Between the Lines (1977)

Directed by former The Village Voice journalist Joan Micklin Silver, and cowritten by former The Boston Phoenix journalist Fred Barron, the comedy Between the Lines (1977) is a love letter to the types of weekly, community based, subversive, alternative newspapers that literally don't exist anymore. In the film, the newspaper is the entirely fictional Back Bay Mainline, a controversial, underground newspaper in Boston run by a skeleton crew of idealistic young people. There's Michael (Stephen Collins), the most talented writer of the bunch who's trying to get a book deal and move to NYC, Harry (John Heard in his film debut), the muckraking reporter who's sick of his big investigations not leading to any legal ramifications and is mostly sticking around to spend time with his photographer girlfriend Abbie (Lindsay Crouse), and Max (Jeff Goldblum), the music critic who does all sorts of monologuing and chasing tail but not a ton of actual writing. As they deal with all sorts of personal drama, the gang are forced to confront the brutal truth: the newspaper isn't making enough money and can't survive unless something changes. While they've added more and more advertisements and done their best to sell the paper, when an offer to buy the whole business comes from a big corporation, the Beantown journos are forced to decide if selling out to the man is in their best interest. A fascinating flick filled with future stars, the filmmakers made sure to give us a little extra, extra, in the form of tons of skin! There's a blink and you'll miss it shot of tit from the open blouse of Lindsay Crouse, while Allison Argo ar-went totally topless while portraying an exotic dancer. Before she landed the role on Taxi, red-hot coppertop Marilu Henner played a stripper getting interviewed for a story. She had pasties on her perky pair, blocking her boobies as she dances on the stage. But luckily for us, another redhead, Gwen Welles, has no problem displaying her rack and rump, though we never get to see if the carpet matches the drapes. Come on Gwen, give us a look between the legs! Visual proof that there was a time when print journalists were edgy and cool, Between the Lines has tons of hotties hot off the press!