MovieChat Forums > The Iceman Cometh (1973) Discussion > One of the best (and most depressing) fi...

One of the best (and most depressing) films of the 1970's!

posted 11 years ago by shempXIV
7 replies | jump to latest

I saw this on PBS as a lad in high school and on the big screen circa 2000...afterwards each time I felt like walking in front of a moving bus. (It's so depressing I recommend having some Marx Brothers films, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and/or Three Stooges shorts in easy reach after viewing.) But by gum, this film has some of the best acting you'll ever see in yr life.

[–] thomas1412-739-282403 11 years ago

Oh, I absolutely agree. The acting is phenomenal. I actually like Lee Marvin quite a lot in this despite what some people have said about him not being up to the role.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 11 years ago

I actually like Lee Marvin quite a lot in this despite what some people have said about him not being up to the role.

I would never say that Marvin didn't do a good job with this role. He just didn't give the same electrifying performance as Jason Robards did in the 1960 version. Two critical scenes are a case in point: when Robards' Hickey shows up, he puts on a happy-go-lucky act, but he also makes clear that there's violence and borderline insanity under the facade. We only get the happy-go-lucky with Marvin's performance. Also, Robards put much more emotion into Hickey's final speech about his wife than Marvin.

In adapatations of plays, it's always refreshing to have different takes on the main character (I wish that I had a chance to see Kevin Spacey's take in the 1990's Broadway revival, or Brian Dennehy's performance last year in Chicago). I just happen to find Robards' take to be the more engaging one.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 11 years ago

(It's so depressing I recommend having some Marx Brothers films, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and/or Three Stooges shorts in easy reach after viewing.)

Or, in keeping with the film, a bottle of whiskey within easy reach.

[–] snepts (11123) 5 years ago

I'll have to watch this. I don't have any Marx Bros, Bugs or Stooges handy, but I've got the other bit covered.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (63057267) 8 years ago

You saw this on the big screen? I'm very envious.

Frankenheimer directed some great films (e.g. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE TRAIN, SECONDS) but I'm quick to cite THE ICEMAN COMETH as his magnum opus. It's a work of great artistry from all concerned.

[–] dustinthewind25 8 years ago

What's interesting for me is that my first exposure to this movie was as a record set I found in a library back when I was in college. It was the entire audio track of the movie on record, and I was spellbound.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I'd have to go with The Train on that one but this is a rocking film, nonetheless.