. I came across an old Robin Williams movie at the library and watched it tonight.
It takes place in the 1950s. Robin Williams plays an uncharacteristically serious role, no laughs here, of a salesman who quits his job after his boss gives away half of his territory to the boss' son. Robin's wife has already left him, and taken their two kids with her. He's on a downward spiral, quickly running out of money, and in desperation, entrusts most of his life savings to a friend (Jerry Stiller, who plays the father of Seinfeld in Seinfeld) who assures him he can get rich trading commodities.
You know what happens next. He loses it all. Throughout the movie, Robin manages to portray a desperate man who's teetering on the edge. He pleads with his dad for help, or just a kind word, but his father refuses to lend him money. Over and over again, his dad tells him he's nothing without money, and he's so ashamed about his son's career failure that he lies to his friends that his son makes in the high five figures.
In the last scene, Robin stumbles into a church because he thought he spotted the commodities trader, who disappeared after losing Robin's savings.. He slumps into a pew where a funeral is taking place and he breaks down, sobbing, while the mourners assume he must be a close friend of the deceased.
It's an interesting movie if you like Robin Williams or if you'd enjoy, as I did, the shots of the NY Stock Exchange and the archaic trading boards, along with the old hotel with its baths and saunas. There are an awful lot of familiar faces in the movie, though I don't know who they are.
Seize the Day - A Movie About Money
January 18th, 2012 at 02:38 am
January 18th, 2012 at 04:25 am 1326860730
Just a small correction, Jerry Stiller wasn't Seinfeld's dad, he was George's dad. He is also married to Anne Meara and is the father (in real life) of Ben Stiller.
January 18th, 2012 at 12:51 pm 1326891109
January 18th, 2012 at 01:39 pm 1326893980
January 18th, 2012 at 05:49 pm 1326908946
January 18th, 2012 at 05:56 pm 1326909419
He and his wife were very popular when I was younger, often on the Ed Sullivan show! His wife, Ann Meara, appeared on Archie Bunker's place after Edith Bunker left the show.