Sweet Liberty

Movies about the making of movies are a tricky proposition. When they succeed, they are a revelation. When they almost succeed, as in this, they can be a disappointment. Alan Alda, who wrote and directed the picture, plays Michael Burgess, a somewhat stuffy professor at a small North Carolina college. Divorced, he is having a relationship with a fellow teacher (Lise Hilboldt), but he is loath to make a serious commitment. A movie company has purchased Michael's Revolutionary War novel and descends on the small town to shoot it. The film company is led by director Bo Hodges (Saul Rubinek) who has his crew, screenwriter (Bob Hoskins) and cast, including British rake ...