Based on Eugene O'Neill's famous play, a group of alcoholics live their lives for the most part blind drunk, hanging on to pipe dreams of what will come to rescue them. The exception is Larry, Robert Ryan, an ex anarchist who is dying and never had any dreams. He is joined by Don, Jeff Bridges, a young anarchist, who may be Larry's son and who seems choked up by what he seems to have done to his mother. During the course of the story we learn all about the characters and their dreams as they prepare for a birthday party for Harry, alcoholic owner of the bar, Frederick March. They also await Hickey, Lee Marvin, who returns whilst on his sales tours regularly and is always the life and soul of the party. He arrives, but this time he has quit the booze and tries to persuade the others to get on with life as their dreams are just feeble excuses for not facing their alcoholism and lack of life. The effect of Hickey's 'preaching' takes up the remainder of the story impacting the characters differently.
Quite extraordinary character piece with a bar room set chocked full of great actors giving their all and not a duff performance amongst them. The protagonist here, if there is one as such an ensemble cast is Robert Ryan who gives probably the best performance of his career, full of anger and fear of death and only challenger to antagonist Marvin, who is also very impressive as his story wilts and changes, leading to the inevitable dramatic reveal. The third great performance and third lead if you will is Frederick March, angry owner of the bar, struggling with endless problems he must face, which do not really exist, to avoid facing up to reality. The remaining characters, in smaller, but nonetheless important roles though are all good. A moving, theatrical piece then by acting giants you will remember for some time.
Quite extraordinary character piece with a bar room set chocked full of great actors giving their all and not a duff performance amongst them. The protagonist here, if there is one as such an ensemble cast is Robert Ryan who gives probably the best performance of his career, full of anger and fear of death and only challenger to antagonist Marvin, who is also very impressive as his story wilts and changes, leading to the inevitable dramatic reveal. The third great performance and third lead if you will is Frederick March, angry owner of the bar, struggling with endless problems he must face, which do not really exist, to avoid facing up to reality. The remaining characters, in smaller, but nonetheless important roles though are all good. A moving, theatrical piece then by acting giants you will remember for some time.