Pleasantly silly and laid-back comedy about an up-and-coming executive who turns his back on the rat race and follows his dream : to wit, to become a tap-dancing magician. Some elements about this comedy, such as its loose structure and rambling style, give it a certain "shaggy dog story" feel, but that's part of the fun.
"Rabbit" is a satire (and a clever satire at that) about the voracity, vivacity and adaptability of the capitalist business model. Here you've got a man who breaks with corporate life and all it entails - think meetings, memos, suits - in order to become a travelling entertainer, which is basically an adult version of running away from home in order to join the circus. At first his boss reacts with panic and despair, until realizing that this particular form of rebellion offers business opportunities too. ("Pay us money and we'll teach you how to keep things real !") Before you know it, hundreds of candidates from all over the country are paying hefty fees in order to become tap-dancing magicians themselves. They train and study in grey office blocks, where experienced workers issue them with appropriately shabby and picturesque uniforms.
Strange detail : one of the actors is that giant of cinema, Orson Welles, in a minor role. It's not entirely clear how or why Orson Welles found himself participating in this movie - possibly it was a case of "Christ, that's A LOT of unpaid bills lying on my desk !"
Thematically, the movie would make a good double-bill with "What a way to go !" (1964), a satirical comedy with Shirley MacLaine. In "What a way to go !" the lead character is a kind, simple woman who dreams of a happy marriage and an uncluttered life. Sadly for all concerned her various husbands obey the siren call of the "Work hard, get rich, die young" ethic, meaning that she gets to wear widow's veils a lot...
"Rabbit" is a satire (and a clever satire at that) about the voracity, vivacity and adaptability of the capitalist business model. Here you've got a man who breaks with corporate life and all it entails - think meetings, memos, suits - in order to become a travelling entertainer, which is basically an adult version of running away from home in order to join the circus. At first his boss reacts with panic and despair, until realizing that this particular form of rebellion offers business opportunities too. ("Pay us money and we'll teach you how to keep things real !") Before you know it, hundreds of candidates from all over the country are paying hefty fees in order to become tap-dancing magicians themselves. They train and study in grey office blocks, where experienced workers issue them with appropriately shabby and picturesque uniforms.
Strange detail : one of the actors is that giant of cinema, Orson Welles, in a minor role. It's not entirely clear how or why Orson Welles found himself participating in this movie - possibly it was a case of "Christ, that's A LOT of unpaid bills lying on my desk !"
Thematically, the movie would make a good double-bill with "What a way to go !" (1964), a satirical comedy with Shirley MacLaine. In "What a way to go !" the lead character is a kind, simple woman who dreams of a happy marriage and an uncluttered life. Sadly for all concerned her various husbands obey the siren call of the "Work hard, get rich, die young" ethic, meaning that she gets to wear widow's veils a lot...