When Chevy Chase was cool: A 'Fletch' movie marathon

Fletch definitely influenced my personal fashion style (see above)

Last night my wife indulged me with a marathon of one of my all-time favorite movie characters and cinematic heroes -- Chevy Chase's Fletch. We watched the hit 1985 original and its underrated 1989 sequel back to back, and for me it was a welcome walk down memory lane.

These movies were a huge part of my childhood  -- I don't think I even appreciated how funny they were back then, but something about Chase's laconic deadpan style spoke to me and I've been emulating it in my real life ever since.

Sadly, Chase's career has largely become a case study in 'what ifs.' To see Fletch now is to see him at the peak of his comedic powers; he would make other funny films after this, but he would never push himself to work with directors who could get him outside of his comfort zone.

Had he done that, as Bill Murray eventually did, he might have had more longevity, but instead he retreated to horrendous family movies. Even his stint on the hip sitcom Community largely revolved around how clueless and out-of-date he was.

Chase deserved better. His apparently less-than- charming real-life persona aside, he had a unique and engaging style. Cocky, but not obnoxious. Smart, but also capable of clumsy slapstick.

Fletch provided Chase with the best vehicle for his rebellious WASP persona, and with director Michael Ritchie he had a collaborator who understood his rhythms and skill.

Ritchie is one of those great, unsung filmmakers. He did sillier mainstream fare like The Golden Child, but he also is responsible for some acerbic, interesting films like Prime Cut, The Bad News Bears, The Candidate and Downhill Racer, the latter two starring Robert Redford in two of his most complex roles.



Both Fletch films have sturdy narratives to hang their gags on -- they are mystery films that take advantage of some terrific character actors and locales -- through which the dry-witted Fletch must spin lies, dodge bullets (or angry dogs) and, usually, get the girl.

Films starring Saturday Night Live veterans got increasingly lazy and stupid in recent years (with Will Ferrell and some of the recent female breakout stars being a very prominent exception to the rule). It's hard to imagine Adam Sandler attempting anything as sophisticated as Fletch (although he was terrific in Punch-Drunk Love), but then again his appeal has always been more narrow.

It may be hard to believe now, but for a brief period Chase was being pitched as a modern era Cary Grant. His role in Foul Play certainly suggested he could be a plausible romantic lead. And his turn in Caddyshack is a marvel. But by the late '80s he seemed only interested in cashing paychecks and nearly all of his 90s output is unwatchable.

He also did plenty to tarnish his own reputation, by all accounts being a bully and a grump behind the scenes. But none of this detracts from my fanboy worship of his "cool" years -- when he was the fastest guy in the room with his quips and had the air of a true iconoclast.

This character -- who sticks it to everyone: the cops, the wealthy, his bosses-- is the guy I always wanted to be growing up, and sometimes, on a good day, am.

Chase was famous for his line, "I'm Chevy Chase, and you're not." but he'll always be Fletch for me.