kckidjoseph-1
EVERYONE has films that for some strange reason, seemingly completely out of sync with one's age and place and station in life at the time, resonate and then some, impacting that person for years to come.For me, the two that stand out in that regard are 1968's "The Swimmer" and 1973's "Save the Tiger," both dark character studies dealing with morality, amorality and the twists and turns of complex lives not always so well lived by their middle-aged characters.Why I identified with these characters at such an early age myself I have no idea, only that their serpentine screen dilemmas provided a kind of moral road map in the real world, at least for me, and did their jobs as cinematic storytellers in staying with me all these years, still."The Swimmer," taken from a short story by John Cheever, stars Burt Lancaster as Neddy, an upper-class Connecticut man whom we find lounging poolside with friends in an affluent suburb.It occurs to him that he can "swim home" by visiting pools of friends and acquaintances, a route that he sees as a kind of "river."As the man swims, we begin to understand more and more about his life, or think we do, and he evolves through conversations, confrontations and offhand comments, until he winds up ingloriously at a public pool and, finally, standing shivering in the pouring rain before the gates of his mansion in one of filmdom's most surprising endings.Many fascinating characters people the film, played by many a recognizable face, including Joan Rivers (yes, that Joan Rivers), John Garfield Jr. (son of the great noir star), Janice Rule, Marge Champion (dancer-choreographer Gower Champion's better half), Kim Hunter and Janet Landgard.The film was directed by Frank Perry (with some scenes overseen by Robert Redford's frequent collaborator, Sydney Pollack, who is uncredited), with a screenplay by Perry's wife, Eleanor."Save the Tiger" stars Jack Lemmon as Harry Stoner, a clothing manufacturer who is undergoing the loss of youthful idealism as he weighs whether or not to pay an arsonist to torch his factory so he can survive financially through the insurance settlement. His friend and business partner is played by an extraordinarily effective Jack Gilford, a rubber-faced actor with the saddest eyes you'll ever see best known to a generation as the Cracker Jack man.Like Lancaster's Neddy in "The Swimmer," Lemmon's Stoner in "Tiger" is undergoing more than an evolution, but a breakdown, not only emotionally, but spiritually as well. Each story is a type of first-person morality play as seen through the eyes of these central characters.Lemmon won the best actor Oscar for his performance (beating out, among others, Redford, for his turn in "The Sting"), and the film was voted best drama by the Writers Guild of America.Both films seem to have evaporated into the mists of time, little remembered or considered by generations that came after. But they've stayed with me, I like to think because they were both beautifully rendered and had something worthwhile to say, expressing it uniquely and well. If you're in the mood for thought-provoking character studies that will stay with you long after viewing, and for all the right reasons, I recommend giving them a look.
jmillerdp
There are lots of great ideas about a businessman on his last legs. Jack Lemmon gives a great performance. However, the film is executed like a TV movie. And, that is where the film falters.The direction is too casual, the dialogue too flat, and the cinematography unremarkable except for a few key scenes. It is a movie that needs more punch, more drive. The storyline has a classic feel, and a David-Mamet-kind of script would have served the film better.There is a steady stream of problems for Lemmon's character to confront as his business falters during the first day of the film's storyline. But, it is in the morning of the second day that the film relaxes and takes on a lyrical quality that provides for a well-crafted ending.Jack Lemmon is operating above the material here, but is given the material he deserves almost two decades later with "Glengarry Glen Ross." There, he is given one of the greatest-ever scripts, and he nails it!
JoeKarlosi
Caught this last night on TCM and was very taken by Jack Lemmon's deserved Oscar-winning performance. The movie itself is about a middle-aged man whose business is dying and who is becoming desperate; he thinks about resorting to arson, provides hookers to some of his clients, and is tormented by memories of the war from 30 years past. Jack Gilford plays his pure-hearted business partner of many years who tries to resist his warped ideas. Thayer David is very good also in a smaller part as a criminal Lemmon approaches to settle his problems. The movie is pretty basic and simple, and the ending left me a little unsatisfied this first time around, but the performances make it captivating. It's another of these movies I relate to in the sense of getting older myself these days and wondering what happened. *** out of ****
