Good Times

     Contrary to popular belief, "Chastity" was not Sonny and Cher's first movie attempt. Before Chastity, there was "Good Times". This movie is a relatively unknown attempt from Sonny and Cher that went practically unnoticed since the day it was released. At this stage of their career, they were looking to do something different aside from just singing to support their act and keep it alive and up to date.  All kinds of musicians and bands were making movies as well, and this was their first attempt at doing the same, therefore it is the ONLY movie that stars both Sonny and Cher. It looks like it's gonna be a great comedy played by a famous duo, but it ended up coming out boring and depressing. 

      I think the folly of this film is that Sonny not only wrote it, but he also played all the major roles. Cher by contrast isn't allowed nearly as much screen time. And let's be honest, between the two, who would you rather watch? 

      Anyway, Sonny and Cher play themselves (painfully honest it seems). They are solicited by some weirdo director named Mr. Morticus (George Sanders, who committed suicide not long after making this pile of crap) to make a movie about Sonny and Cher because he rather "fancies them" and thinks they're "with it, man.". Mr. Morticus is a truly strange dude who has people wrestling and fighting in his office and stewardess-looking women who are delivering drinks and whatnot to everyone (a truly bizarre scene that is never explained).  

     Morticus and Sonny strike a deal that leads Sonny to believe that a sincere movie about their career is gonna be made, but Mr. Morticus tells the writers to just plagiarise "Rags to Riches" and merely change a few names around. Sonny and Cher hate it and Morticus gives them ten days to come up with something themselves using props from the studio. 

      The rest of the movie is Sonny trying to think of a cool movie theme (still thinking that they actually have a say in the movie's story). Sonny has a western-themed scene, a jungle-themed scene, and a sort of Dragnet with Girl Friday-themed scene. All are pretty boring as Sonny does most of the talking and singing, and Cher is just this stubborn spoiled side dish that gripes about anything and everything throughout the entire movie, but she does get to wear some of the wildest clothes I've ever seen, which I later learned had actually been designed by Cher herself. 

      Morticus hates all of Sonny's ideas (who wouldn't?) and still insists on the "rags to riches" story. They say "no", and he says "You'll never work in this town again, blah, blah, blah." Sonny and Cher walk out and happily stroll down the street. The End. 

      What can I say... in this movie, Sonny is stupid and annoying and Cher is just a complaining bitch the entire time. Painfully contrast to the squeaky clean image that they had at that time, which as we've since found out was anything but the truth, so maybe this was their attempt at telling the world about the real Sonny and Cher, so who knows. 

      As a funny side note: This film was directed by William Freidkin who famously made The Exorcist and Cruising. From Sonny and Cher to vulgar demon possession and leather S&M serial killers. A bit of a leap there Mr. Friedkin?