Date: Fri 10-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: DONNAM

Illustration: C

Location: A14

Quick Words:

Playing-Day-Clooney-Pfeiffer

Full Text:

(rev "One Fine Day," comments on new TV ratings for Now Playing, 1/10/97)

Now Playing-

On Ratings & Manufactured Moments: TV & `One Fine Day'

By Trey Paul Alexander III

My thoughts have lately been preoccupied by the new ratings system adopted by

the television industry. Personally, I think it's a joke, more than just a

little arbitrary, and just shy of letting the inmates run the asylum (the

networks rate their own shows). What's more, the common viewer has no idea

what any of the ratings - TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14 and TV-M - mean (I barely know

what they mean)! Granted, this new system is just the groundwork for the

coming V-chip televisions, which owners will be able to program to block

access to shows with certain ratings, but it all seems so vague.

Opponents of the present system have argued that there needs to be a more

specific guide to the ratings. Instead of basing the codes on an increasingly

subjective age basis (like the TV-PG, TV-14, or the movies' PG-13), why not

draw up a more detailed scheme that would give an elaborate overview of actual

content? For instance, the use of a code that employed such letters as V for

violence, S for sexual content, P for profanity, N for nudity and so forth,

would seem to be much more helpful for individuals trying to better regulate

the types of things to which they expose themselves (or their kids). However,

if TV-14 draws a blank stare from the layman, imagine the potential confusion

that might occur if TV-S,V,P were to appear on screen.

The intricacies of the ratings debate echoed in my mind and intruded upon my

recent viewing of One Fine Day , currently playing at Danbury's Crown Cine

theater. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney, this romantic comedy

chronicles the frantic mishaps and misadventures of two single, working

parents who are thrust together after their children miss a school field trip.

The divorcees spend the rest of the day trying to juggle their busy career

schedules, keep an eye on their kids, and devote quality time verbally

sparring.

As this PG-rated movie unfolded, I couldn't help but have my attention drawn

to some of the surprisingly off-color language that was uttered by the movie's

characters. It was especially shocking to hear this type of profanity in a

film that features two cherubic youngsters (Mae Whitman and Alex D. Linz, the

latter of which is the newest tyke on the block and Fox's choice to take over

the Macaulay Culkin role in the next Home Alone sequel) who are within earshot

of most of this foul language. For the most part, One Fine Day is a tame

offering, but that may be why the profanity stands out so starkly. Shouldn't

the producers have been more careful to tone down some of the harsher dialogue

if this was going to be rated PG?

Now, before anyone rolls their eyes at me - and I can see that look very well

from here, thank you - let me be clear that I'm not assuming the guise of

William Bennett. Nor am I proposing a complete change to a more specific

ratings code as suggested above. The danger there is that we run the risk of

marginalizing the intent of a film or TV show by characterizing it as having

"59 acts of violence," or some such thing, when the subject it is portraying

may reasonably call for such a treatment. I just fear for this trend in our

entertainment programs in which producers seek to add "spice" (or, as they

like to call it, "pushing the envelope") to material that doesn't need it and

would be better off without it.

By the way, One Fine Day was okay, but fell short of fully endearing itself.

Pfeiffer, one of the steadiest, most reliable - not to mention "luminous," as

Clooney's character proclaims her - actresses in film today, was solid, and

Clooney proved to be a capable romantic foil (it'll be interesting to see him

don the cape and cowl of the Dark Knight in this summer's Batman and Robin ).

However, the movie works too hard to manufacture warm moments instead of just

letting them happen.