Directed by Peter Yates, perhaps best known today for the crime thriller Bullitt (1968), John and Mary is something of a forgotten gem. It's the story of a man and a women who meet at a bar, nothing new there, but what follows is what happens the day after. Two virtual strangers get to know each other. Each is jaded to some extent by previous relationships that have gone wrong. As we follow their story along, we see, intermittently (through their eyes) what happened.
The film is to an extent an exercise in style. From the characters awakening "the night after," to the steady conversations and interruptions of consciousness: flashbacks to their past, as thoughts on their minds.
Dustin Hoffman is well cast as John, a neurotic, seemingly straight laced new age man. Equally Mia Farrow is strong as Mary, a slightly jaded young independent women who has grown somewhat cynical due to past relationships. Each of them have loved and lost before, they've been around the block and are no longer naive to the world. But that doesn't mean they are as wise as they think they are.
Structurally the film is non-linear. The story passes backwards and forwards in time in a kind of stream of consciousness. The film is heavily influenced by European cinema of the 1960's, especially the films of the French New Wave, while Jean-Luc Godard's Weekend (1967) is discussed in the titular character's first meeting.
Visually, John and Mary is direct. It's key focus is on the character's and their thoughts. To this extent, the film is much like a play. Moving from dialogue to monologue, or in this films case, narration.
While following the cynicism of many films of the 60's, the film remains positive and hopeful. It is a strange mishmash that sits somewhere between the blissful puppy love of Romeo and Juliet, and the more nuanced adult romance of Annie Hall (1977). This gives the impression that the film is a kind of Frankenstein's monster, but it isn't. The movie is a solid romantic drama. It takes inspiration from many sources and crafts an interesting take on contemporary relationships at the time it was made.
It's not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination. The pace is sometimes ropy and the script occasionally feels stilted. But these are issues which are generally glossed over due to solid acting and equable direction from Peter Yates.
Is it an instant classic? No. But that doesn't mean it isn't a truly interesting movie. If you like romantic dramas that put their own spin on the genre, give this one a watch, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
