| Revision as of 16:57, 29 May 2022 edit67.180.143.89 (talk) →Plot← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 22:17, 21 December 2024 edit undoSporkBot (talk | contribs)Bots1,244,869 editsm Remove template per TFD outcome | ||
| (77 intermediate revisions by 65 users not shown) | |||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
| | director = ] | | director = ] | ||
| | producer = {{Plainlist| | | producer = {{Plainlist| | ||
| * Jerry Tokofsky | * ] | ||
| * Stanley R. Zupnik | * Stanley R. Zupnik | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''''Glengarry Glen Ross''''' is a 1992 American ] |
'''''Glengarry Glen Ross''''' is a 1992 American ] directed by ] and written by ], based on his 1984 ]-winning ]. The film depicts two days in the lives of four ] salesmen and their increasing desperation when the corporate office sends a motivational trainer with the threat that all but the top two salesmen will be fired within one week. | ||
| Like the play, the film is notorious for its use of ], leading the cast to refer to the film jokingly as "]".<ref>{{cite episode | title=Ed Harris| series = Inside the Actors Studio | series-link = Inside the Actors Studio | network=]| airdate = December 17, 2000 | season = 7 | number = 6}}</ref> The title of the film is derived from the names of two of the real-estate developments being peddled by the salesmen: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms. | |||
| The setting is never explicitly stated. The play is set in ], but the film includes numerous references to ], including an ] of a ] platform followed by a ] of a ]-branded ], ] police cars and insignia, ], and mostly ].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Martin|first=Murilee|date=May 23, 2018|title=Five GM rides and an 8-Series: Cars of the film "Glengarry Glen Ross"|url=http://autoweek.com/car-life/a1697356/five-gm-rides-and-8-series-cars-film-glengarry-glen-ross/|access-date=November 14, 2020|magazine=]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Helen|last=Levitt|date=January 23, 2011|title=New York Phone Booths|url=https://www.payphone-project.com/new-york-phone-booths-by-helen-levitt.html|access-date=November 14, 2020|website=The Payphone Project|language=en-US}}</ref> Film critics and journalists have nonetheless placed the setting in Chicago, possibly based on their familiarity with the original play.<ref name="Bernstein, Richard">{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Richard|date=August 15, 1991|title=Despite the Odds, 'Glengarry' Is Being Filmed|work=]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/15/movies/despite-the-odds-glengarry-is-being-filmed.html|access-date=January 21, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Ebert, Roger"/> Exterior shots were filmed on location in ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Glengarry Glen Ross Film Locations - |url=http://onthesetofnewyork.com/glengarryglenross.html|access-date=November 14, 2020|website=onthesetofnewyork.com}}</ref> | |||
| The film was critically acclaimed and is widely considered one of the best films of the 1990s. The ] was held at the ], where ] was awarded the ] for Best Actor. ] was nominated for an ] and a ]. However, the film was a ] for grossing $10.7 million in ] against a $12.5 million budget. It has since become a ]. | |||
| Like the play, the film is notorious for its use of profanity, leading the cast to refer to the film jokingly as "]".<ref>{{cite episode | title=Ed Harris| series = Inside the Actors Studio | series-link = Inside the Actors Studio | network=]| airdate = December 17, 2000 | season = 7 | number = 6}}</ref> The title of the film comes from the names of two of the real estate developments being peddled by the salesmen characters: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms. | |||
| The film was critically acclaimed and is widely considered one of the best films of 1992. The ] was held at the ], where ] was awarded the ] for Best Actor. ] was nominated for an ] and a ]. However, the film was a box office failure, grossing $10.7 million in ] against a $12.5 million budget. | |||
| ==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
| The film depicts two days in the lives of four |
The film depicts two days in the lives of four real-estate salesmen who are supplied with leads—the names and phone numbers of prospects—and use deceitful and dubious sales tactics. Many of the leads rationed by office manager John Williamson lack either the money or the desire to actually invest in land. The firm sends Blake, one of its top salesmen, to motivate the team. In a torrent of verbal abuse, he gives them notice of termination and tells them that only the top two deal-closers of the month (with one week to go) will keep their jobs and gain access to promising leads for the new—and lucrative—Glengarry Highlands development. | ||
| Shelley "The Machine" Levene is a once-successful salesman in a long-running slump and with a daughter in the hospital. Desperate to keep his job, Levene tries to persuade Williamson to give him some of the Glengarry leads, but Williamson refuses. Levene |
Shelley "The Machine" Levene is a once-successful salesman in a long-running slump and with a daughter in the hospital. Desperate to keep his job, Levene tries to persuade Williamson to give him some of the Glengarry leads, but Williamson refuses. Levene first tries to charm Williamson, then to threaten him, and finally to bribe him. Williamson is willing to sell some of the prime leads, but demands cash in advance, which Levene does not have. | ||
| Meanwhile, Dave Moss and George Aaronow complain about the firm's management, and Moss proposes that they strike back by stealing all the Glengarry leads and selling them to a competing agency. Moss's plan requires Aaronow to break into the office, stage a burglary and steal all of the prime leads. Aaronow wants no part of the plan, but Moss tries to coerce him, saying that Aaronow is already an ] simply because he knows about the proposed burglary. | Meanwhile, Dave Moss and George Aaronow complain about the firm's management, and Moss proposes that they strike back by stealing all the Glengarry leads and selling them to a competing agency. Moss's plan requires Aaronow to break into the office, stage a burglary and steal all of the prime leads. Aaronow wants no part of the plan, but Moss tries to coerce him, saying that Aaronow is already an ] simply because he knows about the proposed burglary. | ||
| While all of these events are happening, ], the office's top closer, |
While all of these events are happening, ], the office's top closer, starts to manipulate a meek, middle-aged man named James Lingk into buying a property. Framing the deal as an opportunity rather than a purchase, Roma plays on Lingk's feelings of insecurity. | ||
| The next day, when the salesmen |
The next day, when the salesmen arrive at the office, they learn that there has been a burglary and that the Glengarry leads have been stolen. Williamson assures Roma that his contract with Lingk was not stolen, and he and the police question each of the salesmen in private. After his interrogation, an infuriated Moss has one last shouting match with Roma and leaves in disgust. Lingk arrives to demand the return of his ] under the ] because his wife objects to the deal. Roma tries several tactics to stall and confuse Lingk but is interrupted by the police detective, who wants to question him. He lies to Lingk, telling him that the check has not yet been cashed and that there is time to change his wife's mind. Williamson, who is unaware of the tactic, contradicts him, causing Lingk to rush out of the office upset. Roma vulgarly berates Williamson for interfering and ruining his sale in the process, then submits to questioning. | ||
| Levene, proud of a |
Levene, proud of a big sale that he made that morning, takes the opportunity to mock Williamson in private. In his zeal to humiliate Williamson, he mentions that Williamson lied about cashing the check. Williamson realizes that Levene must have broken into the office and seen the check on his desk, and threatens to inform the police if he does not return the leads. Cornered, Levene admits that he sold the leads to a competitor and split the money with Moss. Levene attempts to bribe Williamson with a share of his sales to keep quiet, but Williamson scoffs that Levene has no sales. His latest buyers are a notorious deadbeat couple who have no money and merely enjoy talking to salesmen. Levene, crushed by this revelation, asks Williamson why he seeks to ruin him. Williamson coldly responds, "Because I don't like you." Levene pleads for his ill daughter, but Williamson rebuffs him and leaves to inform the detective. | ||
| Roma emerges from questioning. Unaware of the exchange, he compliments Levene on his sale and suggests that they form their own partnership. As Levene gets up to meet with the detective, he looks back wistfully at Roma, who has already returned to his sales work. | Roma emerges from questioning. Unaware of the exchange, he compliments Levene on his sale and suggests that they form their own partnership. As Levene gets up to meet with the detective, he looks back wistfully at Roma, who has already returned to his sales work. | ||
| ==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
| * ] as Sheldon "Shelley" Levene | |||
| * ] as ] | * ] as ], the office’s top closer | ||
| * ] as Sheldon "Shelley the Machine" Levene | |||
| * ] as Blake | |||
| * ] as Blake, a top salesman, sent to motivate the room | |||
| * ] as George Aaronow | |||
| * ] as |
* ] as George Aaronow, office salesman | ||
| * ] as |
* ] as Dave Moss, office salesman | ||
| * ] as John Williamson, the office manager | |||
| * ] as James Lingk | |||
| * ] as |
* ] as James Lingk, Roma’s customer | ||
| * ] as Larry Spannel, a prospective customer of Shelley | |||
| * ] as Detective Baylen | * ] as Detective Baylen | ||
| * ] as Coat Check Girl | |||
| ==Production== | ==Production== | ||
| David Mamet's play was first performed in 1983 at the <!-- Not 'Royal' until 1988. -->] in London. It won the ] in 1984. That year, the play made its ] debut in ] before moving to ]. Producer Jerry Tokofsky read the play on a trip to ] in 1985 at the suggestion of director ] who wanted to make it into a film.<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard">{{cite news | last = Weinraub | first = Bernard | title = The ''Glengarry'' Math: Add Money and Stars, then Subtract Ego | work = ] | date = October 12, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/12/movies/the-talk-of-hollywood-the-glengarry-math-add-money-and-stars-then-subtract-ego.html | access-date = 2010-03-31 }}</ref> Tokofsky saw the play on Broadway and contacted Mamet. Stanley R. Zupnik was a ] |
David Mamet's play was first performed in 1983 at the <!-- Not 'Royal' until 1988. -->] in London. It won the ] in 1984. That year, the play made its ] debut in ] before moving to ]. Producer ] read the play on a trip to ] in 1985 at the suggestion of director ], who wanted to make it into a film.<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard">{{cite news | last = Weinraub | first = Bernard | title = The ''Glengarry'' Math: Add Money and Stars, then Subtract Ego | work = ] | date = October 12, 1992 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/12/movies/the-talk-of-hollywood-the-glengarry-math-add-money-and-stars-then-subtract-ego.html | access-date = 2010-03-31 }}</ref> Tokofsky saw the play on Broadway and contacted Mamet. Stanley R. Zupnik was a ]–based producer of ]s who was looking for a more profitable project. Tokofsky had co-produced two previous Zupnik films. In 1986, Tokofsky told Zupnik about Mamet's play, and Zupnik saw it on Broadway but found the plot confusing. | ||
| Mamet wanted $500,000 for the film rights and another $500,000 to write the screenplay. Zupnik agreed to pay Mamet's $1 million asking price, figuring that they could |
Mamet wanted $500,000 for the film rights and another $500,000 to write the screenplay. Zupnik agreed to pay Mamet's $1 million asking price, figuring that they could make a deal with a cable company to bankroll the production. Because of the uncompromising subject matter and abrasive language, no ] wanted to finance it, even with film stars attached. Financing came from cable and video companies, a German television station, an Australian cinema chain, several banks, and ] across four years.<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard"/> | ||
| Al Pacino originally wanted to do the play on Broadway, but at the time, he was doing another Mamet production, '']'', in ]. He expressed interest in appearing in the film adaptation. In 1989, Tokofsky proposed a role to ].<ref name= "Blanchard, Jayne">{{cite news | last = Blanchard | first = Jayne M | title = ''Glengarry'' Hits the Screen with the Joys of Male Angst | work = ] | date = September 27, 1992 }}</ref> During this time, Kershner dropped out to make another film, '']'', as did Pacino with '']''. ], also attached, was earmarked to play the Roma role vacated by Pacino. He reportedly left the project over a contract disagreement, the real reason being that Pacino was still being considered for Roma and would be cast over Baldwin if he elected to accept the role. | |||
| ]'s agent sent Mamet's screenplay to Foley in early 1991, but Foley was hesitant to direct because he "wanted great actors, people with movie charisma, to give it watchability, especially since the locations were so restricted".<ref name="Hartl, John">{{cite news | last = Hartl | first = John | title = Director is Happy to put Big Stars in Film Version of Mamet Play | work = ] | date = September 28, 1992 }}</ref> Foley took the screenplay to Pacino, with whom he had been trying to work on a film for years.<ref name="production notes">{{cite news | title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' Production Notes | work = ] Press Kit | year = 1992 }}</ref> Foley was hired to direct, but would leave the production as well. | |||
| By March 1991, Tokofsky contacted Baldwin and begged him to reconsider doing the film. Baldwin's character was specifically written for the actor and the film, and is not in the play. Tokofsky remembers, "Alec said: 'I've read 25 scripts and nothing is as good as this. OK. If you make it, I'll do it'."<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard"/> The two arranged an informal reading with Lemmon in ]. Subsequently, the three organized readings with several other actors. Lemmon remembered, "Some of the best damn actors you're ever going to see came in and read and I'm talking about ''names''".<ref name= "production notes"/> Tokofsky's lawyer, Jake Bloom, called a meeting at the ], who represented many of the actors involved, and asked for their help. CAA showed little interest, but two of their clients – ] and ] – soon joined the cast. | |||
| By March 1991, Tokofsky contacted Baldwin and begged him to reconsider doing the film. Baldwin's character was specifically written for the actor and the film, and is not in the play. Tokofsky remembers, "Alec said, 'I've read 25 scripts and nothing is as good as this. OK. If you make it, I'll do it.'"<ref name="Weinraub, Bernard" /> The two arranged for an informal reading with Lemmon in ]. Subsequently, the three organized readings with several other actors. Lemmon remembered, "Some of the best damn actors you're ever going to see came in and read and I'm talking about ''names''."<ref name="production notes" /> Tokofsky's lawyer Jake Bloom called a meeting at the ], who represented many of the actors involved, and asked for their help. CAA showed little interest, but two of their clients, ] and ], soon joined the cast. | |||
| Because of the film's modest budget, many of the actors took significant pay cuts. For example, Pacino cut his per-movie price from $6 million to $1.5 million, Lemmon was paid $1 million, and Baldwin received $250,000.<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard"/> Other actors, like ], ],<ref name= "Weinraub, Bernard"/> ], and ],<ref name= "Blanchard, Jayne"/> expressed interest in the film. Mantegna had been in the original Broadway cast and won a ] in 1985 for his portrayal of Roma. | |||
| Because of the film's modest budget, many of the actors took significant pay cuts. For example, Pacino cut his per-movie price from $6 million to $1.5 million, Lemmon was paid $1 million, and Baldwin received $250,000.<ref name="Weinraub, Bernard" /> Other actors, like ], ],<ref name="Weinraub, Bernard" /> ] and ],<ref name="Blanchard, Jayne" /> expressed interest in the film. Mantegna had been in the original Broadway cast and won a ] in 1985 for his portrayal of Roma. | |||
| Once the cast was assembled, they spent three weeks in rehearsals. With a budget set at $12.5 million, filming began in August 1991 at the ] in ], and on location in ], over 39 days. Harris remembered: "There were five and six-page scenes we would shoot all at once. It was more like doing a play at times you'd get the continuity going".<ref name= "production notes"/> Alan Arkin said of the script, "What made it was the language and the rhythms, which are enormously difficult to absorb".<ref name= "production notes"/> During filming, cast members would arrive outside of their required days, just to watch the other actors' performances.<ref name= "Berardinelli, James">{{cite news | last = Berardinelli | first = James | title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work = ReelViews | year = 2006 | url = http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/g/glengarry_glen.html | access-date = 2007-09-23 }}</ref> | |||
| When the cast was assembled, they spent three weeks in rehearsals. With a budget of $12.5 million, filming began in August 1991 at the ] in ], New York, and on location in ], Brooklyn, over 39 days. Harris remembered, "There were five and six-page scenes we would shoot all at once. It was more like doing a play at times you'd get the continuity going."<ref name="production notes" /> Alan Arkin said of the script, "What made it was the language and the rhythms, which are enormously difficult to absorb."<ref name="production notes" /> During filming, cast members would arrive outside of their required days, just to watch the other actors' performances.<ref name="Berardinelli, James">{{cite news | last = Berardinelli | first = James | title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work = ReelViews | year = 2006 | url = http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/g/glengarry_glen.html | access-date = 2007-09-23 }}</ref> | |||
| The director of photography, ], relied on low lighting and shadows. A color scheme of blues, greens, and reds was used for the first part of the film, and the second half has a monochromatic blue-grey color scheme.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} | |||
| During production, Tokofsky and Zupnik had a falling out over money and credit for the film. Tokofsky sued to strip Zupnik of his producer's credit and share of the producer's fee.<ref name= |
The director of photography, ], relied on low lighting and shadows. A color scheme of blues, greens and reds was used for the first part of the film, and the second half has a monochromatic blue-grey color scheme.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} | ||
| During production, Tokofsky and Zupnik had a falling out over money and credit for the film. Tokofsky sued to strip Zupnik of his producer's credit and share of the producer's fee.<ref name="Powers, William">{{cite news | last = Powers | first = William F | title = Pacino, Mamet and . . . Zupnik; Who? The Local Real Estate Mogul Behind ''Glengarry'' | newspaper = ] | date = October 4, 1992 }}</ref> Zupnik claimed that he personally invested $2 million of the film's budget and countersued, claiming that Tokofsky was fired for embezzlement.<ref name="Powers, William" /> | |||
| The setting is never explicitly stated. The play is set in Mamet’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The film includes numerous references to New York City, including an ] of a ] platform, followed by a ] of a ]-branded ], ] police cars and insignia, and ].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Martin|first=Murilee|date=May 23, 2018|title=Five GM rides and an 8-Series: Cars of the film "Glengarry Glen Ross"|url=http://autoweek.com/car-life/a1697356/five-gm-rides-and-8-series-cars-film-glengarry-glen-ross/|access-date=November 14, 2020|magazine=]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Helen|last=Levitt|date=January 23, 2011|title=New York Phone Booths|url=https://www.payphone-project.com/new-york-phone-booths-by-helen-levitt.html|access-date=November 14, 2020|website=The Payphone Project|language=en-US}}</ref> A reflection in the subway windows at the film's end clearly shows the name Sheepshead Bay. Film critics and journalists have placed the setting in Chicago because of the many verbal references, including the Como Inn and Peterson and Western Avenues.<ref name="Bernstein, Richard">{{cite news|last=Bernstein|first=Richard|date=August 15, 1991|title=Despite the Odds, 'Glengarry' Is Being Filmed|work=]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/15/movies/despite-the-odds-glengarry-is-being-filmed.html|access-date=January 21, 2015}}</ref><ref name="Ebert, Roger" /> In addition, several Chicago suburbs are mentioned, including ], ] and ]. Exterior shots were filmed on location in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Glengarry Glen Ross Film Locations - |url=http://onthesetofnewyork.com/glengarryglenross.html|access-date=November 14, 2020|website=onthesetofnewyork.com}}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | ==Reception== | ||
| ===Box office=== | ===Box office=== | ||
| ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' had its ] at the ], where Jack Lemmon won the ].<ref>{{cite news | last = Clark | first = Jennifer | title = Three U.S. entries sign on at 49th Venice Fest | work = ] | date = July 31, 1992 }}</ref> In addition, it was originally slated to be shown at the ], but it was necessary to show it out of competition because it was entered into competition at the Venice Film Festival at the same time. Instead, it was given its North American premiere at the ].<ref>{{cite news | last = Adilman | first = Sid | title = Festivals scrap over movie | work = ] | date = September 1, 1992 }}</ref> The film opened in ] on October 2, 1992 in 416 theaters, grossing $2.1 million |
''Glengarry Glen Ross'' had its ] at the ], where Jack Lemmon won the ].<ref>{{cite news | last = Clark | first = Jennifer | title = Three U.S. entries sign on at 49th Venice Fest | work = ] | date = July 31, 1992 }}</ref> In addition, it was originally slated to be shown at the ], but it was necessary to show it out of competition because it was entered into competition at the Venice Film Festival at the same time. Instead, it was given its North American premiere at the ].<ref>{{cite news | last = Adilman | first = Sid | title = Festivals scrap over movie | work = ] | date = September 1, 1992 }}</ref> The film opened in ] on October 2, 1992, in 416 theaters, grossing $2.1 million in its opening weekend. It made $10.7 million in North America,<ref name="BOM"/> below its $12.5 million budget.<ref name="BOM">{{cite news | title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work=] | url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=glengarryglenross.htm | access-date = 2007-04-17 }}</ref> | ||
| ===Critical response=== | ===Critical response=== | ||
| The film has a rating of 95% on ] based on 56 reviews, with an ] of 8.5/10. The consensus reads, "This adaptation of David Mamet's play is every bit as compelling and witty as its source material, thanks in large part to a clever script and a bevy of powerhouse actors."<ref>{{cite web|title=Glengarry Glen Ross|work=]|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/glengarry_glen_ross/}}</ref> On ], the film has a score of 82 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref name=MC>{{cite web | website=] | url=https://metacritic.com/movie/glengarry-glen-ross | title=Glengarry Glen Ross | access-date=April 8, 2022}}</ref> | The film has a rating of 95% on ], based on 56 reviews, with an ] of 8.5/10. The consensus reads, "This adaptation of David Mamet's play is every bit as compelling and witty as its source material, thanks in large part to a clever script and a bevy of powerhouse actors."<ref>{{cite web|title=Glengarry Glen Ross|work=]|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/glengarry_glen_ross/}}</ref> On ], the film has a score of 82 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref name=MC>{{cite web | website=] | url=https://metacritic.com/movie/glengarry-glen-ross | title=Glengarry Glen Ross | access-date=April 8, 2022}}</ref> | ||
| ] |
], in his review for '']'', gave the film an "A" rating, praising Lemmon's performance as "a revelation" and describing his character as "the weaselly soul of ''Glengarry Glen Ross''–] turned into a one-liner".<ref name="Gleiberman, Owen">{{cite magazine | last = Gleiberman | first = Owen | authorlink = Owen Gleiberman | title = Pros and Cons | magazine = ] | date = October 9, 1992 | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,312081,00.html | access-date = April 17, 2007 | archive-date = April 29, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070429122851/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,312081,00.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> | ||
| In his review for the '']'', ] wrote, "Mamet's dialogue has a kind of logic, a cadence, that allows people to arrive in triumph at the ends of sentences we could not possibly have imagined. There is great energy in it. You can see the joy with which these actors get their teeth into these great lines, after living through movies in which flat dialogue serves only to advance the story."<ref name="Ebert, Roger">{{cite news | last = Ebert | first = Roger | authorlink=Roger Ebert| title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work = ] | date = October 2, 1992 | url = https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/glengarry-glen-ross-1992 | access-date = September 12, 2023 }}</ref> | |||
| '']''{{'}}s ] observed, "Baldwin is sleekly sinister in the role of Blake, a troubleshooter called in to shake up the salesmen. He shakes them up, all right, but this character (not in the original play) also shakes up the movie's toned balance with his sheer noise and ] fury".<ref name="Kroll">{{cite news | last = Kroll | first = Jack | author-link=Jack Kroll| title = Heels, Heroes and Hustlers | work = ] | date = October 5, 1992 | url = http://www.newsweek.com/id/147209/page/2 | access-date = March 31, 2010 }}</ref> In his review for '']'', ] praised the portrayal of "the utterly demonic skill with which these foulmouthed characters carve one another up in futile attempts to stave off disaster. It's also because of the breathtaking wizardry with which Mr. Mamet and Mr. Foley have made a vivid, living film that preserves the claustrophobic nature of the original stage work".<ref name="Canby, Vincent">{{cite news | last = Canby | first = Vincent | author-link= Vincent Canby| title = Mamet's Real Estate Sharks and Their Prey |work = ] | date = September 30, 1992 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0CE7D9113DF933A0575AC0A964958260 | access-date = April 17, 2007 }}</ref> | |||
| In the '']'', ] lauded Foley for his "excellent feeling for the driven and haunted jive rhythms of David Mamet, macho invective and all" and called the film "a superb 1992 delivery of tour de force theater piece".<ref name="Rosenbaum, Jonathan">{{cite news | last = Rosenbaum | first = Jonathan | authorlink=Jonathan Rosenbaum| title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work = ] | date = 1992 | url = https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/glengarry-glen-ross/Film?oid=1050691 | access-date = August 15, 2020 }}</ref> | |||
| In his review for '']'', ] wrote, "A peerless ensemble of actors fills ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' with audible glares and shudders. The play was zippy black comedy about predators in twilight; the film is a photo-essay, shot in morgue closeup, about the difficulty most people have convincing themselves that what they do matters".<ref name="Corliss, Richard">{{cite magazine | last = Corliss | first = Richard | authorlink=Richard Corliss| title = Sweating Out Loud | magazine = ] | date = October 12, 1992 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976707,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207075832/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976707,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 7, 2008 | access-date = April 21, 2008 }}</ref> However, ]'s review in '']'' criticized Foley's direction, writing that it "doesn't add much more than the street between. If his intention is to create a sense of claustrophobia, he also creates the (presumably) unwanted effect of a soundstage. There is no evidence of life outside the immediate world of the movie".<ref name="Howe, Desson">{{cite news | last = Howe | first = Desson | authorlink=Desson Howe| title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | newspaper = ] | date = October 2, 1992 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/glengarryglenrossrhowe_a0af12.htm | access-date = April 17, 2007}}</ref> | |||
| '']''{{'}}s ] hedged his praise, writing that the film was "a well written, well staged and well acted piece, though there is something musty in its aesthetic - that of the huge, bellowing method performance, plastered over a flimsy, one-set world".<ref name="Kehr, Dave">{{cite news | last = Kehr | first = Dave | title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | work = ] | date = October 2, 1992 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-10-02-9203300020-story.html | access-date = August 15, 2020 }}</ref> | |||
| '']''{{'}}s ] observed, "Baldwin is sleekly sinister in the role of Blake, a troubleshooter called in to shake up the salesmen. He shakes them up, all right, but this character (not in the original play) also shakes up the movie's toned balance with his sheer noise and scatological fury".<ref name="Kroll">{{cite news | last = Kroll | first = Jack | author-link=Jack Kroll| title = Heels, Heroes and Hustlers | work = ] | date = October 5, 1992 | url = http://www.newsweek.com/id/147209/page/2 | access-date = March 31, 2010 }}</ref> | |||
| In his review for '']'', ] praised the portrayal of "the utterly demonic skill with which these foulmouthed characters carve one another up in futile attempts to stave off disaster. It's also because of the breathtaking wizardry with which Mr. Mamet and Mr. Foley have made a vivid, living film that preserves the claustrophobic nature of the original stage work."<ref name="Canby, Vincent">{{cite news | last = Canby | first = Vincent | author-link= Vincent Canby| title = Mamet's Real Estate Sharks and Their Prey |work = ] | date = September 30, 1992 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0CE7D9113DF933A0575AC0A964958260 | access-date = April 17, 2007 }}</ref> | |||
| In his review for '']'', ] wrote, "A peerless ensemble of actors fills ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' with audible glares and shudders. The play was zippy black comedy about predators in twilight; the film is a photo-essay, shot in morgue closeup, about the difficulty most people have convincing themselves that what they do matters."<ref name="Corliss, Richard">{{cite magazine | last = Corliss | first = Richard | authorlink=Richard Corliss| title = Sweating Out Loud | magazine = ] | date = October 12, 1992 | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976707,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207075832/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976707,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = December 7, 2008 | access-date = April 21, 2008 }}</ref> | |||
| However, ]'s review in '']'' criticized Foley's direction, writing that it "doesn't add much more than the street between. If his intention is to create a sense of claustrophobia, he also creates the (presumably) unwanted effect of a soundstage. There is no evidence of life outside the immediate world of the movie."<ref name="Howe, Desson">{{cite news | last = Howe | first = Desson | authorlink=Desson Howe| title = ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' | newspaper = ] | date = October 2, 1992 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/glengarryglenrossrhowe_a0af12.htm | access-date = April 17, 2007}}</ref> | |||
| ===Legacy=== | ===Legacy=== | ||
| The film has had an enduring legacy for its memorable dialogue and performances, particularly by Alec Baldwin, whose character was created for the film adaptation to make the pressures of sales work more explicit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williamson |first1=Kevin D. |title=Death of a F***ing Salesman |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/07/donald-trump-cant-close-deal-failing-salesman/ |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=] |date=July 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=D'Angelo |first1=Mike |title=Why Glengarry Glen Ross' Alec Baldwin scene is so unusual |url=https:// |
The film has had an enduring legacy for its memorable dialogue and performances, particularly by Alec Baldwin, whose character was created for the film adaptation to make the pressures of sales work more explicit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williamson |first1=Kevin D. |title=Death of a F***ing Salesman |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/07/donald-trump-cant-close-deal-failing-salesman/ |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=] |date=July 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=D'Angelo |first1=Mike |title=Why Glengarry Glen Ross' Alec Baldwin scene is so unusual |url=https://www.avclub.com/why-glengarry-glen-ross-alec-baldwin-scene-is-so-unusu-1798232383 |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=The A.V. Club |date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> In 2012, on the 20th anniversary of its release, David Wagner of '']'' dubbed it a ],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=David |title=20 Years of Alec Baldwin 'Glengarry Glen Ross' Parodies |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/10/20-years-alec-baldwin-glengarry-glen-ross-parodies/323007/ |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=] |date=October 2, 2012}}</ref> and Tim Grierson of '']'' cited it as one of the "quintessential modern movies about masculinity".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tobias |first1=Scott |title=Glengarry Glen Ross |url=https://www.avclub.com/glengarry-glen-ross-1798219390 |access-date=25 June 2019 |work=Film |date=2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grierson |first1=Tim |title=Always Be Posing: What 20-year-old Glengarry Glen Ross Can Teach Us About Manhood |url=https://deadspin.com/always-be-posing-what-20-year-old-glengarry-glen-ross-5946630 |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=] |date=September 26, 2012}}</ref> In 2014, English critic ] described the ensemble of Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin as "one of the best American casts ever assembled".<ref name="french">{{cite news |last1=French |first1=Philip |title=Glengarry Glen Ross review – Philip French on one of the best American casts ever assembled |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/sep/14/glengarry-glen-ross-classic-dvd-philip-french-review |access-date=June 25, 2019 |work=] |date=September 13, 2014 |author-link=Philip French}}</ref> | ||
| In 2005, Baldwin performed in a '']'' Christmas parody of the "Coffee Is For Closers" scene, portraying a head elf sent by Santa. During the live sketch, Baldwin accidentally said the word "closing" instead of "cobbling", to much applause from the audience.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} | |||
| In the 2017 animated film '']'', the title character (voiced by Baldwin) makes a reference to the infamous "closers" line, stating, "Cookies are for closers," in a meeting with other babies. | |||
| The character of Blake has occasionally appeared on the Australian comedy news television program '']''<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tALK4pXtato |title=Housing Market {{!}} Shaun Micallef’s MAD AS HELL, Wednesday 8:30pm on ABC |date=2020-02-19 |last=madashellabctv |access-date=2024-09-30 |via=YouTube}}</ref> to talk about Government housing schemes and the housing market, using dialogue from the film. The character is played by ]. | |||
| ===Awards and nominations=== | |||
| An SNL Christmas skit references the ABC scene with Alec Baldwin playing the head elf sent by Santa. | |||
| {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Award | |||
| ! Category | |||
| ! Nominee(s) | |||
| ! Result | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="4"| 20/20 Awards | |||
| | colspan="2"| Best Picture | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="2"| Best Supporting Actor | |||
| | ] | |||
| | rowspan="2" {{won}} <br> {{small|(Tied)}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] | |||
| |- | |||
| | Best Adapted Screenplay | |||
| | ] | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ]<ref name="Oscars1993">{{Cite news|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1993 |title=The 65th Academy Awards (1993) Nominees and Winners |access-date=22 October 2011 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109220926/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1993 |archive-date=9 November 2014 }}</ref> | |||
| | ] | |||
| | ] | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="4"| Awards Circuit Community Awards | |||
| | rowspan="2"| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | |||
| | Jack Lemmon | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | Al Pacino | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | Best Adapted Screenplay | |||
| | David Mamet | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | colspan="2"| Best Cast Ensemble | |||
| | {{won}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="2"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chicagofilmcritics.org/awards-blog/archives |title=1988-2013 Award Winner Archives |website=] |date=January 2013 |access-date=24 August 2021}}</ref> | |||
| | ] | |||
| | Al Pacino | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] | |||
| | David Mamet | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] | |||
| | International Critics Awards | |||
| | ] | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/glengarry-glen-ross |title=Glengarry Glen Ross – Golden Globes |website=] |access-date=5 July 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1993}}}}</ref> | |||
| | ] | |||
| | Al Pacino | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="2"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1992/ |title=1992 Award Winners |website=] |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> | |||
| | colspan="2"| ] | |||
| | {{draw|3rd Place}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] | |||
| | Jack Lemmon | |||
| | {{won}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sefca.net/winners#/1992 |title= 1992 SEFA Awards |website=sefca.net |access-date=15 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
| | colspan="2"| Best Picture | |||
| | {{draw|10th Place}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="2"| ] | |||
| | Golden Spike | |||
| | James Foley | |||
| | {{won}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | Best Actor | |||
| | ], Alec Baldwin, <br> ], Jack Lemmon, <br> Al Pacino, ], <br> and ] | |||
| | {{won}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | rowspan="2"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americancinemapapers.com/files/VENICE_1992.htm|title=VENICE 1992 - THE 49th INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL|access-date=6 October 2013}}</ref> | |||
| | ] | |||
| | James Foley | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ] | |||
| | Jack Lemmon | |||
| | {{won}} | |||
| |- | |||
| | ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|title=Awards Winners|work=wga.org|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|archive-date=2012-12-05|access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref> | |||
| | ] | |||
| | David Mamet | |||
| | {{nom}} | |||
| |} | |||
| * '']'' magazine voted it the 470th greatest film in its "500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.<ref>{{cite news | title = 500 Greatest Movies of All Time | work = ] | url = http://www.empireonline.com/500/6.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090106054804/http://www.empireonline.com/500/6.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2009-01-06 | access-date = 2008-09-29 }}</ref> | |||
| ===Awards=== | |||
| {{Anchor|Awards|Accolades}} | |||
| Jack Lemmon was voted Best Actor by the ].<ref name="Variety_Howards-End">{{cite news | title = ''Howards End'' NBR's best film | work = ] | date = December 17, 1992 | url = https://variety.com/1992/film/news/howards-end-nbr-s-best-film-102150/ | access-date = 2015-11-22}}</ref> Al Pacino was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor but did not win.<ref name="Benson, Jim">{{cite news | last = Benson | first = Jim | title = Globes Nod to ''Men'', ''Aladdin'' | work = ] | date = December 30, 1992 }}</ref> He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role but lost to ] for '']''; that year, Pacino was nominated for and won the Best Actor Oscar for '']''.<ref name="Spillman, Susan">{{cite news | last = Spillman | first = Susan | title = Oscar's independent streak | work = ] | date = February 18, 1993 }}</ref> '']'' magazine voted it the 470th greatest film in its "500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.<ref>{{cite news | title = 500 Greatest Movies of All Time | work = ] | url = http://www.empireonline.com/500/6.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090106054804/http://www.empireonline.com/500/6.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2009-01-06 | access-date = 2008-09-29 }} </ref> | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 112: | Line 225: | ||
| {{wikiquote}} | {{wikiquote}} | ||
| * {{IMDb title|0104348}} | * {{IMDb title|0104348}} | ||
| * {{ |
* {{TCMDb title|id=18041}} | ||
| * {{AFI film|59257}} | |||
| * {{mojo title|glengarryglenross}} | * {{mojo title|glengarryglenross}} | ||
| * {{rotten-tomatoes|glengarry_glen_ross}} | * {{rotten-tomatoes|glengarry_glen_ross}} | ||
| * {{Metacritic film}} | * {{Metacritic film}} | ||
| * {{cite news | first=Richard | last=Bernstein | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/15/movies/despite-the-odds-glengarry-is-being-filmed.html | title=Despite the Odds, ''Glengarry'' Is Being Filmed |
* {{cite news | first=Richard | last=Bernstein | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/15/movies/despite-the-odds-glengarry-is-being-filmed.html | title=Despite the Odds, ''Glengarry'' Is Being Filmed | date=August 15, 1991 | newspaper=] | access-date=January 28, 2022}} | ||
| {{James Foley}} | {{James Foley}} | ||
| Line 125: | Line 239: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 22:17, 21 December 2024
1992 American drama by James Foley| Glengarry Glen Ross | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | James Foley |
| Screenplay by | David Mamet |
| Based on | Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Juan Ruiz Anchía |
| Edited by | Howard Smith |
| Music by | James Newton Howard |
| Production company | Zupnik Enterprises |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $12.5 million |
| Box office | $10.7 million (North America) |
Glengarry Glen Ross is a 1992 American tragedy film directed by James Foley and written by David Mamet, based on his 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The film depicts two days in the lives of four real-estate salesmen and their increasing desperation when the corporate office sends a motivational trainer with the threat that all but the top two salesmen will be fired within one week.
Like the play, the film is notorious for its use of profanity, leading the cast to refer to the film jokingly as "Death of a Fuckin' Salesman". The title of the film is derived from the names of two of the real-estate developments being peddled by the salesmen: Glengarry Highlands and Glen Ross Farms.
The film was critically acclaimed and is widely considered one of the best films of the 1990s. The world premiere was held at the 49th Venice Film Festival, where Jack Lemmon was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Al Pacino was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. However, the film was a box-office failure for grossing $10.7 million in North America against a $12.5 million budget. It has since become a cult classic.
Plot
The film depicts two days in the lives of four real-estate salesmen who are supplied with leads—the names and phone numbers of prospects—and use deceitful and dubious sales tactics. Many of the leads rationed by office manager John Williamson lack either the money or the desire to actually invest in land. The firm sends Blake, one of its top salesmen, to motivate the team. In a torrent of verbal abuse, he gives them notice of termination and tells them that only the top two deal-closers of the month (with one week to go) will keep their jobs and gain access to promising leads for the new—and lucrative—Glengarry Highlands development.
Shelley "The Machine" Levene is a once-successful salesman in a long-running slump and with a daughter in the hospital. Desperate to keep his job, Levene tries to persuade Williamson to give him some of the Glengarry leads, but Williamson refuses. Levene first tries to charm Williamson, then to threaten him, and finally to bribe him. Williamson is willing to sell some of the prime leads, but demands cash in advance, which Levene does not have.
Meanwhile, Dave Moss and George Aaronow complain about the firm's management, and Moss proposes that they strike back by stealing all the Glengarry leads and selling them to a competing agency. Moss's plan requires Aaronow to break into the office, stage a burglary and steal all of the prime leads. Aaronow wants no part of the plan, but Moss tries to coerce him, saying that Aaronow is already an accessory before the fact simply because he knows about the proposed burglary.
While all of these events are happening, Richard Roma, the office's top closer, starts to manipulate a meek, middle-aged man named James Lingk into buying a property. Framing the deal as an opportunity rather than a purchase, Roma plays on Lingk's feelings of insecurity.
The next day, when the salesmen arrive at the office, they learn that there has been a burglary and that the Glengarry leads have been stolen. Williamson assures Roma that his contract with Lingk was not stolen, and he and the police question each of the salesmen in private. After his interrogation, an infuriated Moss has one last shouting match with Roma and leaves in disgust. Lingk arrives to demand the return of his down payment under the three-day cooling-off period because his wife objects to the deal. Roma tries several tactics to stall and confuse Lingk but is interrupted by the police detective, who wants to question him. He lies to Lingk, telling him that the check has not yet been cashed and that there is time to change his wife's mind. Williamson, who is unaware of the tactic, contradicts him, causing Lingk to rush out of the office upset. Roma vulgarly berates Williamson for interfering and ruining his sale in the process, then submits to questioning.
Levene, proud of a big sale that he made that morning, takes the opportunity to mock Williamson in private. In his zeal to humiliate Williamson, he mentions that Williamson lied about cashing the check. Williamson realizes that Levene must have broken into the office and seen the check on his desk, and threatens to inform the police if he does not return the leads. Cornered, Levene admits that he sold the leads to a competitor and split the money with Moss. Levene attempts to bribe Williamson with a share of his sales to keep quiet, but Williamson scoffs that Levene has no sales. His latest buyers are a notorious deadbeat couple who have no money and merely enjoy talking to salesmen. Levene, crushed by this revelation, asks Williamson why he seeks to ruin him. Williamson coldly responds, "Because I don't like you." Levene pleads for his ill daughter, but Williamson rebuffs him and leaves to inform the detective.
Roma emerges from questioning. Unaware of the exchange, he compliments Levene on his sale and suggests that they form their own partnership. As Levene gets up to meet with the detective, he looks back wistfully at Roma, who has already returned to his sales work.
Cast
- Al Pacino as Richard Roma, the office’s top closer
- Jack Lemmon as Sheldon "Shelley the Machine" Levene
- Alec Baldwin as Blake, a top salesman, sent to motivate the room
- Alan Arkin as George Aaronow, office salesman
- Ed Harris as Dave Moss, office salesman
- Kevin Spacey as John Williamson, the office manager
- Jonathan Pryce as James Lingk, Roma’s customer
- Bruce Altman as Larry Spannel, a prospective customer of Shelley
- Jude Ciccolella as Detective Baylen
- Lori Tan Chinn as Coat Check Girl
Production
David Mamet's play was first performed in 1983 at the National Theatre in London. It won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. That year, the play made its American debut in Chicago before moving to Broadway. Producer Jerry Tokofsky read the play on a trip to New York City in 1985 at the suggestion of director Irvin Kershner, who wanted to make it into a film. Tokofsky saw the play on Broadway and contacted Mamet. Stanley R. Zupnik was a Washington, D.C.–based producer of B movies who was looking for a more profitable project. Tokofsky had co-produced two previous Zupnik films. In 1986, Tokofsky told Zupnik about Mamet's play, and Zupnik saw it on Broadway but found the plot confusing.
Mamet wanted $500,000 for the film rights and another $500,000 to write the screenplay. Zupnik agreed to pay Mamet's $1 million asking price, figuring that they could make a deal with a cable company to bankroll the production. Because of the uncompromising subject matter and abrasive language, no major studio wanted to finance it, even with film stars attached. Financing came from cable and video companies, a German television station, an Australian cinema chain, several banks, and New Line Cinema across four years.
Al Pacino originally wanted to do the play on Broadway, but at the time, he was doing another Mamet production, American Buffalo, in London. He expressed interest in appearing in the film adaptation. In 1989, Tokofsky proposed a role to Jack Lemmon. During this time, Kershner dropped out to make another film, RoboCop 2, as did Pacino with Sea of Love. Alec Baldwin, also attached, was earmarked to play the Roma role vacated by Pacino. He reportedly left the project over a contract disagreement, the real reason being that Pacino was still being considered for Roma and would be cast over Baldwin if he elected to accept the role.
James Foley's agent sent Mamet's screenplay to Foley in early 1991, but Foley was hesitant to direct because he "wanted great actors, people with movie charisma, to give it watchability, especially since the locations were so restricted". Foley took the screenplay to Pacino, with whom he had been trying to work on a film for years. Foley was hired to direct, but would leave the production as well.
By March 1991, Tokofsky contacted Baldwin and begged him to reconsider doing the film. Baldwin's character was specifically written for the actor and the film, and is not in the play. Tokofsky remembers, "Alec said, 'I've read 25 scripts and nothing is as good as this. OK. If you make it, I'll do it.'" The two arranged for an informal reading with Lemmon in Los Angeles. Subsequently, the three organized readings with several other actors. Lemmon remembered, "Some of the best damn actors you're ever going to see came in and read and I'm talking about names." Tokofsky's lawyer Jake Bloom called a meeting at the Creative Artists Agency, who represented many of the actors involved, and asked for their help. CAA showed little interest, but two of their clients, Ed Harris and Kevin Spacey, soon joined the cast.
Because of the film's modest budget, many of the actors took significant pay cuts. For example, Pacino cut his per-movie price from $6 million to $1.5 million, Lemmon was paid $1 million, and Baldwin received $250,000. Other actors, like Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Joe Mantegna, expressed interest in the film. Mantegna had been in the original Broadway cast and won a Tony Award in 1985 for his portrayal of Roma.
When the cast was assembled, they spent three weeks in rehearsals. With a budget of $12.5 million, filming began in August 1991 at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York, and on location in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, over 39 days. Harris remembered, "There were five and six-page scenes we would shoot all at once. It was more like doing a play at times you'd get the continuity going." Alan Arkin said of the script, "What made it was the language and the rhythms, which are enormously difficult to absorb." During filming, cast members would arrive outside of their required days, just to watch the other actors' performances.
The director of photography, Juan Ruiz Anchía, relied on low lighting and shadows. A color scheme of blues, greens and reds was used for the first part of the film, and the second half has a monochromatic blue-grey color scheme.
During production, Tokofsky and Zupnik had a falling out over money and credit for the film. Tokofsky sued to strip Zupnik of his producer's credit and share of the producer's fee. Zupnik claimed that he personally invested $2 million of the film's budget and countersued, claiming that Tokofsky was fired for embezzlement.
The setting is never explicitly stated. The play is set in Mamet’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The film includes numerous references to New York City, including an establishing shot of a New York City Subway platform, followed by a close-up of a New York Telephone-branded payphone, NYPD police cars and insignia, and New York license plates. A reflection in the subway windows at the film's end clearly shows the name Sheepshead Bay. Film critics and journalists have placed the setting in Chicago because of the many verbal references, including the Como Inn and Peterson and Western Avenues. In addition, several Chicago suburbs are mentioned, including Morton Grove, Batavia and Kenilworth. Exterior shots were filmed on location in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.
Reception
Box office
Glengarry Glen Ross had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where Jack Lemmon won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. In addition, it was originally slated to be shown at the Montreal World Film Festival, but it was necessary to show it out of competition because it was entered into competition at the Venice Film Festival at the same time. Instead, it was given its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film opened in wide release on October 2, 1992, in 416 theaters, grossing $2.1 million in its opening weekend. It made $10.7 million in North America, below its $12.5 million budget.
Critical response
The film has a rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 56 reviews, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The consensus reads, "This adaptation of David Mamet's play is every bit as compelling and witty as its source material, thanks in large part to a clever script and a bevy of powerhouse actors." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 82 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
Owen Gleiberman, in his review for Entertainment Weekly, gave the film an "A" rating, praising Lemmon's performance as "a revelation" and describing his character as "the weaselly soul of Glengarry Glen Ross–Willy Loman turned into a one-liner".
In his review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert wrote, "Mamet's dialogue has a kind of logic, a cadence, that allows people to arrive in triumph at the ends of sentences we could not possibly have imagined. There is great energy in it. You can see the joy with which these actors get their teeth into these great lines, after living through movies in which flat dialogue serves only to advance the story."
In the Chicago Reader, Jonathan Rosenbaum lauded Foley for his "excellent feeling for the driven and haunted jive rhythms of David Mamet, macho invective and all" and called the film "a superb 1992 delivery of tour de force theater piece".
The Chicago Tribune's Dave Kehr hedged his praise, writing that the film was "a well written, well staged and well acted piece, though there is something musty in its aesthetic - that of the huge, bellowing method performance, plastered over a flimsy, one-set world".
Newsweek's Jack Kroll observed, "Baldwin is sleekly sinister in the role of Blake, a troubleshooter called in to shake up the salesmen. He shakes them up, all right, but this character (not in the original play) also shakes up the movie's toned balance with his sheer noise and scatological fury".
In his review for The New York Times, Vincent Canby praised the portrayal of "the utterly demonic skill with which these foulmouthed characters carve one another up in futile attempts to stave off disaster. It's also because of the breathtaking wizardry with which Mr. Mamet and Mr. Foley have made a vivid, living film that preserves the claustrophobic nature of the original stage work."
In his review for Time, Richard Corliss wrote, "A peerless ensemble of actors fills Glengarry Glen Ross with audible glares and shudders. The play was zippy black comedy about predators in twilight; the film is a photo-essay, shot in morgue closeup, about the difficulty most people have convincing themselves that what they do matters."
However, Desson Howe's review in The Washington Post criticized Foley's direction, writing that it "doesn't add much more than the street between. If his intention is to create a sense of claustrophobia, he also creates the (presumably) unwanted effect of a soundstage. There is no evidence of life outside the immediate world of the movie."
Legacy
The film has had an enduring legacy for its memorable dialogue and performances, particularly by Alec Baldwin, whose character was created for the film adaptation to make the pressures of sales work more explicit. In 2012, on the 20th anniversary of its release, David Wagner of The Atlantic dubbed it a cult classic, and Tim Grierson of Deadspin cited it as one of the "quintessential modern movies about masculinity". In 2014, English critic Philip French described the ensemble of Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin as "one of the best American casts ever assembled".
In 2005, Baldwin performed in a Saturday Night Live Christmas parody of the "Coffee Is For Closers" scene, portraying a head elf sent by Santa. During the live sketch, Baldwin accidentally said the word "closing" instead of "cobbling", to much applause from the audience.
In the 2017 animated film The Boss Baby, the title character (voiced by Baldwin) makes a reference to the infamous "closers" line, stating, "Cookies are for closers," in a meeting with other babies.
The character of Blake has occasionally appeared on the Australian comedy news television program Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell to talk about Government housing schemes and the housing market, using dialogue from the film. The character is played by Tosh Greenslade.
Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/20 Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Alec Baldwin | Won (Tied) | |
| Jack Lemmon | |||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | David Mamet | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Al Pacino | Nominated |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Jack Lemmon | Nominated |
| Al Pacino | Nominated | ||
| Best Adapted Screenplay | David Mamet | Nominated | |
| Best Cast Ensemble | Won | ||
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Al Pacino | Nominated |
| Best Screenplay | David Mamet | Nominated | |
| Deauville American Film Festival | International Critics Awards | James Foley | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Al Pacino | Nominated |
| National Board of Review Awards | Top Ten Films | 3rd Place | |
| Best Actor | Jack Lemmon | Won | |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards | Best Picture | 10th Place | |
| Valladolid International Film Festival | Golden Spike | James Foley | Won |
| Best Actor | Alan Arkin, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Jonathan Pryce, and Kevin Spacey |
Won | |
| Venice International Film Festival | Golden Lion | James Foley | Nominated |
| Best Actor | Jack Lemmon | Won | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published | David Mamet | Nominated |
- Empire magazine voted it the 470th greatest film in its "500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.
References
- "Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)". The-Numbers.com. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
- ^ "Glengarry Glen Ross". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-04-17.
- "Ed Harris". Inside the Actors Studio. Season 7. Episode 6. December 17, 2000. Bravo!.
- ^ Weinraub, Bernard (October 12, 1992). "The Glengarry Math: Add Money and Stars, then Subtract Ego". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-03-31.
- ^ Blanchard, Jayne M (September 27, 1992). "Glengarry Hits the Screen with the Joys of Male Angst". Washington Times.
- Hartl, John (September 28, 1992). "Director is Happy to put Big Stars in Film Version of Mamet Play". Seattle Times.
- ^ "Glengarry Glen Ross Production Notes". New Line Cinema Press Kit. 1992.
- Berardinelli, James (2006). "Glengarry Glen Ross". ReelViews. Retrieved 2007-09-23.
- ^ Powers, William F (October 4, 1992). "Pacino, Mamet and . . . Zupnik; Who? The Local Real Estate Mogul Behind Glengarry". The Washington Post.
- Martin, Murilee (May 23, 2018). "Five GM rides and an 8-Series: Cars of the film "Glengarry Glen Ross"". Autoweek. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- Levitt, Helen (January 23, 2011). "New York Phone Booths". The Payphone Project. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- Bernstein, Richard (August 15, 1991). "Despite the Odds, 'Glengarry' Is Being Filmed". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (October 2, 1992). "Glengarry Glen Ross". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- "Glengarry Glen Ross Film Locations - [otsoNY.com]". onthesetofnewyork.com. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- Clark, Jennifer (July 31, 1992). "Three U.S. entries sign on at 49th Venice Fest". Variety.
- Adilman, Sid (September 1, 1992). "Festivals scrap over movie". Toronto Star.
- "Glengarry Glen Ross". Rotten Tomatoes.
- "Glengarry Glen Ross". Metacritic. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
- Gleiberman, Owen (October 9, 1992). "Pros and Cons". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 29, 2007. Retrieved April 17, 2007.
- Rosenbaum, Jonathan (1992). "Glengarry Glen Ross". Chicago Reader. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- Kehr, Dave (October 2, 1992). "Glengarry Glen Ross". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- Kroll, Jack (October 5, 1992). "Heels, Heroes and Hustlers". Newsweek. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
- Canby, Vincent (September 30, 1992). "Mamet's Real Estate Sharks and Their Prey". The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2007.
- Corliss, Richard (October 12, 1992). "Sweating Out Loud". Time. Archived from the original on December 7, 2008. Retrieved April 21, 2008.
- Howe, Desson (October 2, 1992). "Glengarry Glen Ross". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 17, 2007.
- Williamson, Kevin D. (July 30, 2017). "Death of a F***ing Salesman". National Review. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- D'Angelo, Mike (July 23, 2012). "Why Glengarry Glen Ross' Alec Baldwin scene is so unusual". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- Wagner, David (October 2, 2012). "20 Years of Alec Baldwin 'Glengarry Glen Ross' Parodies". The Atlantic. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- Tobias, Scott (2010). "Glengarry Glen Ross". Film. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
- Grierson, Tim (September 26, 2012). "Always Be Posing: What 20-year-old Glengarry Glen Ross Can Teach Us About Manhood". Deadspin. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- French, Philip (September 13, 2014). "Glengarry Glen Ross review – Philip French on one of the best American casts ever assembled". The Guardian. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
- madashellabctv (2020-02-19). Housing Market | Shaun Micallef’s MAD AS HELL, Wednesday 8:30pm on ABC. Retrieved 2024-09-30 – via YouTube.
- "The 65th Academy Awards (1993) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on 9 November 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
- "1988-2013 Award Winner Archives". Chicago Film Critics Association. January 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- "Glengarry Glen Ross – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- "1992 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
- "1992 SEFA Awards". sefca.net. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- "VENICE 1992 - THE 49th INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL". Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- "Awards Winners". wga.org. Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- "500 Greatest Movies of All Time". Empire. Archived from the original on 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
External links
- Glengarry Glen Ross at IMDb
- Glengarry Glen Ross at the TCM Movie Database
- Glengarry Glen Ross at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- Glengarry Glen Ross at Box Office Mojo
- Glengarry Glen Ross at Rotten Tomatoes
- Glengarry Glen Ross at Metacritic
- Bernstein, Richard (August 15, 1991). "Despite the Odds, Glengarry Is Being Filmed". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
| Films directed by James Foley | |
|---|---|
|
- 1992 films
- 1992 drama films
- 1992 independent films
- 1990s American films
- 1990s business films
- 1990s English-language films
- American business films
- American drama films
- American films based on plays
- American independent films
- English-language drama films
- Films about salespeople
- Films based on works by David Mamet
- Films directed by James Foley
- Films scored by James Newton Howard
- Films set in offices
- Films shot in New York City
- Films with screenplays by David Mamet
- New Line Cinema films
- English-language independent films