COMING . . . NEVER?

Having written about the making of the movie version of “The Fantasticks” for The Times and as one of the few who have actually seen the finished product, I take exception to the assertion that “those familiar with” the film believe it’s so bad it’s unreleasable (“Coming . . . Eventually,” by Judy Brennan, Sept. 29). Not only is it not awful, it’s actually pretty wonderful--with a lead performance from Jean Louisa Kelly that’d melt anybody’s heart but a studio executive’s.

Sure, as a musical, and an idiosyncratic one at that, the picture may be mostly for the already converted. But considering how many millions of converts have been made through more than three decades of continual stage productions, doesn’t the wide-screen version warrant at least a token exclusive-run tryout before the inevitable consignment to video cropping?

Even non-fans would have to objectively grant that it’s miles better than most of the pictures MGM/UA did consider releasable over the last year. “Fluke” and “Fled,” and not this?

CHRIS WILLMAN

Los Angeles