Melvin and Howard

Director Jonathan Demme (SILENCE OF THE LAMB) made a critical breakthrough with this film. It's based on the true story of Melvin Dummar (Paul Le Mat), an affable all-American loser whose miserable luck changes when he gives a ride to eccentric Howard Hughes (superbly played by Jason Robards) after finding him asleep in the Nevada desert. Following an extended opening scene of their journey to Vegas, the film dives into Melvin's messed-up trailer-park existence, which involves an unhappy wife (Mary Steenburgen), devoted daughter (Elizabeth Cheshire), and a string of thankless blue-collar jobs. Melvin turns out to be a crackpot dreamer, but his dreams seem to come true when he's named recipient of fellow crackpot Hughes' fortune in a mysterious hand-written will. The film flows as a stream of sharp comic moments via Demme's deft direction and affection for his characters. A nicely gritty look is achieved through Tak Fujimoto's photography at actual locations. A letter-perfect cast includes Dummar himself as a bus station attendant and Dabney Coleman as a Mormon judge. Bo Goldman (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST) wrote the award-winning screenplay.