"30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia" shares a producer (Walter Shenson) with the Beatles' "Help!" and runs along the same lines as well - the flimsy so-called plot is merely an excuse for endless musical segments, fantasy sequences and comic gags. It's very clear from the beginning how things are going to turn out for our hero (Dudley Moore as Rupert Street), and even moments of worry or conflict for the characters pass very quickly or are made humorous. Several chances for drama are wasted - much like Rupert's own musical, you could imagine that this movie began life with some thought and delicacy that was discarded in favour of more harmless frolic. Well, it's undeniably full of that, with its swinging 60's colour, fun and music. The detective who fancies himself an American-style "private dick" with appropriate voiceovers is very funny, as is Eddie Foy Jr. as Oscar, Rupert's endlessly scheming agent. Those who are looking for something along the lines of "Bedazzled" (ie. the Moore/Cook version, a personal favourite of mine) will likely be disappointed with the fluffy non-plot and lack of anything resembling drama (not to mention the absence of Peter Cook's witty scripting). However, this really is a must-see for Dudley Moore fans - the imaginary bits display him in a vast array of costumed guises, and he performs several of his self-penned songs in their entirety. If you're just looking for a bit of "Help!"-style silly fun, you'll enjoy this one.
Review of 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia
