Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988)

In the exploration of Francis Ford Coppola's post-Apocalypse Now (1979) filmography, or rather, his post-genius period, you'll find a body of work that hardly stirs the level of recognition and acclaim of his work in the 1970's. That doesn't necessarily mean there is nothing worth watching as the Coppola name alone provides any title some semblance of credibility. Although, there does seem to be a considerable drop-off following Apocalypse Now, especially in comparison to the consistently impressive output of New Hollywood contemporaries like Scorsese and Spielberg. 

Nonetheless, Coppola did produce some gems in the 80's and 90's, one of which is Tucker: The Man and His Dream, the story of automobile entrepreneur Preston Tucker whose production of the '48 Tucker Sedan caused a Howard Hughes-like controversy in America that led to a SEC trial accusing Tucker of fraud. 

Tucker: The Man and His Dream explores the entrepreneurial and industrial spirit of capitalistic America following World War II, and this sentiment is embodied in the fantastic performance by Jeff Bridges as Preston Tucker. Bridges radiates enthusiastic belief in the free enterprise system with a constant bouncing step and persisting smile in the face of the obstacles unspecified in the most idealistic vision of capitalism. In fact, it's Tucker's unfailing idealism that endears him to the audience, as he swats away any deterrent with a smile and a slap on the shoulder. His indifference to opposing forces makes his outbursts of frustration and anger all the more emotionally effective. Coppola successfully avoids trenching Tucker into perfect circumstance (e.g. family, success, etc.) and shifts focus to individual ingenuity and the struggle inherent in following any ambition, especially one as lofty as Tucker's. 

Though it's difficult to surmise that the director of Tucker is the same man responsible for The Godfather I and II, Coppola's innate ability to establish and convey appropriate tone remains intact. Tucker is an eccentric film buoyed by an eccentric protagonist and Coppola creates a fast flowing pace to accommodate these attributes. The settings are tame, though still true to the times and the extravagant spectacles promoting the Tucker '48 display the unabashed excess of American capitalism while contributing to the film's zany quality. 

The message of the film is quite clear, but no less poignant. It's an enjoyable film with an idiosyncratic take on an altogether interesting period in American history. Any fan of Coppola's best work will certainly be interested to see one of his better post-1970's films. 

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Screenwriter(s): Arnold Schulman, David Siedler 

Cinematographer: Vittorio Storaro 

Score: Joe Jackson

Cast: Jeff Bridges, Martin Landau, Joan Allen, Elias Koteas, Frederic Forrest, Christian Slater

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Running Time: 110 minutes

Rating: PG

Release Date: August 12, 1988