MoeFOH's Movie of the Week... Week #38

[MoeFOH]

MoeFOH's Movie of the Week 🎥

Each week we're going to spotlight a movie... be it a classic, new release, hidden gem, or outright turd... and open it for discussion: i.e. post up your favourite quotes, clips, memories... or dive deeper and give us a critique on why you think it's great, overrated, or a complete train wreck... And finally score it for us...  

All contributors go into a monthly prize draw for a 3-cigar sampler! 

PM me with suggestions if there's a movie you want to nominate for next week's discussion. 

 

Week #38: Glengarry Glen Ross

Moe says: "Put that coffee down!..."

Wiki says:

Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American drama film adapted by David Mamet from his 1984 Pulitzer Prize–winning play Glengarry Glen Ross, and directed by James Foley. The film depicts two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen, and their increasing desperation when the corporate office sends a motivational trainer to threaten them that all but the top two salesmen will be fired within two weeks.

The setting is never explicitly stated. The play is set in Mamet’s hometown Chicago, Illinois, but the film includes numerous references to New York City, including an establishing shot of a New York City Subway platform followed by a close-up shot of a New York Telephone-branded payphone, NYPD police cars and insignia, New York license plates, and mostly New York accents. Film critics and journalists have nonetheless placed the setting in Chicago, possibly based on their familiarity with the original play. Exterior shots were filmed on location in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

Like the play, the film is notorious for its use of profanity, leading the cast to refer to the film jokingly as "Death of a Fuckin' Salesman". The title of the film comes from the names of two of the real estate developments being peddled by the salesmen characters: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms.

The film was critically acclaimed and is widely considered one of the best films of the 1990s. The world premiere was held at the 49th Venice Film Festival, where Jack Lemmon was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Al Pacino was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Yet, the film was a box office failure for grossing $10.7 million in North America against a $12.5 million budget. It has since become a cult classic.

Over to you!

How do you rate it out of 10? 

Post up favourite clips, quotes, etc... 

[MoeFOH]

 

[MoeFOH]

And this from SNL... 

 

[Capn_Jackson]

My God, what a great film version of this play!! David Mamet has long been one of my favorite writers. The Edge, with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, is another great Mamet film, although completely different than GGG.

EDIT: I forgot to rate it. I give it 10 out of 10.

[JohnS]

'Hidden gem' sounds about right. The actors in this film are top notch, the scenes are incredible and The Simpsons has regularly referenced it over the years. Frankly, it should be more well-known. For me, 9 out of 10.

[Edicion]

I came across a list of top movies to watch about sales and that was the first time I ever heard of it. Great movie, thoroughly enjoyed it, and did pick up some interesting stuff too.

Coffee Is For Closers

8.5/10

[joeypots]

Davis Mamet and a 5 star cast? The film is a tour de force. I haven’t watched it in a long while but saw it many times back in the day. I loved Mamet’s real sleeper,

The Spanish Prisoner, as well.

Looking at Wikipedia’s list of movies that  Mamet either wrote, directed, or both , makes his legacy aparent instantly. 

Films[edit]

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Notes
1981	The Postman Always Rings Twice	No	Yes
1982	The Verdict	No	Yes
1986	About Last Night...	No	Yes
1987	House of Games	Yes	Yes
	The Untouchables	No	Yes
1988	Things Change	Yes	Yes
1989	We're No Angels	No	Yes
1991	Homicide	Yes	Yes
1992	Hoffa	No	Yes	Also producer
	Glengarry Glen Ross	No	Yes
1994	Oleanna	Yes	Yes
	Vanya on 42nd Street	No	Yes
1996	American Buffalo	No	Yes
1997	Wag the Dog	No	Yes
	The Spanish Prisoner	Yes	Yes
	The Edge	No	Yes
1998	Ronin	No	Yes	Credited as "Richard Weisz"
1999	The Winslow Boy	Yes	Yes
2000	Lakeboat	No	Yes
	State and Main	Yes	Yes
2001	Hannibal	No	Yes
	Heist	Yes	Yes
2004	Spartan	Yes	Yes
2005	Edmond	No	Yes
2008	Redbelt	Yes	Yes

TV movies

[Cigar Surgeon]

Do I love this movie? This is a picture from my whiteboard sitting 3 feet from my desk:

This is the greatest movie about salesmen ever made. It hosts a cast of actors who would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars at the peak of their fame.

It's an 11/10. Never get me started on this movie on a virtual hangout or herf. I'll be quoting the movie until you kick me out.

[Doctorossi]

I'd give the play a 9.

I'd give the movie a 7.

[dobbs]

32 minutes ago, Doctorossi said:

I'd give the play a 9.

I'd give the movie a 7.

gotta agree with this, the story was meant for the stage and it shows. the writing is brilliant, and the performances probably push the film version to an 8 for me, but it is clearly a play shot on film.

-dobbs

[VictorEremita]

39 minutes ago, Doctorossi said:

I'd give the play a 9.

I'd give the movie a 7.

Yeah, the play is definitely better, but that's how it goes most of the time. I do tend toward dialogue-heavy material tho. (Ingmar Bergman, for example.)

I'll go with 7/10 for the movie also. Jack Lemmon was great in it. 

[Ford2112]

Never heard of either.  I will watch a YouTube clip or 2 and see if I'm interested. 

[Chibearsv]

It’s a dialog gem. I love it. Saw the play at Steppenwolf Theater and liked the movie and the play equally. 10/10 for the excellent writing and acting. 

[rolaand]

Always

Be

Commenting

 

Such a great movie. 9/10

[Goodfortune]

Solid 8/10 for me. Definitely up there for best salesman movie on my list, alongside Boiler Room and Wolf of Wall Street.

[bassistheplace]

Riveting, depressing and acted brilliantly 10/10