The 'C' Word

This 29 minute short depicts a chain of events that result after Tom (Joseph Lindsey), who has never owned an automobile, purchases one from Elizabeth (Kelly Eviston), a fateful transaction that leads immediately into a romantic relationship between the pair, with the car ("C" word of the film's title) thereafter requiring continual repairs, leading to an estrangement for the lovers, due in the main to Tom's obsession with the unreliable vehicle, as indicated by his facetious voice-over narration that is dependent upon auto related jocosity. Although the work received an invitation to Cannes, and was awarded a grand prize at the New York Short Festival, it suffers from a raggedly composed script that is laden with unfunny lines, and a first-time director who does not effectively utilize his players, Lindsey permitted to mug throughout the affair, while Eviston essentially walks through her part as best she can, but the film's most prominent drawback is the exuberance of the camera operation, apparently designed to display as many tricky movements and angles as might be possible; however, turning the coin, a fair degree of skill is displayed with montage sequences as arranged by director Selditch.