{"id":4361,"date":"2007-10-02T13:21:21","date_gmt":"2007-10-02T20:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4361"},"modified":"2023-12-08T12:54:50","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T19:54:50","slug":"late-show-the-1977","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4361","title":{"rendered":"Late Show, The (1977)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Back in the &#8217;40s, this town was crawlin&#8217; with dollies like you.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Poster-199x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-22445\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Poster-199x300.jpg 199w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Poster.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 199px) 100vw, 199px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn aging private eye (Art Carney) whose partner (Howard Duff) has just been killed is hired by a ditzy artist (Lily Tomlin) to find the man who stole her cat; soon he finds himself embroiled in a complex web of murder, infidelity, and blackmail.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Art Carney Films<\/li>\n<li>Detectives and Private Eyes<\/li>\n<li>Has-Beens<\/li>\n<li>Lily Tomlin Films<\/li>\n<li>Los Angeles<\/li>\n<li>Murder Mystery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nRobert Benton&#8217;s second directorial feature gave veteran T.V. star Art Carney a plum role as detective Ira Wells, and allowed young Lily Tomlin to revel in her innate wackiness. The entire affair is essentially an homage to P.I. flicks of the &#8217;40s and &#8217;50s, with good use of diverse city locales, a host of dicey characters, and the presence of a MacGuffin (Tomlin&#8217;s cat). The primary reason to watch this good-hearted film, however, is for the lead performances by Carney and Tomlin, who are perhaps one of the oddest would-be romantic couples on-screen, and who perfectly represent the culture clash between &#8217;40s old-school demeanor and &#8217;70s New Age wackiness. Unfortunately, Benton&#8217;s plot is ultimately too convoluted for its own good, and prevents <em>The Late Show<\/em> from being essential viewing &#8212; but it&#8217;s still well worth a look. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Art Carney as Ira Wells<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68044\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Carney-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Lily Tomlin as Margo Sperling<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68043\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Tomlin-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Eugene Roche as Birdwell<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Roche-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The amusing May-December rapport between Margo and Ira<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Rapport-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Good use of authentic L.A. locales<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-68045\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles-128x72.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/10\/Late-Show-Los-Angeles-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s recommended.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0076301\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-late-show-1977\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/24497\/the-late-show#articles-reviews?articleId=1285748\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeout.com\/movies\/the-late-show\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Back in the &#8217;40s, this town was crawlin&#8217; with dollies like you.&#8221; Synopsis: An aging private eye (Art Carney) whose partner (Howard Duff) has just been killed is hired by a ditzy artist (Lily Tomlin) to find the man who stole her cat; soon he finds himself embroiled in a complex web of murder, infidelity, and blackmail. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Art Carney Films Detectives and Private Eyes Has-Beens Lily Tomlin Films Los Angeles Murder Mystery Review: Robert Benton&#8217;s&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4361\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4361"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93836,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4361\/revisions\/93836"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}