Saturday Night Fever (1977)

 A story that takes place in the 70’s but remains a classic. John Travolta, not a fine actor, is perfectly cast to play a young rudderless man living a sad life who comes alive in the dance studio. The dancing is mesmerizing and The Bee Gees songs create a perfect good time feeling.  I have watched it over time and it holds up with its pathos and underlying angst.

Saturday Night Fever, although produced in 1977, is a true classic and makes great entertainment, even today.  John Travolta plays Tony Manero, a teen from a typical Brooklyn Italian family of that time, who works in a paint and hardware store but lives for the weekends, when he goes to the disco to dance.  Every weekend he fixes his hair to perfection, puts on his best shirt, and goes to the disco to meet his friends and lapse into a fantasy world, where he is a star.  There are funny moments when you see his family interaction, his grandmother lives with them, his mother worships his older brother, Frank Jr., who became a priest, and where he has to keep up his appearance and image, as you can see in the line to his father "Don't touch the hair".  The score, written for the most part by The Bee Gees became the second greatest album of all times, and the music is still wonderful and pushed The Bee Gees into stardom.  Travolta's dance moves are unbelievable, as he dances solo and with his new partner and love interest, Stephanie, played by Karen Gorney.  A wonderful movie that I can watch over and over with amazing dancing and a score like no other.  Can you ask for anything more?

I admit that I watched this movie in real time..yes in 1977. And  although it is very much a movie of its era, it does hold up, mainly because of the soundtrack and the retro world that it portrays.  The story is simplistic and the acting is mediocre, but that doesn’t seem to matter. It does have some moments of real heartache, but is mostly entertaining . And to watch a young John Travolta dance is worth the price of admission.