FORGOTTEN FILM: Bill Forsyth's THAT SINKING FEELING (1980)

In the early 80’s, Bill Forsyth directed some of the funniest comedies of all time.

He directed both GREGORY’S GIRL and LOCAL HERO, both charming Scottish comedies that are still talked about today.

There was another film in that mix, THAT SINKING FEELING, featuring some of the same cast members as GREGORY’S GIRL. Released in 1980 in the UK, it wasn’t released in the US until 1984, after the success of the other films.

THAT SINKING FEELING is set in Glasgow Scotland, although as the opening credits state, it isn’t to be confused with the Glasgow we all know.

The film follows a group of unemployed friends who spend their days thinking about food, attempting suicide by corn flakes, and finally, coming up with an idea to break out of this existence. They will rob a local steel sink factory.


The cast is made up of Scottish actors from the Glasgow Youth Theatre. Two of them, Robert Buchanan and John Gordon Sinclair, would go on to larger roles in GREGORY’S GIRL, with Sinclair playing Gregory. Several of the other cast members had small roles in that film.

Like GREGORY and LOCAL HERO, this is a film that is as much about the locations as it is the humor. It always seems to be raining in Glasgow, which adds to the mood. And there are some hysterical throwaway moments (a character bumming a cigarette off an 8 year old).

As I wrote in my What Ever Happened To story on Bill Forsyth, Forsyth will always be one of my favorite filmmaker for his Scottish films. His later US films have their fans (BREAKING IN, HOUSEKEEPING) but for me, it was like a great country musician going pop. I was more interested in seeing his portrayal of Scottish life and characters, which we rarely see, than another American story. He has essentially retired. His last film, 1999’s GREGORY’S GIRL sequel GREGORY’S TWO GIRLS, has never even been released in the US.

THAT SINKING FEELING was released in the US on VHS and laserdisc, but it hasn’t even been released on DVD in the UK. (EDIT: It was released on DVD in the UK on 9-14-09) It is owned in the US by MGM and has been shown recently on the THIS TV network.


Here is a recent interview with Robert Buchanan about the film.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: PAM DAWBER

Pam Dawber was a very popular TV actress for most of the 1980’s. Yet, she hasn’t appeared in anything in a decade. What ever happened to her?

Growing up in Detroit, Pam eventually headed to New York where she became a model. This led to commercial work and finally, to her first feature film Robert Altman’s THE WEDDING. Soon after the release of the film, she was signed by ABC to star in a new sitcom.



MORK AND MINDY

Alongside a little known comic named Robin Williams, the show about an alien who moves in with a girl was a huge hit. The show ran from 1978 to 1982.

While the show was on the air, and after its cancellation, Pam would star in many TV movies. There was 1980’s THE GIRL, THE GOLD WATCH & EVERYTHING with Robert Hays, 1982’s REMEMBRANCE OF LOVE with Kirk Douglas, 1985’s THIS WIFE FOR HIRE with Robert Klein and WILD HORSES with Kenny Rogers.



In 1986, she starred on another popular sitcom, MY SISTER SAM. Sadly, the series is best known for the fact that her co-star Rebecca Schaeffer was later killed by an obsessed fan. The show went off the air in 1988.

After SAM, Pam would still make TV movies, and appeared as John Ritter’s wife in the 1992 film STAY TUNED. She even was a voice in several animated series. Her final acting work was in 1999 in the feature film I’LL REMEMBER APRIL and the TV film DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU.


So, What Ever Happened To Her?

In 1987, Pam married actor Mark Harmon. They had two children and are, to this day, still married.

So, her retirement was essentially to become a mom.



Here is an interview she gave in 2008 where she talks about her life and decision to stay with her kids.

She acts as a spokesperson for Big Brothers and Big Sisters and has done infomercials for the EyeQ reading service.

As she states in the interview, there is always a chance for her to return to acting when her kids get older.

TRAVEL TV: EQUITREKKING Wins An Emmy

A couple weeks ago, I reviewed the PBS travel by horseback series EQUITREKKING.

In the review, I wrote that the photography in the series was some of the best of all the travel shows.

Now, you don't have to take my word for it.

Over the weekend, EQUITREKKING won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Single Camera Photography. Pictured above are Host Darley Newman, Director of Photography Greg Barna, and Executive Producer Chip Ward with the Emmy.

Congratulations to all!

EQUITREKKING airs on PBS channels as well as the Create Digital Channel. For more information visit their website.