Review of Fade In

Just watched on Netflix this TV movie that's one of the earliest credited to one "Alan Smithee". That's the name that was used when the actual director-a Jud Taylor on this one-didn't want his name in the credits. Might be because of some scenes like that shot outside of a motel room but looking inside that room with the dialogue barely above a whisper as the score plays loudly. Despite scenes like that, this picture-about an assistant film editor (Barbara Loden) on location in Moab falling for a rancher (Burt Reynolds in his first starring role) who's hired as the film's driver-has quite a charming vibe concerning romance and what that entails concerning these two. It's also interesting to know that the filming depicted here was of an actual movie called Blue and to recognize one of the players as Ricardo Montalban. While Burt is something of a cowboy here, he's not quite the good 'ol boy he later developed in Smokey and the Bandit and others during his '70s heyday. So on that note, Fade-In is worth seeing.