Serial (1980 film)

Plot

In trendy Marin County, California during the late 1970s, uptight Harvey Holroyd is losing patience rapidly.

On one hand, his wife Kate and her friends are thoroughly caught up in the sexual revolution and new age consciousness-raising and psychobabble. On the other hand, his rebellious teenage daughter Joanie is about to join a cult.

Harvey’s best friend Sam, meanwhile, is having marital troubles, and Harvey is trying to land a higher-paying job with his corporate recruiter Luckman.

As marital problems persist, Kate and Harvey separate. Each becomes sexually involved with someone else, albeit rather awkwardly. Harvey tries to avoid the advances of his newly hired secretary, Stella, who lures him to an orgy, but he does begin seeing Marlene, a free-spirited, 19-year-old, strictly vegetarian supermarket cashier. Kate links up with Paco, a bisexual Argentinian aspiring to be an artist, whose profession for now is to trim her dog's hair.

Being unhappy at home, Joanie is lured by "concerned" members of a flower-peddling cult. She goes voluntarily at first and finds peace and tranquility there, but eventually finds herself virtually imprisoned in their house in the big city.

Harvey and Kate manage to patch up their differences for Joanie’s sake. By means of a little blackmail that ensues from a surprise revelation involving Luckman, a gay motorcycle gang joins forces with Harvey to rescue Joanie. Thus, the Holroyds are reunited and prepare for Harvey’s new job in Denver.

Cast

Critics

At the time, some film critics felt that the film was endorsing sexist and homophobic attitudes. Of the film, Vito Russo wrote "the film is permeated with hatred for gays" and that it was "perfect anti-feminist, homophobic statement in to usher in the age of Ronald Reagan" (Celluloid Closet. Vito Russo. Revised Edition. 1986 pg. 262)