OUR LAGUNA: An undiminished capacity for humor

The Los Angeles Times reviewed Sherwood Kiraly’s novel “Diminished Capacity” as “Funny, utterly guileless and extremely well-written.” Publishers Weekly called the book, “Engaging, quirky.” Kirkus Review said “Diminished Capacity” was “whimsical, charming and funny.”

Equally true of the author, who also writes a column in the Coastline Pilot. How lucky is that?

And to movie-goers’ great good fortune, the film version of “Diminished Capacity,” for which Kiraly wrote the screenplay, is faithful to the book and well cast with Alan Alda and Matthew Broderick in the leads.

“Matthew and Alan got my stuff so well,” Kiraly said.

The book and the movie are a sympathetic, but not maudlin, look at Roland Zerbs, played by Alda, an eccentric before Alzheimer’s diminished his memory, and at his nephew, Cooper, played by Broderick, who is suffering the after-effects of a head injury. “Uncle Rollie” is willing to sell a prized baseball card to keep himself out of an institution and in his home — which incidentally has a pier on the property where Rollie has baited hooks attached by fishing lines to the keys of an old typewriter so the fish can write poetry.

The card is the only one known to be in existence of an early Chicago Cub — a club notorious for giving its loyal fans heartburn.

Cooper, who has been fired because of his diminished abilities as a political editor, is in charge of selling the card — an innocent abroad in a world he sees as slightly off-kilter, not to mention the cut-throat culture of the sellers of baseball memorabilia.

“Matthew will never get the credit he deserves, his acting was so subtle,” Kiraly said.

And right on.

A neurologist told Kiraly that every one should see the movie because it shows the lingering effects of a concussion, and high school athletes are being put back on the field without proper recuperation time.

Three other neurologists complimented the movie on Alda’s performance.

“I wanted Matthew from the beginning, but I had never thought of Alan,” Kiraly said. “When his name came up, I said, ‘Wow.’”

It was 12 years from publication to finished film, which was selected to be shown at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.

Local folks discovered why Friday. A special showing was at the South Coast Cinema, which included a Q&A; with the author.

“I am getting used to them,” Kiraly said. “I did it three times at the Sundance and after a screening in Louisville for the Alzheimer’s Assn.”

He is scheduled for at least two more before the Midwestern Independent Film Festival in Chicago starting Tuesday.

The Laguna screening was a fundraiser for the Friends of the Library and the Laguna Beach Film Festival. As a bonus, filmgoers were presented with a complimentary copy of the book, recently reissued by St. Martin’s Griffin.

The event began with a reception at Katherine Story’s Gallery, hosted by the film festival. Keiko Beattie welcomed the guests to the gallery.

Friends Angela Irish and Sandy Hovanesian welcomed guests at the theater.

A post-movie party at Casa Del Camino was catered by K’ya restaurant and underwritten by Chris Keller.

“Thanks to Chris, we made about $3,800,” Friends President Martha Lydick said.

Kiraly is a long-time supporter of the Friends.

“He donates money, he donates books and he works in the Friends’ book store, which raises money for the library,” Lydick said.

After Kiraly’s first book “California Rush,” was published, Lydick asked her late husband, Federal Judge Lawrence Lydick, to read it and give an opinion.

“I heard him laughing,” Lydick said. “He said Sherwood was hilarious.”

Good enough for her. She asked Kiraly to be the guest speaker at the annual dinner.

Subsequently, the Friends began soliciting autographed books from authors, to sell at the annual fundraising dinners. Kiraly is a generous contributor.

“I picked up ‘What’s Hot and What’s Not’ by Sherwood at the dinner,” said Friends member Karl Koski.

Laguna Playhouse patrons saw the play based on the book. The play was better than the book, Kiraly said.

“I was never really happy with the ending of the book and I redid the second half of it for the play,” Kiraly said. “I had a really good time working with Andy Barnicle on it.”

Good times, but forever enshrined in the Kiralys’ memories is the rush they got hearing from a publisher who expressed interest in publishing Kiraly’s first book.

“I will never forget the moment when McMillan called and said they were interested in ‘California Rush.’”

Nor will his wife, jeweler Patti Jo Kiraly.

“I can even remember the expression on his face,” she said.

The call was proof to Kiraly that he had what it took to be an author.

“I had felt that I had talent, but I was afraid it was not enough,” Kiraly said. “I was the kind of kid that teachers always said ‘if he would just apply himself.’ I was not sure I was ever going to apply myself enough.

“The best feeling was that I was producing something I was proud of — I feel that way about my first three books.”

Kiraly’s personal favorites are “Big Babies” and “Diminished Capacity.” For his mother-in-law, Laguna Concert Band founder Carol Reynolds, it’s Dim Cap all the way.

“Diminished Capacity” was a labor of love that could have died unborn.

“We couldn’t find a publisher and I asked him to finish the book just for me,” Patti Jo said.

“And I love the movie. He fought for every line.”

It was a fight worth winning.

Movie-goers included Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Kinsman, Planning Commissioner Anne Johnson, former Mayor Kathleen Blackburn, Peggy Ford, among those who attended the installation of Laguna Beach County Water District GM Renae Hinchey as the president of the Woman’s Club of Laguna Beach, earlier in the day.

Also in the audience: Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson, Andy and City Clerk Martha Anderson, Duane and Darcy Bickel, Bob and Laguna Beach Scholarship Foundation President Marge Earl, Magda Herlicska, Nancy and Howard Pink, Kristine Thalman, Julita Jones, Patricia Whiteside, Katy Moss, Pat Turnier, Jim Foster, Ara Hovanesian, Carol Weider, and Dee Koski.

OUR LAGUNA is a regular feature of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot. Contributions are welcomed. Write to Barbara Diamond, P.O. Box 248, Laguna Beach, 92652; hand-deliver to Suite 22 in the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.; call (949) 494-4321, fax (949) 494-8979 or e-mail to coastlinepilot@latimes.com