THMUR

This nautical adventure full of historical detail keeps you well engrossed and wanting more when the movie abruptly comes to an end. If any criticism, the lack of denouement and the deliberate setup for the next movie gave the film a TV miniseries feel not warranted for a production of its caliber. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany are outstanding as the lead characters.

This is a truly touching film that spotlights the sadness, humor, and possibilities of getting old in America. Jack Nicholson portrays Warren Schmidt so subtly and accurately, you feel you have met and want to cry and hope for him. The use of Ndugu as a device was brilliant -- it gives Schmidt voice without breaking the quiet sadness of the man portrayed. Great underplayed performances are often missed or ignored, certainly when they come from actors known for more boisterous ones. Marlon Brando's quieter acting roles are some of his best, and this could be one of Nicholson's.

I ran across this movie by chance and then ran to IMBD to learn more about it. I was amazed by how the film enlightened me on the era and actually how similar corporations and people in them still behave today.. William Warren is excellent in the role of the tyrannical boss with the hots for the married sales girl (Loretta Young). I was surprised by the the openness of the film (for the time), but apparently after reading some of the other comments, this is typical of the pre-code era of films. Too bad things had to change. You can pick up a lot of social history from this kind of film despite it being a bit one dimensional.