Seize the Day (film)

Last updated
Seize the Day
Seize the Day (film).jpg
Directed by Fielder Cook
Written by Ronald Ribman
Starring Robin Williams
Jerry Stiller
Joseph Wiseman
Richard B. Shull
Glenne Headly
Stephen Strimpell
CinematographyEric Van Haren Noman
Edited bySidney Katz
Music by Elizabeth Swados
Production
company
Learning In Focus
Distributed by HBO/Cannon Video
Release dates
September 9, 1986 (Toronto International Film Festival)
May 1, 1987
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Seize the Day is a 1986 television film directed by Fielder Cook. It stars Robin Williams, Jerry Stiller and Joseph Wiseman, [1] and is based on the novel of the same name by Saul Bellow. It was broadcast on the PBS series, Great Performances , in May 1987. [2]

Contents

Plot

In 1956, [2] after losing his job as a traveling salesman of children's furniture, down-on-his-luck Tommy Wilhelm leaves Massachusetts for New York City. He is under financial strain because of the demands of his wife, from whom he is separated. He moves into the same hotel that houses his physician father, Dr. Adler, with whom he has a strained relationship.

Flashbacks show how Tommy moved to Los Angeles, changed his name, and tried to become an actor, which failed. His marriage failed, so he left his wife, and is estranged from their two sons.

In New York, Tommy becomes involved with Dr. Tamkin, an acquaintance of his father's, who speculates in the commodities market. Tommy agrees to open an account managed by Tamkin on a 50–50 basis, but Tamkin persuades Tommy to put up most of the money. When prices decline and Tommy wants to cash in the account, Tamkin urges Tommy to remain calm and seize the day.

The commodities venture collapses, so Tommy has lost his life savings, and cannot even pay his hotel bill. His estranged wife is unsympathetic, and his father refuses to help him or even provide emotional support. Tommy tries to find Tamkin, who has vanished. He happens on a stranger's funeral, where he cries and is mistaken for a mourner.

Cast

Production

Williams's casting in the role was billed as a sharp departure from his previous roles, most of which were comedic, such as the TV series, Mork and Mindy (although he had previously appeared in dramatic roles, including The World According to Garp). Williams described it as "kind of like a Jewish Greek drama". The movie was filmed in New York City during a period of 30 days, longer than most television movies on commercial networks at the time, but far shorter than the shooting schedule of a feature film. [3]

The film was blocked from theatrical release by Williams's management company. The San Francisco Examiner reported that the decision was made because the film was not like the comedies for which Williams was known. [4]

Reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer critic, Ken Tucker, praised the performances, but wrote that the film was "a little boring in its relentless depression". The director, he wrote, was "all too willing to let a scene dawdle, the better to emphasize Tommy's torture". [5]

A San Francisco Examiner critic called the film a "powerful drama" and a "remarkably faithful reproduction" of the Bellow novel, and praised the performances, calling Williams "first rate". [4]

The New York Times critic, John J. O'Connor, praised Wiseman's performance, and said that Stiller "steals the film". But he criticized the casting of Robin Williams as too "Middle American" for a role as a Jewish New Yorker. He wrote that Williams's performance was excessively intense, and that the portrayal of Jewish people whose only yardstick is money is "a scenario calculated to unsettle, possibly even offend". [2]

Writing in New York magazine, critic John Leonard called the film "ugly stuff", but said that Williams "is, for the most part, up to it". [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saul Bellow</span> Canadian-American writer (1915–2005)

Saul Bellow was a Canadian–American writer. For his literary work, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the 1976 Nobel Prize in Literature, and the National Medal of Arts. He is the only writer to win the National Book Award for Fiction three times, and he received the National Book Foundation's lifetime Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Williams</span> American actor and comedian (1951–2014)

Robin McLaurin Williams was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. He received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2005.

<i>Brigadoon</i> Musical by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner

Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song "Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Nichols</span> American film and theatre director (1931–2014)

Mike Nichols was an American film and theatre director. He worked across a range of genres and had an aptitude for getting the best out of actors regardless of their experience. He is one of 19 people to have won all four of the major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT). His other honors included three BAFTA Awards, the Lincoln Center Gala Tribute in 1999, the National Medal of Arts in 2001, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2010. His films received a total of 42 Academy Award nominations, and seven wins.

<i>Dead Poets Society</i> 1989 American film by Peter Weir

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. The film, starring Robin Williams, is set in 1959 at the fictional elite boarding school, Welton Academy, and tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Wiseman</span> Canadian-born American actor (1918–2009)

Joseph Wiseman was a Canadian-American theatre, film, and television actor who starred as the villain Julius No in the first James Bond film, Dr. No, in 1962. Wiseman was also known for his role as Manny Weisbord on the TV series Crime Story and his career on Broadway. He was once called "the spookiest actor in the American theatre".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Van Fleet</span> American actress (1915–1996)

Jo Van Fleet was an American stage, film, and television actress. During her long career, which spanned over four decades, she often played characters much older than her actual age. Van Fleet won a Tony Award in 1954 for her performance in the Broadway production The Trip to Bountiful, and the next year she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her supporting role in East of Eden.

<i>Henderson the Rain King</i> 1959 novel by Saul Bellow

Henderson the Rain King is a 1959 novel by Saul Bellow. The book's blend of philosophical discourse and comic adventure has helped make it one of his more popular works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fyvush Finkel</span> American actor

Philip "Fyvush" Finkel was an American actor known as a star of Yiddish theater and for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television series Picket Fences, for which he earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1994. He is also known for his portrayal of Harvey Lipschultz, a crotchety history teacher, on the television series Boston Public.

<i>Seize the Day</i> (novel) 1956 short story collection by Saul Bellow

Seize the Day, first published in 1956, is Saul Bellow's fourth book, containing the title novella, three short stories, and a one-act play. A review in The New Republic stated that the volume contained "at least three brilliant stories", and concluded, "Altogether, Bellow seems more suited by temperament and ability than any writer or his generation to create for America 'the untreated conscience' of modern man." The book was a finalist for the 1957 National Book Award for Fiction.

<i>Not as a Stranger</i> 1955 film by Stanley Kramer

Not as a Stranger is a 1955 American film noir drama film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Olivia de Havilland, Robert Mitchum, Frank Sinatra and Gloria Grahame. It is based on the 1954 novel of the same name by Morton Thompson, which topped that year's list of bestselling novels in the United States. The film's supporting cast features Broderick Crawford, Charles Bickford, Lon Chaney Jr., Lee Marvin, Harry Morgan and Mae Clarke.

<i>Smile</i> (1975 film) 1975 comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie

Smile is a 1975 American satirical comedy film directed by Michael Ritchie, written by Jerry Belson, and starring Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, and Geoffrey Lewis. Filmed on location in Santa Rosa, the film premiered at the USA Film Festival in Dallas, Texas, and opened theatrically in Los Angeles in July 1975 before screening at the 1975 New York Film Festival. Though it received generally favorable reviews from critics, the film was a box-office flop. In the years since its release, Smile went on to develop a cult following,. It was adapted into a 1986 Broadway musical of the same name with songs by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman.

<i>Bye Bye Braverman</i> 1968 American black comedy film by Sidney Lumet

Bye Bye Braverman is a 1968 American comedy film directed by Sidney Lumet. The screenplay by Herbert Sargent was adapted from the 1964 novel To an Early Grave by Wallace Markfield.

<i>Warrior</i> (2011 film) American sports action film by Gavin OConnor

Warrior is a 2011 American sports action film directed by Gavin O'Connor. It stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as two estranged brothers whose entrance into a mixed martial arts tournament makes them come to terms with their lives and each other. Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, and Bryan Callen appear in supporting roles. Real-life MMA and combat sports figures like Kurt Angle, Nate Marquardt, Anthony Johnson, Roan Carneiro, Yves Edwards, Amir Perets, and Dan Caldwell make appearances.

<i>Thrill of a Romance</i> 1945 film by Richard Thorpe

Thrill of a Romance is an American Technicolor romance film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1945, starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams and Carleton G. Young, with musical performances by Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra and opera singer Lauritz Melchior. The film was directed by Richard Thorpe and written by Richard Connell and Gladys Lehman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Melamed</span> American actor (born 1956)

Fred Melamed is an American actor, comedian and writer. After spending most of his early career primarily as a renowned voice over artist, and occasionally playing small roles in films,, he established himself as a revered character actor, with his role as Sy Ableman in the Coen Brothers' 2010 Best Picture-nominated, A Serious Man (2009). Other notable film credits have included In a World... (2012), Hail, Caesar! (2016), Shiva Baby (2020), Lying and Stealing (2019), and Suspect (1987).

<i>The Angriest Man in Brooklyn</i> 2014 film directed by Phil Alden

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Phil Alden Robinson, and starring Robin Williams, Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage, James Earl Jones and Melissa Leo. It is a remake of the 1997 Israeli film The 92 Minutes of Mr. Baum, written and directed by Assi Dayan. The film follows an angry, bitter man whose doctor tells him he has a brain aneurysm and has only 90 minutes to live. As the patient races around the city, trying to right his wrongs, the doctor attempts to find him and take him to a hospital. The film was released in a limited release and through video on demand on May 23, 2014, by Lionsgate. This is the final film starring Williams to be released during his lifetime.

Carol, Carl, Whoopi and Robin is a comedy variety television special which aired on February 10, 1987 on ABC. It starred Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams. Burnett served as the host of the one hour long spinoff special from her variety series The Carol Burnett Show featuring the guest stars, Reiner, Goldberg, and Williams. The special received positive reviews praising the performances of the comedians, and received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program for Robin Williams' performance in the special.

<i>Uncut Gems</i> 2019 film by the Safdie brothers

Uncut Gems is a 2019 American crime thriller film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. It stars Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, and Eric Bogosian. The film tells the story of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a Jewish-American jeweler and gambling addict in New York City's Diamond District, who must retrieve an expensive gem he purchased in order to pay off his debts. Filming took place from September to November 2018. The original score was composed by Daniel Lopatin. Uncut Gems is the last film directed by the Safdie brothers before dissolving their partnership in 2024.

<i>Concrete Cowboy</i> 2020 film by Ricky Staub

Concrete Cowboy is a 2020 American drama film directed by Ricky Staub from a screenplay by Staub and Dan Walser. The movie is based on the novel Ghetto Cowboy by Greg Neri, which was inspired by the real urban African-American horseriding culture of Philadelphia, and in particular, the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. The film stars Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome, Byron Bowers, Lorraine Toussaint, Jamil Prattis and Clifford "Method Man" Smith. While the film is completely fictional, several real members of the Fletcher Street riding community play supporting characters who give voice to real issues that the community faces.

References

  1. ↑ Seize the Day - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie
  2. 1 2 3 O'Connor, John J. (1987-05-01). "Robin Williams in 'Seize the Day'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  3. ↑ Winfrey, Lee (1987-01-13). "Robin Williams in Bellow Novel". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 44. Retrieved 2020-03-25– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 Heaton, Michael (1987-02-27). "'Seize the Day' is powerful drama". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 58. Retrieved 2020-03-25– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Tucker, Ken (1987-05-01). "'Seize the Day' a tale of regret, desperation". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 31. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  6. ↑ Leonard, John (1987-05-04). The Man Who Cries 'I Am'. New York Magazine.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.