When I first saw *The Fan* in 1981, I thought it was a stylish, gripping thriller. Upon viewing it almost 25 years later, I remain correct in 1981 it *was* a stylish, gripping thriller, but not any more. It contains several of those "Who would pay money to see that?" performances-within-performances that we have written about before. This time, the perpetrator is Lauren Bacall, playing a Broadway actress (naturally) who talks/sings her way through a few self-important numbers about what it's like to be a famous star. The numbers are simply awful and for people who already have a bad attitude about Broadway, this is the kind of routine that gives them plenty of ammunition for hating it. The best things about Bacall's performance are her Halston clothes. Riding high from his days as the conquering hero of the Seventies, Halston was going through major personal and business problems at this time, but the clothes produced at that time are nothing short of magnificent American classics. In addition to the traditional Halston looks of cashmere twinsets paired with straight-legged slacks with gorgeous trenchcoats draped over the shoulders, Bacall wears a few of Halston's most spectacular creations. Though much of the most interesting details are lost on the screen, Bacall wears Halston's "spiral-cut" caftans created from a single piece of fabric with a single seam that winds around the body. The way they drape and mold to the body is a testament to Halston's incredible creative abilities. The clothes, as beautiful relics of that era, are the best thing about this movie.
