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The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975) 6.8
A suddenly unemployed ex-executive suffers a nervous breakdown. Director:Melvin Frank |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jack Lemmon | ... | ||
| Anne Bancroft | ... |
Edna Edison
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Gene Saks | ... |
Harry Edison
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| Elizabeth Wilson | ... |
Pauline
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| Florence Stanley | ... |
Pearl
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| Maxine Stuart | ... |
Belle Edison
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| Ed Peck | ... |
Mr. Jacobi
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Gene Blakely | ... |
Charlie
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Ivor Francis | ... |
Psychiatrist
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Stack Pierce | ... |
Detective
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Patricia Marshall | ... |
Mrs. Jacobi
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Dee Carroll | ... |
Helen
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Ketty Lester | ... |
Unemployment Clerk
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| M. Emmet Walsh | ... |
Joe
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
The story of Mel and Edna (Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft), a middle-class, middle-aged, middle-happy couple living in a Manhattan high rise apartment building. Mel loses his job, the apartment is robbed, Edna gets a job, Mel loses his mind, Edna loses her job . . . to say nothing of the more minor tribulations of nosy neighbors, helpful relatives and exact bus fares. The couple suffers indignity after indignity (some self-inflicted) and when they seem on the verge of surrender, they thumb their noses defiantly and dig the trenches for battle. Written by alfiehitchie
Taglines:
...and you think you've got problems.Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
5 May 1975 (Sweden) See more »Also Known As:
A Második utca foglyai See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Similar to the earlier Neil Simon film Plaza Suite (1971), locations and exteriors were filmed in New York City whilst interiors were shot in California, this time at the Burbank Studios. See more »Goofs
(at around 1h 12 mins) Harry's hands jump from being neatly interlaced on his lap to sprawled out on the chair arms. See more »Quotes
Mel: I've been here for three hours Harry... so far I got poison ivy, got chewed up by gnats, laid down in manuare, and your dog piddled all over my car... so I haven't really had a lot of time for rural ecstasy.See more »
I've always thought of Neil Simon as being the one playwright consistently able to capture the genuine flavor of New York as a backdrop to the realistic personalities of his characters. Not being a New Yorker - Silicon Valley is about as far away as you can get - I'm afraid I have not been drawn to movies of his plays as strongly as to other comedies.
But Prisoner of Second Avenue is an exception. Maybe it's because I am indeed in Silicon Valley, where layoffs are something we all get to experience. But this movie captured so aptly the craziness of being laid off, staying home all day - seeing only the one you love (but starting to hate him/her too as an extension of your own self-hatred). Making petty grievances huge, and trying to pretend the truly huge issues no longer exist. And worrying about the bills, and the clothes, and how silly the family behaves when money gets involved. And how the bad luck seems to snowball. And how "therapy" sessions seem so futile.
The acting is superb - but I don't know of a movie where Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft have ever given us any less. Bancroft, in particular, when she makes the transition to anger, is perfect. Thankfully we're not handed any sop at the end either.
The subject is so realistic that I don't find it funny at all - but that's a failing of the times we live in, not the movie. A great flick.