Pretty Good

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

If only they'd had Viagra in 1981--then we would have been spared the male midlife angst of Your Ticket is No Longer Valid. Beyond the preoccupation with priapism, however, there are a few things to recommend regarding this unusual Canadian film. Richard Harris is quite good as businessman Jason, whose financial fortunes seem to be failing him concurrent with the advent of his plumbing problems, and George Peppard excellent as randy best bud Jim. The female leads aren't quite as lucky, with colourless Jennifer Dale offering little as Jason's vapid lover Laura, and Jeanne Moreau is given too little screen time. Soundtrack mavens should note that Michel Legrand's score has its moments--including a completely wacky cue composed for sitar which accompanies a scene of domestic burglary! Side effects from watching Your Ticket is No Longer Valid include dry mouth, dizziness, and weight loss, but on the other hand, it will work wonders for some insomniacs. Is this the best film ever made about erectile dysfunction? I don't know, but if you spend more than four hours pondering that question, consult a physician.

Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid is a strange title for a film, but it works as a metaphor. The ticket is Richard Harris's penis, and the reason it is no longer valid is that he can no longer get an erection.The film is about a business mogul named Jason (Harris) who has a younger lover called Laura (Dale). As the pressures of his deteriorating business begin to tell on him, Jason discovers that his sex life is also affected. He is losing his ability to get an erection and satisfy her in bed. To make matters worse, he begins to have dreams about a gypsy stud having sex with her, and finds himself shamefully excited by these dreams. In the end, he contemplates suicide in order to spare his lovely lady the unhappiness of a sexless relationship.It's a bizarre and often tasteless film, with the most unusual cast you could ever hope to find in such a project. However, the performances are pretty good, especially Harris who somehow manages to convince in one of the most near-unplayable roles of his career. George Peppard is good too as a racist rival banker, who uses dirty language like "f@ck" and "c*nt" as if it's going out of fashion. Beyond the performances, there isn't that much to recommend the film. It tries to deal with its themes seriously and meaningfully, but it ends up playing like a campy sleazefest, mixed in with some fake overtones of tragedy.

Ordinarily, I'm not disgusted with movies. And probably this movie did what it set out to do if its' aim was to disgust audiences. Subject: old guy can't get it up, nor can the other robber baron (played by George Peppard). Wife loves him, but he can't believe that since he's so concerned about his age, and her youth.Kind of sad to see all this, pre-Viagra of course. It would be a great 2 hour ad for Viagra, but doesn't have much else in it; unless you like the snuff-dancing done by the dancer. Macho looking guy is turned into a slave in a very humiliating manner. It made me feel pretty dirty to watch this movie, as though I were a voyeaur.Watching Richard Harris do his push-ups was a great spectacle, and I don't mind THAT kind of voyeaur-ing. No accounting for tastes, I guess.

This was a rather disgusting movie is alot of ways, but at the same time, I think it was really wonderful. It was a gross-out way to show men the extent they will go to in preservation of their sex drive or lack thereof. Richard Harris is wonderful as the man who's losing everything at the same time, and goes to the most extreme measures to hold on to his fortunes in business and romance. The sex fantasy sequences are stupid and gratuitous, it could have been a much better film without them. I don't want to give too much away but Harris' performance as "Jason" is a tour de force. Jennifer Dale is excellent as "Laura", the young girl who would love him no matter what.