GOING IN STYLE

[DownGoesFrazier]

Not a bad film, but was it really essential to the plot that 2 of the 3 of them died suddenly, in quick succession? This seems a bit heavy-handed.

[laffite]

Maybe they just wanted to be dramatic. You know how movies are.

[Sepiatone]

I had no problem with that, considering what their ages were supposed to be( or believed to be).  But I suppose some of it was essential to the plot in order to forward the idea of how age affects relationships and activities and whatnot.

 

I've always( and as a now aging father) thought it touching- the scene in which Lee Strasberg's Willy was tearfully recalling an incident in which he was repeatedly spanking his young child's rear end over something that all those years later, he couldn't recall what it was.  I suppose there were, and are, Fathers out there who at the time, and even now, could relate with that segment.

 

I've always kinda enjoyed the part where they're trying out all the different bullets in the different guns.

 

I still don't get how they were found out.

 

 

Sepiatone

[TopBilled]

Not a bad film, but was it really essential to the plot that 2 of the 3 of them died suddenly, in quick succession? This seems a bit heavy-handed.

On the.schedule it was indicated this airing wasn't in widescreen.

[DownGoesFrazier]

I had no problem with that, considering what their ages were supposed to be( or believed to be).  But I suppose some of it was essential to the plot in order to forward the idea of how age affects relationships and activities and whatnot.

 

I've always( and as a now aging father) thought it touching- the scene in which Lee Strasberg's Willy was tearfully recalling an incident in which he was repeatedly spanking his young child's rear end over something that all those years later, he couldn't recall what it was.  I suppose there were, and are, Fathers out there who at the time, and even now, could relate with that segment.

 

I've always kinda enjoyed the part where they're trying out all the different bullets in the different guns.

 

I still don't get how they were found out.

 

 

Sepiatone

I guess the film was made before 75 became the new 55.

[Tikisoo]

There were certainly plot holes in it, but what a fun movie! We enjoyed it so much, we've gone on a "old man" theme for our family movie night.

 

Last night we watched OH GOD! which I highly recommend if it's been years since your last viewing.

HUGE plot hole in that one, but still an IMAGINATIVE fun movie. Of course, Carl Reiner directed & Larry Gelbart wrote it.

 

Tonight: The Sunshine Boys; "En-taaar!" 

 

The sad thing is we'll never see the likes of genius movie makers like Carl Reiner or Neil Simon again.

[phroso]

Not a bad film, but was it really essential to the plot that 2 of the 3 of them died suddenly, in quick succession? This seems a bit heavy-handed.

I thought the whole point of the movie was that each of the main characters went out "in style."   Willie died after pulling off a bank robbery.   Al died after a big weekend in Vegas.   And we can presume that Joe will spend his remaining time as a bigshot in prison, helping out Pete's family, and thumbing his nose at the FBI.   A great movie, although I was surprised that Robert Osborne described it as a movie that few have seen or even heard of.   I remember it being a modest hit in 1979.  

[DownGoesFrazier]

I thought the whole point of the movie was that each of the main characters went out "in style."   Willie died after pulling off a bank robbery.   Al died after a big weekend in Vegas.   And we can presume that Joe will spend his remaining time as a bigshot in prison, helping out Pete's family, and thumbing his nose at the FBI.   A great movie, although I was surprised that Robert Osborne described it as a movie that few have seen or even heard of.   I remember it being a modest hit in 1979.  

It sounds as if you are a slave to the title, which very easily could have been something else.

[Sepiatone]

There were certainly plot holes in it, but what a fun movie! We enjoyed it so much, we've gone on a "old man" theme for our family movie night.

 

Last night we watched OH GOD! which I highly recommend if it's been years since your last viewing.

HUGE plot hole in that one, but still an IMAGINATIVE fun movie. Of course, Carl Reiner directed & Larry Gelbart wrote it.

 

Tonight: The Sunshine Boys; "En-taaar!" 

 

The sad thing is we'll never see the likes of genius movie makers like Carl Reiner or Neil Simon again.

 

Reminds me of a joke we used to go on with about that.

 

Burns had made a few sequels of the "Oh, God" themed films, and some of us came up with a parody on it all---

 

"See George Burns reprise his role as the Almighty in a hilarious romp of mirth and merriment in "Oh, GOD!  Not AGAIN!?!" 

 

 

Sepiatone

[DownGoesFrazier]

I thought the whole point of the movie was that each of the main characters went out "in style."   Willie died after pulling off a bank robbery.   Al died after a big weekend in Vegas.   And we can presume that Joe will spend his remaining time as a bigshot in prison, helping out Pete's family, and thumbing his nose at the FBI.   A great movie, although I was surprised that Robert Osborne described it as a movie that few have seen or even heard of.   I remember it being a modest hit in 1979.  

Moreover, suddenly dying  after making a large score, without any opportunity to spend it, is hardly "going in style".

[phroso]

Moreover, suddenly dying  after making a large score, without any opportunity to spend it, is hardly "going in style".

But they repeatedly say that they weren't interested in the money.   Before Joe and Al go to Vegas, they agree to give the majority of it to Pete.   They only wanted an adventure, which they got. 

[darkblue]

Any movie with both George and Art is a keeper.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Any movie with both George and Art is a keeper.

Carney seemed to repeatedly play older than his chronological age. Youthful he wasn't.

[EugeniaH]

Not a bad film, but was it really essential to the plot that 2 of the 3 of them died suddenly, in quick succession? This seems a bit heavy-handed.

 

My post comes a couple of weeks late, but I only caught this film (again) last night.

 

I don't know, for me the deaths kind of tied into one of the film's themes, the "cycle of life".  For example, there was the scene where the old men were sitting on the park bench, watching the children play.  There was no dialogue, but it was supposed to point out the contrast between youth and old age, the "cycle of life".

 

Then there was the scene where George Burns is looking through old photos and mementos (btw, the photos were his own, showing him with his real-life adopted children, and with wife Gracie Allen).  Again it was symbolic (to me) of time passing by. 

 

On a lighter note, I loved scene near the end, with George being grilled by the authorities.  They were condescending to him, because he was old, and he basically gave them a feisty response of "**** you."

 

Did anyone notice what a slowly paced movie this was?  Loooong scenes with not much going on.  I thought it was supposed to be like the old men themselves - slow to move and react, etc.