Two Of A Kind
By John Hanrahan
Heaven, Saturday: Angels reported from earth today that a last ditch bid to save the world would be made with two attractive young earthlings. It looks like Hollywood has found a new twist on the Adam and Eve Story. The two globe savers, Zack Melon, an inventor, and Debbie Wylder, a bank teller, in the earthling forms of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John look the best bets since Warren Beatty gave it a shake in Heaven Can Wait.
The usual earthy corruption, greed and fighting have prompted the Supreme Being to consider a second flood. However, Angel Charlie claims he and a group of guardian angels have come up with a test that would prove mankind still deserves to live. Zack and Debbie are to be the ‘guinea pigs. Now, he has given them a week to change their ways. If only the two earthlings would stop fighting long enough to fall in love. Selfish ambition, churlishness and all those other nasty human weaknesses are out. What’s needed is a minor miracle!
Meanwhile, back on earth, if all of that seems a little improbable, you’re quite right. But it’s the basic plot of the second movie in which our Olivia and John Travolta star. And the two superstars are delighted, not just with working together again but with the film Two of a Kind. “When Olivia and I perform together,” says a relaxed Travolta, “We always look out for one another and not just with each scene together but on individual takes. I think people will find the film a lot of fun “ Adds Olivia, “Obviously, we like each other very much and that comes across m the rushes we saw as the film was being made and I think also in the photographs that have been taken for the movie I think we have similar qualities which helps a lot too.”
Olivia, criticised for her acting (or lack of) concedes that working with John is so easy it doesn’t feel like acting, “It becomes very natural … I always feel completely comfortable with him.” Travolta says it’s her emotional independence that helps her, adding “I wish I had more of that quality, Olivia is extremely feeling, loving and generous. I know what people mean when they talk about us up there on the screen There is definitely a chemistry between us that happens, a kind of energy, an essence that comes from us.”
In the light of a steamy love sequence in the film and considering Olivia’s shyness, it’s probably just as well, they hit it off so well. As for accepting the role of Debbie, an Australian living in America, Olivia is adamant, she thinks it’s terrific “I loved the girl’s part when I read the script, I thought it was really well written and because she was strong and a little bit obnoxious,” “It was a good stretch for me rather than going in playing the girl next door again I’ve done that already and I think it’s time to grow up.” But she wasn’t taking any chances, despite her apparent casual attitude towards acting… she enlisted the help of drama coach Warren Robertson, whose past students have included Liv Ullman and Jessica Lange.
Her role in Grease, now the most successful movie musical of all time in box office grosses, endeared her to millions of new fans around the world who, until then, had taken on1y a passing interest in her singing. She won mixed reviews for her performance opposite Travolta in that film but it did her nothing but good. The reviews for Two of a Kind have been far less flattering, both for the film and 0livia but if it’s hurt her she certainly hasn’t shown it, turning up at Hollywood parties and promotions for the film.
It must just be that she’s hardly had time to catch her breath in recent months. Apart from the work on the film and its opening she also opened her Koala B1ue shop in Los Angeles and completed a 40 city, 60 concert tour of America. On the other hand, after the flop of Xanadu, she has probably learned to tough things out relying on her high popularity rating with Middle America.
For more than a year, she has been sought by an Australian based producer to co-star with Bryan Brown in a film adaptation of No Names No Pack Drill, which starred Mel Gibson on the stage. The chances of that coming off, now, seem more remote than ever.
But with Twist of Fate from the soundtrack of Two of a Kind, rocketing up the charts, the launch of the film might not be anywhere near as painful an experience here as it was in America.