Criticism > Contemporary Literary Criticism > Simon, (Marvin) Neil (Vol. 11) - Catharine Hughes

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CATHARINE HUGHES

God's Favourite … is another of Simon's attempts to be taken seriously on the way to the bank….

[Simon's problem is that he is clever] but here as elsewhere, very little of the humour flows from the characters; the efforts at profundity are shallow and unrewarding. Jokes all too often fall back on quick references to brand names (Lemon Pledge furniture polish, Perdue chicken, Bic Banana pens), TV shows ('Hollywood Squares') and the like. It is a cheap, easy and regrettably, all too frequently accepted, substitute for genuine humour. (p. 35)

Catharine Hughes, in Plays and Players (© copyright Catharine Hughes 1975; reprinted with permission), February, 1975.

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1. Introduction
2. Brendan Gill
3. John Simon
4. John Simon
5. Catharine Hughes
6. Harold Clurman
7. Julius Novick
8. John Simon
9. Copyright

1. Neil Simon