IMDb RATING
6.1/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Harry breaks down and loses his job after his wife is assassinated - could it be his turn next ?Harry breaks down and loses his job after his wife is assassinated - could it be his turn next ?Harry breaks down and loses his job after his wife is assassinated - could it be his turn next ?
Gary Goetzman
- Tour Guide
- (as Gary Getzman)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaMiklós Rózsa score for this film was composed in the style of Bernard Herrmann who worked regularly with thriller director Alfred Hitchcock. This film's composer Rózsa had worked with Hitchcock himself once, on Spellbound (1945).
- GoofsIn the scene in the synagogue, Harry appears to be going through a register book when he finds his grandfather's name. Actually, he's reading a tractate of the Talmud, which is entirely in Aramaica and Hebrew - and he's holding it upside down.
- Quotes
Sam Urdell: [to Harry when part of the old facade of the building is crow-barred off] This was the prime whorehouse of the East Side. A moment of reverence, please: fifty years ago, this was the very place I lost my cherry.
Featured review
Good Effort, but Still Just a Poor Man's Hitchcock
6 out of 10
A mysterious man, who works for a mysterious organization, is being chased by some mysterious killers, for some unknown and mysterious reason. Has all the trappings of a bubblegum thriller and when you scrape away all the flashiness that is really all you get.
Not that it isn't entertaining. The camera movements and angles are downright dazzling. I especially liked those frantic zoom shots that look like it's shot from a camera put on a roller coaster car. There is also some interesting use of lighting and framing. Not to mention some terrific on location shooting especially the Niagara Falls finale. The story is very fast paced with a new twist coming with literally every scene. There is also a wide assortment of other gimmicks used that on a non-think level can be fun, especially during the first hour. The haunting music score is good too although it gets played a bit too much.
The problem really comes with the fact that all these twists and turns really add up to a lot of nothing. Too much is left unexplained and the final revelation seems far-fetched. There is a wide segment of other loopholes and there is just the plain old fact that you have probably seen a lot of this before. It also becomes very cliched and even kind of annoying at the end. The film expects you to become close to characters that on the whole are very poorly fleshed out.
The movie does offer a great opportunity to see Janet Margolin who is a very uniquely and naturally beautiful woman. Even when she is made to look frumpy she is beautiful. She has a face that looks like it never got past 21. She closely resembles 80's porn stars Kelly Nichols or Jennifer Noxt.
Scheider does not fare as well. He looks alright, but his presence is very transparent. He just doesn't seem to have a strong enough personality or acting ability to really create a memorable or forceful impression. Also that white suit he wears all the time has really got to go.
Overall despite it's best efforts it is still just a poor man's Hitchcock. The real thing is still better.
A mysterious man, who works for a mysterious organization, is being chased by some mysterious killers, for some unknown and mysterious reason. Has all the trappings of a bubblegum thriller and when you scrape away all the flashiness that is really all you get.
Not that it isn't entertaining. The camera movements and angles are downright dazzling. I especially liked those frantic zoom shots that look like it's shot from a camera put on a roller coaster car. There is also some interesting use of lighting and framing. Not to mention some terrific on location shooting especially the Niagara Falls finale. The story is very fast paced with a new twist coming with literally every scene. There is also a wide assortment of other gimmicks used that on a non-think level can be fun, especially during the first hour. The haunting music score is good too although it gets played a bit too much.
The problem really comes with the fact that all these twists and turns really add up to a lot of nothing. Too much is left unexplained and the final revelation seems far-fetched. There is a wide segment of other loopholes and there is just the plain old fact that you have probably seen a lot of this before. It also becomes very cliched and even kind of annoying at the end. The film expects you to become close to characters that on the whole are very poorly fleshed out.
The movie does offer a great opportunity to see Janet Margolin who is a very uniquely and naturally beautiful woman. Even when she is made to look frumpy she is beautiful. She has a face that looks like it never got past 21. She closely resembles 80's porn stars Kelly Nichols or Jennifer Noxt.
Scheider does not fare as well. He looks alright, but his presence is very transparent. He just doesn't seem to have a strong enough personality or acting ability to really create a memorable or forceful impression. Also that white suit he wears all the time has really got to go.
Overall despite it's best efforts it is still just a poor man's Hitchcock. The real thing is still better.
helpful•1514
- rwint
- Nov 30, 2003
- How long is Last Embrace?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Last Embrace
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,537,125
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $376,896
- May 6, 1979
- Gross worldwide
- $1,537,125
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content