CELLULOID AND POPCORN

Smile. I've never actually been to southern California, but based on what I've read and heard I've nursed a tremendous loathing for the place. Ah, California--land of Norman Vincent Peale-inspired small businessmen, San Clemente, sterile beauty and freeways. Smile was released about a year ago, and because of some kind of distribution problems, hasn't made it to a lot of theatres. The focus of the movie is a state beauty pageant managed by Barbara Feldon (of Get Smart fame) and judged by Bruce Dern, but that's just a jumping off point for an examination of the so-called community of Santa Rosa. The comic sensibility of director Michael Ritchie, who did Downhill Racer and The Candidate, is not quite as cynical as I'd like it to be, but you can't have everything.

The Long Goodbye. The Big Question these days among movie-people is who Altman is going to cast in Ragtime. Jagger, springsteen and Dylan all want to play the anarchist younger brother and The Village Voice ran a contest in the midst of last summer's doldrums asking readers to suggest casting. In the meantime, Altman's movies are showing everywhere. The Long Goodbye is his funniest and most coherent. Elliot Gould simply deteriorated after his performance here as Philip Marlowe--by California Split he was in love with himself, utterly enchanted by his own idiosyncracies. Such narcissism shall not pass. In The Long Goodbye he's genuinely interesting--he emanates a constant stream of tics and nervous habits. A warning, though; in an early scene where Gould is interrogated by the police, there's reference to "Exeter faggots." May be offensive to gays and patricians.

DUDLEY HOUSE

My Fair Lady, Friday at 8.

EMERSON HALL

Sabotage, at 8, The 39 Steps at 9:30, and The Man Who Knew Too Much at 11, on Friday and Saturday.

HARKNESS COMMONS

Gone With The Wind at 8:30 on Friday and Saturday.

LEVERETT HOUSE

Of Mice and Men at 8 and 10 on Friday and Saturday.

SCIENCE CENTER C

The Long Goodbye at 8 and 10 on Friday.

BRATTLE THEATRE

Variety Lights at 6:15 and 9:40, The Story Of A Love Affair at 8, (wknd mats at 4:35).

CENTRAL CINEMA II

Day for Night at 7:45 (Sat mat at 4), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie at 6, and 9:45 (Sat mat at 2:15).

HARVARD SQUARE THEATRE

Dog Day Afternoon at 3:15 and 7:30, Mean Streets at 1:15, 5:35 and 9:45.

ORSON WELLES I

Smile at 6 and 9:50 (Sat mat at 2:10), Hearts of the West at 4:10 and 8.

ORSON WELLES III

Bringing Up Baby at 4, 7:35, 11:10 (no 11:10 show Fri. and Sat.), Damsel in Distress at 5:50 9:25 (2:15 Sat.).