Probably, I get those two mixed up myself. Separated at birth.
Good movie! Walter Matthau?
Yes, he was the detective...doesn't that image of his "gotcha'
face jump out when you think about it?
"Taking Of Pelham One Two Three"...I've heard of it, but never seen it. But the way you described it, it sounds like a good one! I'll put that on my list of movies I need to see.
Lightwizard, that was a good try, though. "Some Like It Hot" was wonderful, especially Jack Lemmon's performance.
I've always thought he was never given the credit he deserved. I think he was one of the great American actors of the 20th century. Seriously!
When you think of all the great performances he gave, in both comedy and drama. There are very few who have such an impressive career, with such a wide range of roles.
Sorry to contradict you Stray Cat but I doubt Jack Lemmon died feeling unappreciated. I think it was pretty much accepted thruout the film world that he was top drawer and he seemed very much respected by everyone. He had a long, extremely successful career in movies and on the stage, performed with some of the best actors of three generations, nominated for the Oscar six times and won it twice. Kevin Spacey carried on about him like a 5 year old bragging about his daddy and Ving Rhames (in an ass-kissing move, IMO) refused to accept an award, an Emmy I think, giving it to Mr. Lemmon instead.
No offense taken, eoe. I'm just glad to hear that Jack Lemmon received more appreciation than I'd thought. He certainly earned it!!
I believe he also received the Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement but I'd have to look that up.
He's not on the list but should have been!
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/specialevents/honors/history/home.html
Charlton Heston? I'd take one Jack Lemmon over a hundred Charlton Hestons. He made too many bad movies.
As a serious actor, Heston is a great head of the NRA.
"Ben Hur" was a passably good performance but he did play every part as basically himself, even giving him credit for putting together "Touch of Evil" with the great Orson Welles. I can't even remember a bad movie Lemmon was in, even the frivolous comedies while Heston was in numerous clunkers.
Mr. Lemmon won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 1988. (I looked it up.)
One of the most harrowing scenes I'd ever witnessed in a movie was the greenhouse scene in "Days of Wine and Roses". Oh my goodness! I cannot watch that movie because that scene makes the hair on my head stand straight up.
Wasn't that a powerful performance? I felt sick watching his growing panic as he went from one plant to the next desperately searching for the flask he'd hidden away!!
But since this is the "quote thread," I'll wind this up with another Jack Lemmon moment from a Neil Simon comedy called "The Out of Towners," about a couple from Ohio (Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis) who pay a visit to NYC. One thing after another goes wrong, and every time they are short-changed or receive bad treatment, Jack Lemmon demands the name and address of the offender -- telling them "When I get back to Ohio, you'll hear from my lawyer!"
Finally, when he's at the end of his rope, looks up at the tall buildings of Manhattan, shakes his fist and says,
"You're not getting away with this, New York. I've got all your names and addresses!!!!!"
"When I get back to Ohio, you'll hear from my lawyer" is a wonderful line. I've used it myself, substituting "Boston" for "Ohio." Usually cracks everybody up.
"Always look on the bright side of life" Eric Idle in "Monty Python's Life of Brian"
eoe wrote:Mr. Lemmon won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute in 1988. (I looked it up.)
One of the most harrowing scenes I'd ever witnessed in a movie was the greenhouse scene in "Days of Wine and Roses". Oh my goodness! I cannot watch that movie because that scene makes the hair on my head stand straight up.
I agree with EOE about that particular scene. Another great, great Jack Lemmon performance is his Shelley "the Machine" Levine role in "Glengarry Glen Ross." He plays a past-his prime real estate salesman desperately trying to avoid being fired for being last in a monthly sales contest. Lemmon goes from excruciating desperation to gloating swagger back to the utter bottom of defeat at the end of the movie. His scene at the end with Kevin Spacey as the patronage office manager when he begs to keep his job is another scene that will make you cringe at the utter desparation and despair of his character. In fact, I believe it was this particular movie that brought both Spacey and Ving Rhames to glorify Jack Lemmon as one of the greatest actors ever.
That was an electrifying performance in "Glengarry:"
Shelley Levene: What the hell are you? You're a f**kin' secretary. F**k you. That's my message to ya: f**k you and you can kiss my ass and if you don't like it baby I'm going across the street to Jerry Graff, period, f**k you.
Thanks, BTW, eoe -- I was trying to think of the AFI award rather than the Lincoln Center. Still aghast he was never honored there, however.
His performance in 'Glengarry' is another tough one to watch. So painfully pathetic. And in the category of 'frankly my dear..., in "Some Like it Hot" when he came in and announced his engagement to Osgood, Tony Curtis (Josephine) asked him:
"Why would a man marry another man?"
Jack Lemmon's (Daphne) response:
"Security!"
But, enough about Mr. Lemmon now, unless someone wants to start a favorite Jack Lemmon performance thread (hint hint).
eoe, I was thinking we probably needed to do that! I'm game......
pitty-pat, pitty-pat, pitty-pat....(running off on little cat's paws to start new thread)
