Brenda Starr l'avventura in prima pagina

The most that people know about this movie was that it was filmed in 1986, then spent six years on the shelf before being (barely) released to theaters. Was it deserving of its fate? For that most part, yes. Though obviously not a big budget exercise, the movie does boast (for the most part) passable production values. However, the rest of the movie falls flat. Brooke Shields looks the part of Brenda Starr, but her performance simply isn't very good. In fairness to Shields, her role is strangely not written to be a smart and resourceful woman, but kind of a bubblehead - such a demeaning role would make anyone reluctant to give a good performance. In fact, just about every character is written to be kind of stupid. The movie seems to think that the whole thing should be some kind of joke, when in fact this kind of movie needs a SERIOUS treatment. It doesn't help that there are several instances where key linking footage or entire scenes seem to be missing, leading to some very confusing moments. I'm willing to be that Dale Messick, the original cartoonist of the "Brenda Starr" comic strip, wasn't very pleased by this cinematic adaptation of her work.

To quote someone "I think someone say Dick Tracy and an A-Ha video and said, 'What a great idea!'"

This movie was really terrible. Watching this was akin to having a Root Canal without anesthetics. Rent only if you have a death wish on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

She would cash in on her looks. Her acting ability has finally reared its head with Suddenly Susan, but prior to her stint on TV Brooke Shields did a number of lack luster appearances films that were shot as A-quality pictures, but suffered from her poor acting ability.

"Brenda Starr" shows a turning point in Brooke's acting career, largely because it seemed as though she actually projected herself into the Brenda Starr character, verse reciting lines in her previous roles.

Even so the film is poorly directed, and veterans like Dalton and Scarwid cannot prop up a film that has a definate lack of vision. In fact the best sequences of the entire film are in Act I; from Shields braving a ledge to get an interview with an Irish immigrant gangster, to her welcome home to the office by the Brenda Starr comic strip's supporting characters.

The film was given a kind of feminine sense of adventure, which I believe detracts from what could've been a far more entertaining film; had the director just followed his personal instincts and created a good adventure film. The high points are seeing Brooke herself in very alluring fashions of the late forties. Beyond that there's not much here. Brooke looks the part, but couldn't act it ... at least not then.

Totally enjoyed this. Was it ahead of its time or behind? I think it would have been great in the pop art '60s.

Brooke Shields was something like 21 when she filmed this - it wasn't released right away. She is so gorgeous she's all you can look at. And those Bob Mackie outfits! Totally worth the entire film.

Seeking a hot story, journalist Brenda travels to the Amazon to find a crazed scientist who supposedly plans to destroy the planet.

Brooke does a great job. She's always been more than a fabulous face, as she's proven on Broadway and in her own series. I saw her in person one Thanksgiving- unbelievably tall!

Really fun. Too bad it only made $67,000.

I searched for this for years, sniffing after it's bad reputation. Surprize-it's not that bad. The scenes with the comic strip artist are painful but brief. Most of the action is period 40's and the costumes are fun (Bob Mackie?). Brooke is just gorgeous, of course, and makes a plucky Brenda. Diana Scarwid is her nasty rival and Timothy Dalton her sexy love interest. If this had been done for TV (which it looks like) I think the critics would have been far kinder. If I recall, no one crucified Jill St. John for the 1976 version. This movie is strictly for comic book buffs or Brooke Sheilds fans.

CC