“I truly believe this next picture we’re working on will save the world” – Jeff Lyne
“Not only is this the worst film I’ve seen all year, it’s one of the worst films I’ve seen in my entire life” – Gene Siskel

Thursday, April 3, 12:00 a.m. | In the baffling political electric-synth infused musical NEVER, a politician loosely based on Robert F. Kennedy (Thomas Cruise) struggles to win an election against his opponent, a caricature of Ronald Reagan (Treat Williams). Made just months after President Ronald Reagan left office, President Kennedy’s historical legacy had never been lower.

Disgraced by his own party for managing to lose to a candidate who many felt was outright unfit for office, Bobby spent the rest of his life secluded at Hyannis Port, away from the press. All this means that we don’t know what Kennedy made of Never, but we do have his comments on record about Things That Never Were, the source material for this ELO musical. Speaking to a New York Times reporter in ‘75, the former president said he doesn’t “have the time nor the patience to sit through any goddamn Broadway show.”

President Reagan on the other hand was mostly positive on Never, telling reporters at his ranch that “I think I liked it.” Nancy was reportedly not impressed. So was the rest of the nation, which soundly rejected this confusing mess of a film, making it one of the biggest box office bombs of all time.

The musical was such an enormous flop that it single-handedly killed the career of its promising young star, Thomas Mapother IV, more commonly known as Tom Cruise. Since Never, Cruise never recovered, starring in a few other middling forgotten films, and in 1991 retired from acting. Today he spends his time as a flight instructor out near Pasadena.

But today, Never has something of a cult following, often screened at sold-out midnight events, where audiences sing/shout along and even throw things at the screen. For this showing, the Reagan Film Center strictly BANS such behavior. It is only allowed at our midnight screenings.

Related Event
4K digital restoration of John Milius’ HAIR, opening April 18.

SHOWTIMES
Thu. Apr 3, 12:00 am