MovieChat Forums > Airport '77 (1977) Discussion > A Great Role for Jack Lemmon

A Great Role for Jack Lemmon

posted 19 years ago by ecarle
6 replies | jump to latest

Jack Lemmon was a supporting star in the 50's, and a top star in the 60's, climaxing with his sweaty, nervous and neurotic Felix Unger in "The Odd Couple" (1968).

But Lemmon proceeded to BECOME Felix, playing one sweaty, nervous neurotic after another ("The Out of Towners," "The April Fools") until he got a valedictory Best Actor Oscar for playing a dramatic neurotic in "Save the Tiger" (1973.)

Lemmon continued on as a respected actor, more for drama than comedy, but frankly, he rarely played men that anybody wanted to be.

Except for "Airport '77."

The movie is kinda square and kinda silly, but doggone it, Jack Lemmon here finally gets to play a competant, manly HERO in a movie, with a girlfriend (believably, pert and smoky-voiced Brenda Vaccaro, not some sex bomb)and leadership qualities. He looks good too, with stylish long 70's hair and moustache.

They managed to get most major actors into disaster movies in the 70's, and Jack Lemmon was very pleased to get asked aboard "Airport 77." That he WAS a great actor was evidenced in how he brought hackneyed material to some plausible life.

And then it was back to neurotics for poor Jack. They just got older.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] forever_swirl 18 years ago

I totally agree that Jack totally brought this film into another level. He did seem to relish the role and brought authenticy to it - and he does look sexy as hell with the mustache. Any other actor would have brought this movie to the crap level of the other sequels in no time. I'm not saying it's the best movie ever made, but it's not far from the other great diaster movies either - also not bad for a sequel.

P.S. Also loved that he had a believable gf here, though the talk about marriage vs. living together seemed very 70's to me. I thought the two had great chemistry too. Way more than Heston and Karen Black in '75.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] jpycior-1 18 years ago

I agree with you(except for finding him 'sexy'). He was an incredible actor, and it was indeed good to see him in the role of the hero. I loved the part when he surfaces, gets in the life raft, the plane flies over and asks for a 'wave' from the plane, and gets it..what a great moment! What a great fun film. I, too totally agree that Jack Lemmon brought this film into another level. Well said! I would have given my wisdom teeth just to be in a scene in that movie.

[–] koffeenkreame41-1 11 years ago

Big fan of Lemmon's and I thought he was awesome as hell in here!

"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna `*beep*` wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.

[–] snowleopard 10 years ago

Great post and thread. I agree with all you wrote. He was a great actor, and in this particular role it was great to see him cowboy up and play a man's man, and he really pulled it off. He caried the film as the hero with the great stache, and the beautifuly cool girlfriend. He was the kind of guy I always wanted to be.