s love interest. He plays his character, Cooper, as a quietly passionate man. His comic chemistry is obvious with Keaton in their all too few scenes together. He was to repeat this chemistry in that great female ensemble movie Steel Magnolias with Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis. Here he also played a supporting role as husband to a strong female supporting lead, Dolly Parton who plays Truvy and runs the local beauty salon.
This story focuses on Sally Field’s M’Lynn Eatenton who finds out her daughter Shelby (Julia Roberts) is dying leading to tissues galore, but with the amazing cast, it has many comic moments as well as dramatic too. His character Spud jones was an unemployed labourer in this movie, which also has some great supporting actors for the women. These include Tom Skerritt and Dylan McDermott.
Back to Baby Boom where his Cooper character was obviously the heartthrob and must catch the man of the town. Shepard’s comic moments were wonderfully executed and delivered. His chemistry with Keaton after her initial misgivings is apparent in all their scenes and you almost root his character on to kiss her at times.
When he first kisses her, it is with one of those movie kisses that you never forget and possibly one of the most romantic on film. Shepard proved in only a few scenes that he was also a good comic actor and his more dramatic roles in Frances (1982) and as also seen in The Pledge (2001). And you could say he proved he was The Right Stuff for a wide range of genres in his subsequent career after this.
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