Il dietro le quinte di un ufficio immobiliare.Il dietro le quinte di un ufficio immobiliare.Il dietro le quinte di un ufficio immobiliare.
- Candidato a 1 Oscar
- 8 vittorie e 14 candidature totali
- Assistant Detective
- (as Barry Rossen)
- Additional Voice
- (voce)
Recensioni in evidenza
Glengarry Glen Ross is the story of a failing real estate office in which four agents are told they'd better get some property sold quick, or they'll be out of a job. By the end of the month, the top seller will win himself a Cadillac, the guy who finishes second will win himself a set of steak knives. The other two jokers will be out on the street. The problem is that the good leads are locked away in a filing cabinet in the office manager's room. They won't be distributed until the end of the contest. The guys are left with only leads that likely won't pan out at all.
The four salesmen are each very memorable individuals. Al Pacino plays the best of the bunch. He's smooth and confident, and he seems to be the only guy making any good sales recently. Jack Lemmon is the old lion of the bunch. He's a good talker, but he's been on a stretch of terrible luck both professionally and personally. It's looking like he is now obsolete, and could be one of the guys let go. Ed Harris is a brooding; scheming character also on a streak of bad luck. His plan is not to make sales, but break into the office and steal the good leads. Alan Arkin is a meek fellow who cannot even dial the right phone number or carry on any type of meaningful conversation. Each actor has their character down perfectly.
The story unfolds in less than a 24 hour period. Alec Baldwin is a hotshot salesman from "downtown" who shows up at the beginning of the film and lets the guys know how worthless they are. He lays down the terms of the contest in some very colorfully profane language that sets the tone for the rest of the script. Profanity can be monotonous and gratuitous, but not here. Mamet's script is like a piece of art formed by interlacing all the fine swear words in the English language together with a touch of ironic gloom. And how often do you hear the word "c*cksucker" said with the articulate dignity of Jack Lemmon? We see each character for what they are, and each actor is allowed to show us why they are so famous. I believe this film to be a landmark piece of cinema for this generation. As much as 12 Angry Men was in its own time. How often do you see such a cast get together with such a fine script? Not often enough, I'd say.
The Kevin Spacey character has a special place in my heart. I also work at a job where I have to deal with a bunch of pompous salesmen. I suppose it comes with the job, but salesmen always seem to think they are more important than they are. What they don't seem to understand is that different people can be hired to sell the same goods and services. More often than not, it is the company that retains or loses customers. That said, sales is a ballsy profession, and it does take genuine skill and luck to be successful at it.
For those out there who either are salesmen or like them, then this film will also be a treat. There is one beautiful scene in particular when Jack Lemmon has just made what he thinks is a huge sale to break his slump. He bursts into the office and happily demands his sale be noted on the board with everyone else's. Nobody but Pacino seems interested (Harris for example acts jealous and spiteful) in hearing the details. Pacino comes over and sits by Lemmon and listens to how the old master was able to pull it off. The camera subtly backs off and lets the two share the moment together. That was very well-done.
Due to all the profanity in this film, it is basically not possible to show it on network television. This may be the primary reason the film has slipped through the cracks over the years, and not made many top 100 lists and so forth. If you want to see some great actors doing what they do best, then DO NOT MISS THIS FILM!
10 of 10 stars
the Hound.
I don't know how anyone could watch this entire movie and think that it was a celebration of capitalism or a model for human life. The characters are by various degrees dishonest, manipulative, vindictive and disloyal, and by competing them against each other it serves only to bring their negative traits out further. Also watching this would be a good incentive to learn a trade - plumbing, electrician, accountant, nursing, engineering - so you don't wind up selling for a living and swimming among sharks like those in this film.
It's about a real estate sales outfit and one office in particular with four salesmen played by Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris and Alan Arkin. The office has been having flagging sales. Towards the beginning ace salesman Blake (Alec Baldwin) comes to the office to give what is supposed to be a pep talk but just ends up dehumanizing and demoralizing the sales force. He sets up a competition that ends up making the company worse for it in the long run or even the short run. He announces that during the next month that the top salesman gets a Cadillac, the second gets steak knives, and the bottom two get fired.
The Baldwin scene espouses the individualistic capitalist dream, but it is his words and actions that cause the moral degradation of the office. Whilst someone might sit on top of the ladder and get a cadillac, the office as a whole is a microcosm of the American capitalist business system. The top guy gets richer on good leads whilst the middle guys compete for scraps and the loser gets fired. This leads to the social structure of the office falling apart as individuals resort to immoral acts to get ahead and actively try to hinder each other's progress. The result is a net loss for the office rather than any collective gain that could have been achieved by working together.
Now as to the cast, what to say that hasn't been said? Hmmm...nothing really, I suppose. Watching Lemmon's desperation, Harris' anger, Pacino's laid-back cool, Spacey's authoritarian chutzpah, and Baldwin's icy dissection of his employees is astounishing to behold. Lesser actors would have made the results much less memorable and/or believable. These guys make it unforgettable. Two decades from now on, when all the hooplas of the 90's "hits" dies down, people will rediscover what I already know: "Glengarry Glen Ross" is one for the ages.
Lo sapevi?
- QuizDuring filming, members of the cast who weren't required to be on the set certain days would show up anyway to watch the other actors' performances.
- BlooperAfter George tells Ricky that the phones were stolen, in frustration Ricky sums up "They stole the leads, they stole the phones... what am I going to do this month?" Up to that point, no mention of the leads being stolen had been made, just some of the contracts.
- Citazioni
Blake: You're talking about what? You're talking about... bitching about that sale you shot, some son-of-a-bitch who don't wanna buy land, some broad you're trying to screw, so forth. Let's talk about something important. They all here?
Williamson: All but one. Ricky Roma.
Blake: I'm going anyway. Let's talk about something important.
[to Levene]
Blake: Put that coffee down! Coffee's for closers only. You think I'm fucking with you? I am not fucking with you! I'm here from downtown. I'm here from Mitch and Murray. And I'm here on a mission of mercy. Your name's Levine? You call yourself a salesman, you son of a bitch?
Dave Moss: I don't gotta sit here and listen to this shit.
Blake: You certainly don't, pal, 'cause the good news is... you're fired. The bad news is... you've got, all of you've got just one week to regain your jobs starting with tonight. Starting with tonight's sit. Oh? Have I got your attention now? Good. 'Cause we're adding a little something to this month's sales contest. As you all know, first prize is a Cadillac El Dorado. Anyone wanna see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired. Get the picture? You laughing now? You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money to get their names to sell them. You can't close the leads you're given, then you can't close shit! You ARE shit! Hit the bricks, pal, and beat it 'cause you are going OUT!
Shelley Levene: The leads are weak.
Blake: The leads are weak? The fucking leads are weak? You're weak! I've been in this business 15 years...
Dave Moss: What's your name?
Blake: Fuck you! That's my name! You know why, mister? You drove a Hyundai to get here. I drove an $80,000 red BMW that's parked right outside. THAT'S my name! And your name is you're wanting. You can't play in the man's game, you can't close them... then go home and tell your wife your troubles. Because only one thing counts in this life: Get them to sign on the line which is dotted. You hear me, you fucking faggots? A-B-C. A... Always, B... Be, C... Closing. Always be closing. ALWAYS BE CLOSING! A-I-D-A. Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. Attention: Do I have your attention? Interest: Are you interested? I know you are, 'cause it's fuck or walk. You close or you hit the bricks. Decision: Have you made your decision for Christ? And Action. A-I-D-A. Get out there! You've got the prospects coming in. You think they came in here to get out of the rain? A guy don't walk on the lot lest he wants to buy. They're sitting out there waiting to give you their money. Are you gonna take it? Are you man enough to take it? What's the problem, pal? You... Moss.
Dave Moss: You're such a hero, you're so rich, how come you're coming down here wasting your time with such a bunch of bums?
Blake: [points to his gold wristwatch] You see this watch? You see this watch I'm wearing?
Dave Moss: Yeah.
Blake: This watch costs more than your car. I made $970,000 in sales commissions last year. How much you make? You see, pal, that's who I am, and you're nothing. You're a nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you! Go home and play with your kids. You wanna work here? Close! You think I'm too hard on you? You think this is abuse? You think this is abuse, you cocksucker? If you can't take this, how can you take the abuse you get on a sit? You don't like it, leave. I can go out there tonight with the leads and materials you've got and make myself $15,000. Tonight! In two hours! Can you? Can YOU? Go and do likewise. A-I-D-A. Get mad you son of a bitches! Get mad! You want to know what it takes to sell real estate? It takes BRASS BALLS to sell real estate! Go and do likewise, gents. The money's out there. You pick it up, it's yours. You don't, I got no sympathy for you. You wanna go out on those sits tonight and close. CLOSE! It's yours. If not, you're gonna be shining my shoes. And you know what you'll be saying - a bunch of losers sittin' around in a bar? 'Oh yeah. I used to be a salesman. It's a tough racket.' These are the new leads. These are the Glengarry leads. And to you they're gold, and you don't get them. Why? Because to give them to you is just throwing them away. They're for closers. I'd wish you all good luck, but you wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it.
Blake: [goes up to Moss's desk and glares at him] And to answer your question, pal, why am I here? I came here because Mitch and Murray asked me to. They asked me for a favor. I said the real favor, follow my advice and fire your fucking ass, because a loser is a loser!
- Colonne sonoreBlue Skies
Performed by Al Jarreau
Words & Music by Irving Berlin
Courtesy of Irving Berlin Music Company
I più visti
Dettagli
- Data di uscita
- Paese di origine
- Sito ufficiale
- Lingua
- Celebre anche come
- Glengarry Glen Ross
- Luoghi delle riprese
- Office, 1515 Sheepshead Bay Road, Brooklyn, New York, Stati Uniti(Premiere Properties Office)
- Aziende produttrici
- Vedi altri crediti dell’azienda su IMDbPro
Botteghino
- Budget
- 12.500.000 USD (previsto)
- Lordo Stati Uniti e Canada
- 10.725.228 USD
- Fine settimana di apertura Stati Uniti e Canada
- 2.104.402 USD
- 4 ott 1992
- Lordo in tutto il mondo
- 10.726.612 USD
- Tempo di esecuzione
- 1h 40min(100 min)
- Colore
- Proporzioni
- 2.35 : 1