Men, Movies & Carol

By TONY SCOTT

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CBS, Mon. Oct. 24, 10 p.m.
 
Cast: Carol Burnett, Scott Bakula, Tony Bennett, Barry Bostwick, Michael Jeter.
 

Taped at CBS TV City by Brillstein-Grey Entertainment and Kalola Prods. Exec producer, Carol Burnett; producers, Ken Welch, Mitzie Welch, Robert Wright; director, Paul Miller; writers, Mitzie & Ken Welch, Harry Cauley, Gerard Alessandrini, Burnett; Carol Burnett is back with a mediocre special and with Scott Bakula, Barry Bostwick, Michael Jeter and an out-of-place Tony Bennett as her teammates. Spec, interrupting the flow of "Northern Exposure," specializes in kidding film musicals; the format is 1950s, and the concepts and material are tired or indifferent.

Bakula, Bostwick and Jeter fill in on musical scripts after a smart opening version of "Steppin' Out With My Baby." Bakula and Burnett perform in a take on "Double Identity," and Burnett and Bostwick appear in a tasteless, suggestive version of a scene from "Remains of the Day."

Moments in a skit kidding "The Graduate," with Burnett as the older woman and Bakula as the befuddled grad are amusing, and Bostwick acquits himself wittily and athletically in an Astaire-Rogers spin. Burnett is in just about everything except Tony Bennett's sublime solo "By Myself," but moves in on his "He Loves and She Loves" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me."

As a windup, program drops in on "Tillie's Truck Stop," in which snatches from MGM musical numbers are determinedly tossed out with a grim if-you-don't-like-that-try-this melange.

Jeter roars lion-like through a tin circle, Burnett impersonates Garland, Bakula aims at Kelly, and Bostwick, whose stage training shows, works hard. Bennett wisely stays clear of the jumble.

Paul Miller directed as effectively as possible considering the limp material. Choreographer Don Crichton worked wonders with what he had to work with; the emphasis is on gusto.

Burnett is wise to a funny angle, a wry look, a good tumble and a sharp line. But the actress needs Harvey Korman, Lyle Waggoner, Vicki Lawrence and Tim Conway if she's going to put on a variety show. Better she move fully into a bookshow or straight drama, where she's already excelled.

Burnett is among those redheaded clowns who have ruled TV's comedy ring, but nostalgists won't buy this outing, and uninitiated viewers won't even windowshop.

Editor, Ron Barr; production designers, Roy Christopher, Chris Idoine; music arranged, conducted by Peter Matz; choreographer, Don Crichton; costume designer, Bob Mackie; audio, Otto Svoboda.60 MIN.