Glengarry Glen Ross **** (1992, Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Jonathan Pryce) – Classic Film Review 1005

Filmed in 1992 with a screenplay by the original author, David Mamet’s dazzling Broadway and British Royal National Theatre play is a brilliant showcase for some stupendous performances by the great and the good.

Jack Lemmon’s a marvel as an old has-been salesman desperate to end a run of bad luck with the real-estate sales that threatens to get him sacked. And Al Pacino’s on fire as a go-getting hot-shot salesman, his protégé who’s putting the squeeze on a nervous client (Jonathan Pryce).

Mamet’s script is built for a night in the theatre, and director James Foley emphasises the theatricality by filming on harshly lit sets with extreme close-ups as though it were a film noir. That does make it look stylish though, especially in the first half, filmed at night in the constantly driving rain. In the play’s interval a robbery has taken place on the sales office and attention revolves round which of the salesmen was involved.

While not in the Lemmon or Pacino class, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey and Bruce Altman still shine very brightly.

Foley is known as the director of At Close Range (1986), After Dark, My Sweet (1990), Fear (1996), The Chamber (1996), Confidence (2003), Perfect Stranger (2007) and TV’s House of Cards, also with Spacey.

http://derekwinnert.com/after-dark-my-sweet-classic-film-review-332/

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1005

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com