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GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
Review by Gordon Justesen
Stars: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin
Spacey, Jonathan Pryce
Director: James Foley
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1, Pan & Scan 1.33:1
Studio: Artisan Entertainment
Features: See Review
Length: 100 Minutes
Release Date: November 19, 2002
“Your
name is ‘you’re wanting,’ and you can't play the man's game, you can't
close them, and then tell your wife your troubles. 'Cause only one thing counts
in this world: GET THEM TO SIGN ON THE LINE WHICH IS DOTTED!”
Film
****
I know nothing
about the business of selling real estate, but with one viewing of Glengarry
Glen Ross, I know for sure that it’s one business that I will no doubt
stay away from. There’s nothing really wrong or corrupting about the business,
but the characters in this cutthroat underworld, all of which are very good at
their jobs, are put into a compromising manner that will result in a challenging
of their moral psyches. The truth is you don’t need to know anything about
real estate to enjoy this film, which includes one of the most incredible and
all around excellent cast of legendary actors using their individual acting
chops at the highest level. Fans of the movie Boiler
Room might recall that this was one of the movies it referenced to numerous
times.
When you have names
like Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin and Kevin
Spacey above the title, you know right away that the outcome will be
gratifyingly special, and boy is it ever. Some actors have more screen time than
others, but each of the headlining actors has at least one or two moments that
go down as striking and memorable. The movie is based on the award winning play
by genius playwright David Mamet, who has adapted it himself for the screen, and
takes place on two critical days in the lives of the veteran salesmen at
Premiere Properties. They are all summoned to a spontaneous evening meeting by
officer manager Williamson (Kevin Spacey) and a super-slick rival salesman from
downtown named Blake, played by Alec Baldwin who with just one scene nearly
steals the whole movie.
Blake is there to
announce a new brutal sales contest where the first prize is a Cadillac El
Dorado, second prize is a set of steak knives, and the third prize is being
fired. He also presents them with a collection of sales leads to likely buyers
of real estate, but they only go to ‘closers’, which the men of this office
don’t necessarily merit the title of. So
now each of the determined salesman must close as many deals as they can in
order to get a hold on the leads, which are called the Glengarry leads. Things
get even more heated the next morning when the salesmen arrive to find the
office robbed, and the new leads missing.
The characters in Glengarry
Glen Ross are perhaps some the downright best that Mamet has ever created,
along with that trademark Mamet dialogue. The late great Jack Lemmon ignites the
screen in one of his most brilliant performances as Shelly “The Machine”
Levine, a once great closer who hasn’t been so lucky lately and with a wife in
the hospital, he seems the most determined of the group to meet the quota.
Lemmon has a brilliant scene in the movie where he makes a house call to a guy
who obviously does not want to purchase any real estate, and the salesman even
acknowledges this while selling his heart out. Al Pacino is also in terrific top
form as Ricky Roma, perhaps the company’s top salesman, who feels so hot and
important that he doesn’t feel the need to show up at the big meeting. Ed
Harris and Alan Arkin round out the cast as Dave and George, who spend a great
deal of time talking after the meeting about a certain opportunity to go out on
top, though not necessarily in the right way.
Glengarry
Glen Ross has long been one
of my favorite films of the 90s. The film is a pure triumph of acting, with a
big time dynamite cast to boot. If there was ever an award created for Best
Ensemble Cast of All Time, this would truly be a consideration. The words of
Mamet and the talents of a cast of acting legends help make this a pure movie
classic.
Video
***1/2
First off, I would
like to send a big dose of thanks to the people at Artisan for getting this
movie out on DVD. I have long had this title on a short list of movies that
hadn’t made it to DVD, and this one has finally made it.
Artisan has done a
most wonderful job in transferring this film. The anamorphic picture offers a
much crisp viewing of the film. The movie is essentially a one-set movie, but it
does occasionally break out of the office. A dimly lit sequence in a phone
booth, used with killer blue lighting stands out as the best moment on the disc.
A few shots come off as slightly soft, but they don’t even begin to distract
from an superbly impressive disc.
The widescreen
version is on Disc 1, while the unimportant pan & scan can be found on Disc
2.
Audio
***
Being this is a
film adapted directly from a play, it’s safe to say that this movie is powered
by dialogue and nothing more. True, but Artisan’s 5.1 audio mix does make
terrific use of background noise and distinctive clarity. The dialogue is
mastered, as well, sounding a whole lot better than on the VHS copy I used to
own way, way back in the day.
Features
****
Artisan has
delivered a superbly conceived two disc set that is much in the same vein as
their 10 Year Anniversary release for Reservoir
Dogs a few months ago. On Disc 1, there is a feature length commentary by
director James Foley, and a Tribute to Jack Lemmon special.
Disc 2 includes
several featurettes, including a documentary of real-life salesmen titled “A.B.C.-Always
Be Closing”, a bonus commentary track by several cast & crew members,
interview segments from The Charlie Rose Show and Inside the Actors’ Studio,
cast and production notes.
Summary: