Clint Eastwood’s third directorial effort, 1973’s Breezy concerns a May – December romance between Frank Harmon (William Holden) a jaded, middle-aged square and Edith Alice ‘Breezy’ Breezerman (Kay Lenz), a free-spirited, hippie teenager with a good heart. Having lost her parents years ago in an automobile accident, she had been raised by an aunt in Pennsylvania. Having graduated from high school the spring before, Breezy is living on the poverty line and enjoying the free love lifestyle. The story is a meeting between the Counterculture and the Establishment. Each is shown to be equally shallow and in need of love to straighten out their messed-up lives. The fact that this unlikely romance seems believable at all, must be credited to the skillful direction of Eastwood who smooths out the potential pitfalls of Jo Heims’ screenplay. It’s also interesting to note that this was the first film Clint Eastwood directed, but didn’t star in.
Kino has done an excellent job with their 1080p transfer. The image is bright throughout. Colors have significant depth and texture. There are a few scratches and speckles but nothing that affects things in-motion. Overall, the image is pleasing.
Kino’s DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track is rather easy-going for this dialogue-driven film. The score by Michael Legrand (Cleo from 5 to 7, Ice Station Zebra) is heard nicely when appropriate. A few moments, such as crashing waves, are mixed in well.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following extras are available:
- NEW! Audio Commentary with Film Historians Howard S. Berger and C. Courtney Joyner: The two provide an excellent commentary here, discussing Jo Heims’ script, the casting of the film (Kay Lenz was not the original choice for the role of Breezy), William Holden’s history as a romantic lead, the age difference, and more.
- Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:27)
