Blaze

Running time: N/A

As we all know from reading ''tell-all'' biographies of American politicians, sex and politics are a natural mix and have been, from the earliest days of the Republic. But rarely has the liaison of a well-known politician and an ''exotic'' dancer been so public as that of former Governor Earl Long of Louisiana and the well-known stripper of her day, Belle Starr. Ron Shelton's Blaze shows Long and Starr's earthy and hilarious goings-on in the full light of day, all of which is well covered by the tabloid press. This, of course, occurs long before sexual harassment lawsuits and political correctness became the order of the day. Beneath the farcical events depicted in the film, one senses the presence of two very real human beings acting on their real emotions as opposed to the hypocrisy and posturing of today's ''family values'' politicians and their soulmates. Ron Shelton's direction shows a good-humored and refreshing approach to what many people would consider vulgar, leaving the audience with a feeling of affection rather than distaste for the principal characters. Paul Newman is always at his best doing light-hearted humor, and Lolita Davidovich, in her debut, blazes her way into the governor's heart as well as ours. --Ed Soohoo