MovieChat Forums > The Last Tycoon (1976) Discussion > This movie is weak

This movie is weak

posted 18 years ago by swinginglowbeatmaster
16 replies | jump to latest

Deniro plays his role with two gears . It needed more dynamic. He was soon too come into his own as the 70s closes tho. What was the writers union thing about? A piece of propoganda for unions?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Joanalamode 17 years ago

LOOOOOOOOOONg, bad acting, did not like this at all even with such a great cast......

"Ya makin' fun of me Riz?"- Sandy

[–] tieman64 17 years ago

This is one big vanity project. Deniro, Jack and co simply signed up to this project because they thought Kazan had another "On the waterfront" on their hands. They wanted to be indirectly associated with Brando.

"Rape is no laughing matter. Unless you're raping a clown."

[–] MariaLoathesDTWig 17 years ago

Really?And how do you know that?

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mathmaniac 16 years ago

This was such a surprise.... who woulda thunk you could have Harold Pinter write a screenplay and it would suck so badly? And Elia Kazan direct and have it turn out so wrong? And stuff it with men who are stars and surround them with dumb actresses (except Moreau who is smart and talented) and have the movie be so dull. De Niro rocks, however, as usual - what a man!

[–] Smile_U_SOB 17 years ago

are you surprised that a film has propoganda for unions?

don't be, because the people behind films are all about two things:

1. propogada and

2. unions.

and i agree with ya'll... this movie sucked, big time.

if you're the salt of the earth, then the earth is a slug

[–] plwblj 14 years ago

UNDER-Rated-BIG Time-

[–] heather_m1986 14 years ago

The problem is that the novel doesn't have the energy. How could it, it was never finished. The central conflict wasn't even fully set up. Fitzgerald's notes seem to indicate that Stahr would be blackmailed over his affair with Kathleen and he had conflicts with Brady over power. The film is nothing but exposition. Ftizgerald had the beginning of what would probably have been a fine book, but it certainly isn't polished. Reading it, you can tell. Some sentences are in there that are obviously meant to be replaced. The big mistake was making this film without an ending

[–] SeanJoyce 11 years ago

I'd say the big mistake was probably making the film, period.

http://jmoneyyourhoney.filmaf.com/owned

[–] Zuider_Zee 11 years ago

I couldn't finish it. I tried three times; no use.

[–] yohnny 11 years ago

Zuider_Zee: I couldn't finish it. I tried three times; no use.

It's unwatchable and this is neither the first nor the last time that a group of "geniuses" have collaborated on a crappy product.

Consider New Coke and the Ford Edsel. It's a classic dud.

"Talk amongst yourselves." ~ Linda Richman

[–] Errington_92 10 years ago

My criticism of The Last Tycoon was its lack of development in terms of character relations. The conflict of power between Stahr and Pat should have been explored in more depth, instead of the occasional reference. The same could be said for Stahr's relationship with Cecilia. It was obvious she was attracted to Stahr, yet it is not taken anywhere other than a few exchanged words. As for De Niro's performance, I saw no fault in it. He conveyed Stahr as a confidant, persistent man whose quest for power left him defeated.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] Paris55 11 years ago

I am a big DeNiro fan. Seen most of his movies except the later comedies. I could not watch The Last Tycoon in its entirety. I agree, it is weak and the book should not have been finished or the movie made. I know that Fitzgerald very loosely modeled the DeNiro character on MGM Production Chief Irving Thalberg and possibly combined a few other studio heads' characteristics. DeNiro looks like Thalberg in this film and in real life. What actually killed Thalberg at age 36, was a bad heart. He was constantly ill as a kid and was not expected to live a long life. Yet, this man could pick good stories and turned them into great movies. He spotted talent and created icons and legends. Thalberg ran MGM production with a keen sense of awareness as he knew what people wanted during the late 1920s and half of the 1930s. He was happily married to MGM studio queen Norma Shearer and they had two sons. Thalberg worked very hard producing and dealing with actors' egos and demands until the end. Even MGM Studio Chief Louis B. Mayer left him alone because Thalberg knew what he was doing.