A Tribute to Sidney Lumet, April 21, 2011

[Rita Hayworth]

Kingrat,

Thanks for sharing this. Kingrat.

To one "King" to other "King" ... I play checkers a lot ... and that's one of my favorite expressions.
I will be watching 12 Angry Men ... this is one of my favorite movies to watch.

[JackFavell]

Thanks for the announcement, kingrat.

Although I was really looking forward to Shanghai night, I am glad they scheduled a Lumet evening... he really deserves a tribute.

[moira finnie]

If you like the performance that Lumet coaxed from Sean Connery in The Hill, I hope that you have a chance to see The Offence (1972) some day. The harrowing depiction of the disintegration of a cop whose own spirit is eaten away by his pursuit of a child abuser, it is one of the best character studies I've ever seen on film. Connery rarely got the chance to demonstrate anywhere near the full range of his gifts, but Lumet certainly appreciated his powerful presence and vulnerability. Ian Bannen and Trevor Howard are also exceptionally good under Lumet's direction. The intense movie is probably one of the most memorable films I've ever seen--even if it is little known.

[JackFavell]

I second Moira's good opinion of The Offence. I didn't remember the name of it when looking up Lumet's credits before. It is a harrowing film, and it's pretty much focused on Connery all the time. It's great, but very dark, all internal. I can't even describe it - the only way I can is to say it's kind of like Vertigo crossed with On Dangerous Ground. But that is a dis-service to the film, since it has it's own very uniquely British character.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

I hope I get to see The Offence sometime soon, too. Wonderful recommendations from Moira and Jackie are always on target.

Thank you!

I missed the private screenings. Any other comments, kingrat? I really wanted to see it, but
I wasn't at home...

[JackFavell]

I saw part of the Private Screenings, the last half... Lumet was fun to watch, he was so engaged in what he was talking about.

Both Lumet and RO said that Network could never have worked without the powerhouse William Holden performance as Max Shumacher. He grounded the film, and Lumet said that the scenes with Beatrice Straight and Holden showed that they were the only decent human beings in the film. He also said that he did not want Peter Finch, simply because he felt the actor had to be an American. So 2 weeks after Finch auditioned, Lumet got a tape in the mail of Finch speaking with a perfect American accent.

I loved his description of Dog Day Afternoon, which is probably my favorite Lumet film. The main character is gay, and they were nervous about how the movie would be received. He decided that all aspects of the film ought to be very personal because the film meant a lot to him - he wanted the actors to be as natural and down to earth as possible, so the audience would identify with them. He had them dress in their regular clothes, and wear no makeup, do the things they would normally do in everyday life. Eventually, the actors saw where Lumet was taking them, and started to question the script - wondering if they could go off book, and improvise, saying their own words, too. Lumet was usually a stickler for the written word, but he and the writer allowed the cast to do some improvised rehearsal, which Lumet started to tape record because, as Lumet put it, "they were coming up with gold". They ended up using a 50/50 mix of the script and the improvised stuff, and Lumet said that he thanked goodness the writer was open minded about it, he ended up winning an Academy Award which Lumet said he richly deserved. This combination of scripted dialogue and improvised adds to the feeling that the movie is actually taking place in real time as you are watching it.

I also loved the fact that Sean Connery agreed to do Murder on the Orient Express for little money, and then got the big name actors and actresses on board the project also at reduced salary for Lumet. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise, since Lumet seems like Connery's best advocate at that time - giving him roles in films that stretched him far beyond any others... Lumet saw complexity in Connery that no one else seems ever to have tapped into. No wonder Connery was grateful.

[JackFavell]

kingrat -

THANK you for writing about the first part of the Private Screenings. I was kicking myself for missing it, because Lumet was so interesting. He answered every question in the most honest and down to earth way possible. I really would have liked to have met the man.

[moira finnie]

Your accounts of the Sidney Lumet Private Screening were terrific. I never saw it before the other night and loved it. I am hoping that as TCM has done before, they will let us hear the extended version via their podcasts of these discussions. I have enjoyed listening to those while puttering around and will keep checking to see when that one is added over on Itunes. I will try tp remember to post a link here if and when it shows up.

Btw, I thought Lumet came across as a much warmer person than he did when he did the Inside the Actors Studio guest grilling a few years ago. I think that RO could get anyone to unwind and be a person instead of a celeb, (well, maybe not Robert Mitchum when he was in a grumpy mood). Thanks for taking the time to describe your impressions of the movies and the interview.

[JackFavell]

He was indeed very warm and relaxed. I can't imagine Hollywood producing another director with such rare qualities combined so beautifully - warmth, intelligence and compassion.