Have You Seen Lily Tomlin’s Greatest Movie Role?
I love Lily Tomlin – everyone knows her for her successful TV show “Grace & Frankie” with Jane Fonda – but since her breakout role on the TV show “Laugh-In” she’s always been an Icon – and here is one of her greatest performances ever!
“The Late Show!”
My look at the greatest decade for cinema – the 70’s – continues with this criminally underrated 1977 film noir.
Directed by Robert Benton, whose next film would be the massive Oscar winning hit “Kramer Vs. Kramer”, “The Late Show” has an incredible cast, terrific direction and a great script – a look at Hollywood and the colorful characters who inhabit it…
“You wanna know somethin’, punk? You were born dumb and you’re gonna die dumb.”
While he achieved stardom as the goofy neighbor Ed Norton in the classic TV comedy “The Honeymooners”, many don’t know that the legendary Art Carney won the Best Actor Oscar in 1974 for the film “Harry And Tonto.”
Now, he’s an aging Private Detective in a town filled with dumb punks!
“The Nicest Movie You’ll Ever See About Murder And Blackmail!”
While only a modest hit when released, this has grown into one of the best film noirs of the 70’s…here’s the original film poster:
The Late Show!
Director Robert Benton created one of the best films of the decade – with a terrific cast including Art Carney, Lily Tomlin, Bill Macy and Joanna Cassidy. Benton would go on to win the Best Director And Best Screenplay Academy Awards – and the Best Picture Oscar as well just two years later for “Kramer Vs. Kramer”, but this late 70’s film noir look at LA is his neglected gem.
Here is the trailer:
It’s the story of an gaining Detective in Hollywood, now reduced to taking jobs to help a space 70’s woman find her cat…a lot different than the way Hollywood was years earlier – as Carney explains to Tomlin his jaded point of view of young wannabe Actresses who flood Hollywood:
“Back in the Forties, this town was crawlin’ with dollies like you. Good-lookin’ coquettes tryin’ their damnedest to act tough as hell. I got news for you: they did it better back then. This town doesn’t change – they just push the names around. Same dames… screwin’ up their lives just the same way.”
Art Carney is incredible as a broken down gumshoe struggling to make rent, who has seen it all, and seen it all change as well…he gets a new client, Lily Tomlin, who needs help finding her cat – and finds herself caring too much about Carney:
“Boy, it’s really lucky for you that I just happen to be a very self-destructive person.”
Tomlin has never been better as a woman full of self-doubt, paranoia and big big dreams! What happens next is one of the best tales of Hollywood noir ever, with terrific acting and a ton of recognizable faces in small roles.
“The Late Show” is poignant, touching, full of action and twists, and oozing with the smell of Hollywood glitter and grime. Director Robert Benton was oscar-nominated for his script…
There are SO many great supporting characters in this film, but none more memorable than Bill Macy, a veteran character actor from TV’s “Maude”, who is pitch perfect as a small time Hollywood hustler…
Macy captures perfectly the kind of Hollywood low life that Carney has to deal with as he tries to find Tomlin’s cat…the plot, however, is much much more than that…
“The Late Show” is now on DVD, and you can also find it on various ondemand services…it’s a great example of an Actor playing against type…
Such is the case with legendary Comic Actor Walter Matthau: while known for his comedic films like “The Odd Couple” and “Grumpy Old Men”, he had a run of great 70’s action films as well!
Here are three of his best – all 70’s action classics – you can see them by clicking on my story here:
If you like action thrillers, here’s one from 1971 that is one of the best:
Clint Eastwood became an Icon as “Dirty” Harry Callahan, a cop with a unique way to solve a crime…one of three films he released in 1971 – all terrific!
See them all here:
As I spend the year celebrating 70’s cinema, I have to remind you to see one of my favorite films of all time:
The new film “Glass Onion” paid homage to this classic 70’s “whodunnit” – check out more here:
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Let me know if you’ve seen this great film!
Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Art, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Film Noir, Great Films, Hollywood, Independent Cinema, Movies, Politics, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
As you know by now, I absolutely love this movie, John. It really was a showcase of Robert Benton, Art Carney, Lily Tomlin, and a wonderful core of character actors that got a chance to truly shine.
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Hi John, I don’t know this movie but I do know Lily Thomlin. For me, she was memorable because she doesn’t look like your typical Hollywood star.
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Robbie, this is a beautifully written and acted “film noir”, and Lily is so great in it – thanks for the comment as always!
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I just watched 9 to 5 again, and love Lily. I must this this movie! Thanks, John.
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She is terrific!
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Thanks, John, for bringing these movies to my attention. Given the state of today’s world (and movies), it will be a treat to watch these movies again. They were fun back “in the day”, and I feel sure they will be just as fun today. Thanks again for bringing them to my attention.
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What’s great is that the various streaming services give us a chance to see older films that are otherwise “lost to time…” thanks so much for your comment, always great to hear from you!
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I saw that film on release in a London Cinema. It was a great cast pairing, and they were both perfect for the comedy/drama genre.
(I thought Charley Varrick was a better film though.)
Best wishes, Pete.
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I just got the blu-ray for “Varrick” Pete and loved watching it again! Thanks as always for the comment!
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I’ve not seen it but now am going to make it a point to see it very soon!
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It’s really good – great acting and a good story well directed!
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Fantastic!
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