Friday, February 14, 2025

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

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