JACK LEMMON'S ABSOLUTE BEST - PART THREE - "THE UNDISCOVERED"

Wrapping up the Jack Lemmon fest, thought it would be cool to feature four Lemmon flicks I just recently watched for the first time. These are all available on Tubi, enjoy!

HOW TO MURDER YOUR WIFE (1965) - An effective comedy-mystery although entirely dated and would have been better at 90 or 100 minutes instead of close to two hours. Jack's okay, he did a bunch of these flicks in the sixties, but the real star surprisingly in this is British actor Terry Thomas. He plays Jack's butler and narrates the film as well often breaking fourth wall. This gives the extraordinary talent of Thomas some nice room to breathe.   2.75 stars/5

COWBOY (1958) - Jack plays a happy-go-lucky stand up kind of hotel desk clerk who goes partners on a cattle drive with a questionable tycoon (Glenn Ford.) What I like to call a "set piece" Western very typical of the Era. Has its moments but your time is easily spent with another title.  2.0 stars/5

12 ANGRY MEN (TV 1997) - In this remake of the famous play and 1957 movie, Jack plays juror number eight, the one hold out in twelve who thinks the man on trial for his life might be innocent. A meaty gathering of A-listers here, everyone from Edwarc J Almos to George C Scott - and what's Gary Frederickson doing in this thing? Not bad, Jack was 72 when he did this and still had it.   2.25 stars/2.75

THE LONG WAY HOME (1998) Not much I could find out about this Lifetime-esque TV movie, but Jack is great as an elderly man who gets lost and eventually joins a much younger woman on a hitchhiking adventure.  2.75 stars/2.75 watch on Tubi 

JACK LEMMON`S ABSOLUTE BEST - PART TWO - "THE UNDERRATED GEMS"

 Greetings All- having a bit of technical difficulties lately with a laptop, tablet and phone, none of which are working properly but nonetheless the show will continue 😀 👍 the following is a list of 4 Jack Lemmon flicks lesser known but outstanding performances. Since its Valentines Day 💝 we'll start with the first of two films that Jack did in the year 1969. They're both shot in NYC, both have unusual but perfect leading ladies and both are on this list...enjoy!

THE APRIL FOOLS (1969) - A fun and very '69 romantic comedy where Jack plays Brubaker, a married exec who falls in love with his bosses wife. You see, he's a frog and Catherine Deneuve wants to turn him into a prince. His boss (Peter  Lawford), however, has made it emphatically clear that Brubaker is not, nor ever has been a frog. A lot of very classic NYC locations including what was at that time the new Madison Square Garden. And look out, a fantastical third act w Harvey Korman as a drunk womanizer.  3.5 stars/5

THE OUT OF TOWNERS (1969) -  Again Jack plays an exec new hire. This time, he's trying to make his way to his first day. However,  once he land's in NYC from Ohio, he and his wife (Sandy Dennis, another unusual choice but she kills it) encounter one NYC mishap after another. Only Neil Simon could make all this comical somehow - it's not one of his best but his pairing once again with Lemmon doesn't let down.  3.0 stars/5

THATS LIFE (1986) - Those in the over-55 crowd may remember this Blake Edward's sort of comedy and lot of melodrama. It played in heavy rotation on late night cable, anyone remember the Z channel? Edward's crafted this one on a shoestring budget, even using his actual Malibu house as the main location. Jack plays a disgruntled 60 yr old completely fed up with life, and that's putting it mildly. At the same time his wife (Julie Andrews) may have cancer but hasn't told him yet.  2.5 stars/5

THE GREAT RACE (1965) - Blake Edward's again but a mid 60s epic comedy, three hour complete with intermission, oh yeah. Tony Curtis (in one of his best as well) is the good guy The Great Leslie and Lemmon the bad Professor Fate in a race from NY to Paris. You like screwball, slapstick kind of comedy 🤣?  Let's put it this way - the film is dedicated to Laurel and Hardy. 3.75 stars/5

JACK LEMMON'S ABSOLUTE BEST - PART ONE "THE OBVIOUS PICKS"

Greetings All - Hope this week finds you and yours all well. But even more than that, I hope you're in a JACK LEMMON mood because we got a massive three-part post for you. My personal favorite actor of all-time, and as we all know, one of the all-time greats. Like this Aquarian was majorly talented and it's B-Movie Gazette's proud to present this tribute in three parts.

I - "The Obvious Picks" (that's this post, stupid!) - iow, the cream of the crop.

II - "The Underrated Gems" - a collection of ones you really should see.

III - "The Undiscovered" - a post of films I will be watching for the first time.

THE CREAM OF THE CROP OF JACK LEMMON FILMS "The Obvious Ones"                                                     

SAVE THE TIGER (1974) - We may have a divided country now but way back in 1974 the writings were already on the wall as our main character Harry Stoner (love that name) will attest to. Harry has had it with America and longs back to a time when morals and decency ruled. In the meantime though, he has a factory to save and will do anything to save it. Maybe a detour with a cute hippy chick in Malibu is what Harry needs. I'll give you a key to figuring out this whole movie - it's the last line right before credits role, it's said by a kid, and that kid represents Harry's past.   4/0 stars/5  Pluto or VOD

DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (1962) - An amazing performance from Jack as he and Lee Remick play a married couple caught up in the throes of alcoholism. A brilliant film on so many levels. And that should come as no surprise considering it's a Blake Edwards film.  5 stars/5

PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE (1975) - Neil Simon fires on all eight cylinders in this oft overlooked neurotic NYC comedy. Jack plays a married man who gets fired and has a nervous

breakdown. This forces his wife (Anne Bancroft) to become the man of the house. Pound for pound, Simon has packed this script with one-liners about the Big Apple and Lemmon and Bancroft are just stellar together.  3.5 stars/5   VOD

THE APARTMENT (1960) - Another holy shit performance from Jack on this one, an obvious pick, had to be on the list. It shows it's age a lot, this one but what a cast and what a script, just magnificent. 5 stars/5 Free right now on Roku channel & Pluto. 

THE ODD COUPLE (1968) - Yep, this is the original that spawned so many great television versions and of course, countless renditions on Broadway. Another incredible performance here from Lemmon. But it's the pairing on this one of him and real-life pal Walter Matthau that sends it to the moon. They were so great together in this and it's Neil Simon once again slamming it out of the park.  5 stars/5