in this day of $ 100 million plus movie with special effect that drown out the dialog and star with out size ego and paycheck to match and a film like jonathan demme minor masterwork and melvin and howard and would be lucky to get a video distributor . even a quarter century ago on it initial release and the film be largely ignore by audience despite glow review and academy award and and critic kudos . however and those who make the effort to seek out this wonderful fable will be reward . base on a story that may or may not have be true and melvin and howard spin the tale of an easy go hard luck kinda guy name melvin dummar who give a lift to an old man he find asleep in the desert . the man say that he be howard hughes and and and year later and when hughes dy and melvin find a will that have be leave on his fill station desk that name him a one of the heir to the hughes fortune . since we know the end before the film start and the pleasure lie in the quirky character and situation that screenwriter bo goldman and a terrific cast have create . despite the circus that surround the question of the will validity and melvin be content just know that and during their drive and howard hughes have sing a song that melvin have write . his evident joy in that simple event be a rare personal quality even in 1980. there be a lot of other unpretentious and yet memorable and moment in this outstanding film .