Jonathan Lynn - Greedy

0:00 Here is the question I have for you today, Amber, and your answer cannot be the Back to the Future trilogy. Okay. Having said that, I want to know what your favorite Michael Jackson film is. How about Michael J. Fox? How about how about Michael J. Fox? Yeah? I don't I don't want to know what your favorite Michael Michael Jackson movie is. I wish I had the Dorean right now, I'd go back in time. No, okay, Michael J. Fox. What is your favorite Michael J. Fox film? Doc Hollywood? Don't even have to think about it.

0:45 Shooting from the Hip Doc Hollywood. Yeah, that's a good one too. Yeah. I when you think about his fhmography, because everyone always thinks about Martin McFly, but he has done so many amazing performances. I think I would have to say Casualty of War. Have you seen that one? It's such a brutal movie. It's not it's not like it's not one of those it's not one of those war films that you want to watch all the time. It's more like, I've I've experienced it. I've I've seen it. It's it's brilliant, it has an important message, and I maybe don't want to watch it for a long time now, but yes, and it's funny. Ever, Yeah, No, I think Foxes is amazing in that in casually in Brian de Palmer's Casualties of War, and he's not alone.

1:36 Sean Penn is also at his at his best, his villainous best. I know, you guys on Docum based seventy seven, you guys just talked about Seawanpinn. Uh last week when you guys covered Milk and you guys were talking about favorite Sean pinn performances. You you have my pick. You had missed Mystic River. Definitely seanpins moment. I think so that whole movie is just stellar, but him in it especially is really really powerful. And then to see him go from you know, that performance to Milk is just you can't believe it's the same guy. You can't All before this turns into the Sean Penn Hour, back to Michael J. Fox. Let's talk about another Michael J. Fox performance that is that's awesome and a little lesser known. Let's talk about a film by Jonathan Lynn, his nineteen ninety four underrated comedy classic Greedy. Hello, everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson. I'm Amber Lewis and this

3:07 is a film by podcast Amber. Before before we get going, I gotta tell you recently lots of new Patreon members, including our friends Def, Dave and and John Wright, who I know, you know, you know a stranger to John Wright. He's a couple episodes with you, right, absolutely, always a good conversation. Yeah, happy, Happy to have a lot of friends. Yeah, we've got a lot of the free So here's the thing, the free membership. Like Patreon started this free membership, and it's great because there there are some shows like ours, for example, that offer free content. Occasionally we offered we do. We do the occasional free episode.

3:51 We drop them in there. So if you're not ready to to subscribe and pay on one of the tears, just sign up as a remember and you're still not gonna be left out. There's there's some cool stuff on there. And when you're ready to sign up, I gotta tell you you will be enjoying plenty of exclusive episodes featuring Amber Lewis. Yeah, I'm excited for the for the new ten minute conversation. Yeah, we got uh yeah coming up Yeah this past weekend. Actually we dropped that on Saturday. Uh, so we did this. We got this new thing, we're doing ten for two where we take ten minutes, a tight ten minutes to talk about two minutes of some of our favorite favorite moments and some of our favorite films.

4:35 So we watched The Untouchables because of the first one. You did well, thank you. Yeah. Yeah, this past Saturday we did. Andrew had a had a great two minute scene from Disney's Up that I didn't think was such a such a poignant moment, but then I was prove I was proven wrong quickly. So loved it. But tell you what else I love. I love the film Greedy Amber. For those that have not seen this film, can you can you give us a brief synopsis of what it's all about. So it's about Uncle Joe who is a multi millionaire and has all of his relatives circling around to find out who's going to inherit his millions, and they're just waiting like vultures for him to die. These are not the nicest people, are they. Oh they are horrible. They're just the worst.

5:31 Yeah, this was this is the first time watch for you, was it not? Yes? Okay, I had heard about it, you know, but just had never watched it. Yeah, the film. Surprisingly, the film is based on the Charles Dickens novel The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, which tells the story of a family that waits around for a wealthy relative relative to die. These relatives, man, they are first off, comedic old mine here right. Yes, it is a who's who in this family of comedic talent. I love this family. I love to watch him. You want to, let's just go ahead and get to them. I was gonna say, I'm kind of jumping ahead, but if you unfortunately we lost the great Phil Hartman way too young, way too soon. And if you aren't of that generation by e my generation that got to watch him on Saurday Night Live, and you don't know, like, what the heck is it all about? Like the man is a genius. He is absolutely like the funniest part of this movie. I think I told you, If I'm not mistaken, I told you when we talked about doing this film. I think I think the one of my selling points was one of my favorite, my all time favorite Phil Hartman performances, because I know the last time, the last time that we were together we talked about a film a dark comedy that that I absolutely love. But you you were not much of a fan of

7:05 If quickly, if we could do like a previously on a film by we were, we covered the film. We did Alexander Payne's Election, which you were really too happy with, but I was not. But you know, especially when The Descendants is right there, you introduced me to Alexander Payne, and I found such a much better movie. Yeah, I feel like I kind of feel like there was a little bit of redemption because I know, I know that kind of opened the door for you to Alexander Payne. You you saw The Descendants and you know, I know you're a fan of that one. You saw Sideways, Yes, really and still I when we when we did Election, I had not seen The Holdovers, and I'm here to tell you must watch film. I remember you saying like you'd already seen Dead Poets Society. Yes, yeah, it's Dead Poets Society if the teacher is a jerk. So no, I'm telling you, Amber, please watch The Holdovers. It is an incredible and it's just a it's just a great movie.

8:13 You'll love it. I think, I truly think you'll love it. So yeah, we had some homework there and we got we got it done. But anyways, back to back to this comedy, I felt like, okay, here's some this is more like actually a comedy. Yeah. I was like, you know what, I will win her back with greedy because there's no way she's not gonna love this one. But uh, let's start with the patriarch of the film, Kirk Douglas playing Uncle Joe. Well, here's the thing that I wish I didn't know before the movie, which is this is the last movie that he did before his stroke. Yeah, and to see how just I mean, in his seventies, how just amazingly energetic and on it and virile and funny and just amazing he was. And to know how debilitating that stroke was, you know, was just a little bit I think about that. You like watching it again, you know, obviously that comes to mind. But at the same time, we've talked about actors who, you know, why couldn't if you were gonna do one last movie, why couldn't you end on a high note? Like I think we talked about that with Jack Nicholson when we did The Witches of Eastwick. You and I, yes, if more Yeah, if you look at if you look at Kirk Douglas's career, because after after his stroke, he does some TV spot you know, some TV episodes. He does one or two independent films.

9:41 But as far as like big release movies, this is him going on on a high note. I feel like this is this is one last great performance. He is strong, he is spry, amber he beats out Paul Newman, Anthony Quinn and Jack lemonon because, according to Bri, wouldn't Paul Newman would have been awesome as Uncle Joe. I'm not gonna lie, Uh been good. Anthony Quinn would have been a little distracting. I think Jack lemon maybe a little too nice. Yeah, well, hey, Stuvee, have you seen have you seen Glenn Gary Glenn Ross. Well but he's a wusson that he's not one of the Well he's yeah, but he's mouthy.

10:22 But uh, I mean Paul Newman, I could have watched I could have watched this, but I'm glad. I'm glad that it's Kirk Douglas because, uh, Uncle Joe has to be spry, strong, you know, witty, like all the all the all the things you said about him. Douglas was set to take a trip to Europe and Israel with his wife. When Brian Grazer sent him the script. The producer Brian Grazer, he claimed he could not resist the part, so he canceled the trip. No no word on what Missus Douglas had to say about that, but uh, I mean that which is probably used to it. Yeah. At the time, Douglas was quoted as saying, I've done eighty films and I've been writing books for several years, so I wasn't looking for just another picture. But this one is something special. It's wonderful to play a character who's so incurably manipulative.

11:15 Yeah, love Kirk Douglass in this. And but you know, this is a huge cast, it's a big ensemble, so you know we'll probably have to speed up a little bit. But let's talk about Olivia Diabo. She plays Molly, his sexy nurse. And I'll say this right now in my notes the word nurses in quotations. Right, what do you think of Olivia? I mean she was there to be beautiful, and she is, so you know that was fine. She well, Hollywood has always given us the the bimbo, the gold digger. There's plenty. There's hundreds of actresses that have done those that kind of that trope. Yeah, I kind of feel like she's not doing that though, Like the whole time I'm watching it, I don't feel like she's out to get his money. No, Like, even in some of the scenes where it appeared that she was, yeah, I wasn't one hundred percent sold on her character's ability to do that. It just seemed like she was a truly nice person that was not comfortable with that.

12:26 I I'll tell you right now. For me, she will ever be, She will forever be Princess Jenna in nineteen eighty four's Conan the Destroyer. I know a lot of people like, go, that's her. Yeah, Oh my gosh. I know a lot of people said that. I could see her in my head. Yeah. I know a lot of people connect her to the Wonder Years. But that's what I thought. She was the older sister on the Wonder Yeah, older sister. Sadly, her last big picture was Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker. Yeah exactly, you're shaking your head. Well, what I help have I told you? She played uh, the fan favorite character Luminara. I mean, yeah, exactly. I waited with bated breath for her to show up, Like, who the hell is that? Even right now, I couldn't tell you, you know, because that I have to ask my son, because I'm sure I'll ask him and he'll be like, oh, that's so and so. Yeah, she played an alien and whatever. I don't remember the role. I don't remember that movie. I tried to possibly unrecognizable so well. Is as is the film The Rise of Skywalker as a as a Star Wars film. So now, but you know what she's also, she's been busy her entire career.

13:37 She's done tons of voice acting credits, mostly DC animated films and TV shows. Yeah, super awesome. So that community is so much bigger than I ever realized it is. It is uh As As she as She's as, she tells the Magtigues, I'm I'm I'm fun to hang out, I'm fun to look at, and she definitely is. Yeah. I like Olivia Diabo, Michael J. Fox as Danny mctigue. I mean when he showed up on the screen, I just flashed back to that was kind of like his heyday, like in the nineties. Yeah, and just the talent and the charm and the charisma. I mean, he's just like no other. If the eighties was Michael J. Fox the rising child star, you know, Family Ties and Back to the Future, the nineties was the adult Michael J.

14:43 Fox well and in control of yes, the movies that he was in that he was leading. This is the second film in a three picture deal with Universal that also included for Lover, Money and The Frighteners. Frighteners is right, Peter Jackson. We covered that one a couple seasons ago, so check that out. We love the Frighteners here Michael J. Fox though, I love this is this is one of those films where we get to see him, We get to see his innocence, but we also get to see him be a little deceptive and a little little bit of a little bit of a turd here and there. Well, and I think it's important that he played that character because you kind of I didn't identify with any of the other relatives like that, just a right money grubbing, just horrible, awful people.

15:39 But you start to see like if Michael J. Fox can be sucked in to this and how easily it happens. And it starts by him trying to do the right thing, and you know that he's your everyman. That could happen to any of us. You're right, You're absolutely right. What did you think of Nancy Travis as she's the girlfriend Robin who is a sports producer for ABC. Now, let me preface this by saying, I do like her, but okay, I thought it was funny, like she was literally playing every character I've ever seen her play in life. Ever, I'm glad you said that. So here's the deal. I don't want to I don't want to be a bad guy here, but I kind of feel like Nancy Travis as a performer is mediocre, and I kind of watching it.

16:33 This time, I started to wonder, I kind of went down a Nancy Travis rabbit hole because I was thinking about some of the films that she's in that I really enjoy, and do I enjoy them because of her? The answer came back no. Every time. I kind of wondered, like, if she's one of the if she's like the actor that that maybe takes roles from another actor, Like what could what could have what could another actor have done with the Nancy Travis philmography, Like take take someone like Jennifer Beals or Connie Britton and think about that for sure. Yea Marissa to May because what I was thinking in this role is she never like embraces the crazy. You never see her like Unlicia, any kind of anger or passion or intensity about anything. So like, what could Marisa to May have done with that screaming at Michael J. Fox like what are you doing? Yeah? I don't Yeah, And Marissa to me, I mean she's gonna win, She's gonna win a Cammy Award. Uh, working with Jonathan Lynne. Obviously, I don't know if I'm buying. I feel like one thing, Okay, so let me let me say. Let me give you a positive for Nancy Travis.

17:52 I feel like the the girlfriend character had to be more of an alpha in the relationship, like more of the adult you know, who had their life together. So I buy Nancy Travis doing that, where I might not buy Marisa Tomey doing that at this at this point in her career. However, I definitely buy Connie Britton or Jennifer Bills doing it. And yes, I just feel like, you know, I'm thinking like I love I don't know if you've ever seen this movie called The vanishing. That movie scares me so bad. I can't even talk about it. We need it, we need to cut it off right now. Well, all right, so everybody go watch this movie because it's terrifying, it's awesome. Yeah, I gotta, I gotta, I gotta. I got the physical media because that's what we gotta gotta have. No, well, I can't have it in my house. All right, that's how this movie is. I'll tell you what.

18:42 Take take her out of that movie and plug Connie Britton in and it's it's a better film. Right, Yes, uh so I married an ax murderer. Put Jennifer Bills in that. That is way better. I think they. I think Nancy Travis like like rose to her level. Yeah where this is what she does. She doesn't overshadow her leads. It's the man's movie and she's there to serve a purpose, and she does that very confidently. And she's pretty and you know, she's not too challenging and yeah, yeah, she just she's a grinder. She grinds it out like she's whatever movie she's in, she's there, she's gonna do the job. Okay, all right, let's let's let's go more positive I feel bad now, my bash Nancy. But okay, so let's let's hit more of a lightning round here, because we've got a big family to talk about. So Phil Hartman and Chevron Fallon as Frank and Tina mctigue Chavonne Fallon. Oh my gosh, she she always for me, just pops in with these little parts. But holy heck, is she hilarious. She's drunk the entire movie. Yes, and it's so awesome. I believe her and I'm laughing the entire time.

20:07 Yep. There's there's moments where she's not even saying anything, She's just in the scene, and you're just you're taken to her. Your your your focus goes away from Michael J. Fox or whoever. You know. She goes to the Rick Morana school of when you don't have any lines, but you have to be on camera, like find something funny and interesting to do. And oh my gosh, the moment when they are the detective is like doing the background check on on Molly. Yes, and I don't I don't remember what she says. But but Phil Hartman's like, Tina, go lie down, and then like two minutes later, you just happen to notice she's laying on the ground in the background doing nothing. She's just laying there. I was like, holy shit, like her moment happy birthday, Uncle Joe and his like seething frustration with her. Oh, it's fantastic. Phil Hartman, He's he is the show. He's the he's the he's the show stealer.

21:17 And this I can't even describe why. He's funny. He just exists and is funny, like well, and he gets the best lines. I don't know. I couldn't find out any any research. I didn't find anything, uh, any kind of information about whether or not he did a lot of ad libbing. It would not surprise me if he was ad libbing the ship out of this movie. He's so good. He is so so good, as uh as nasty as Franken Tina are. Let's let's move over to Carl and Nora mctigue played by Ed Bigley Junior and Mary Ellen Trainor. They were kind of weird for me. Well, yeah, I mean the name and they're naming all their children Joe. They manipulated the pregnancy so they would only have boys. Yeah, it's just yeah, they're just they're they're they're sick of fans. Uh, you know, and Mary Ellen Traynor I forget like because obviously she's usually a straight man. Yeah, when I think eighties, eighties Mom d Wallace is forever in my heart. But but Mary Mary Ellen Trainer is knocking on the door because you know, I remember she's this is the mom from Monster Squad. It's the mom from the Goonies. You know, she's in the lead the Weapon films. She was the mother of the Giddy. Yeah, that's awesome. I love to hear that she's she's always

22:48 so wholesome. Yes, and even in this movie where she's supposed to be kind of terrible, it's not that she's terrible. It's just that she's pathetic because she's going along with well, she's filling her husband's yes, yeah, you know plots and yeah, one of my favorite couples, Muriel and Glenn mctigue played by played by eighties hottie Joyce Heiser. Remember just one of the guys. I never saw that. You've never seen just one of the guys. No, you have homework. You have a lot of homework, isn't it just like Naked Booby movie. No, there's one set of yes, well, okay, I'm gonna go off on a tangent here. But Joyce Heiser, she is a very talented writer and she's working for the school newspaper and she doesn't win this what is it. It's like a scholarship or no, it's an internship. It's an internship with with a major newspaper. She doesn't get picked, and she's like, you know what, if I was a guy, I wouldn't have been passed over, you know, just because I'm pretty, you know, you know. So it's it's got like that kind of a vibe to it. So she gets the plan, and she's beautiful in the movie. So she gets the plan to cut her hair and go under cover, and she goes to another school as a boy. She's like in disguise as a boy, and she goes to that school for a week to write a story about being just one of the guys, like my life is a boy and it's just it's eighties awesomeness. It's a sold me.

24:23 Yeah, that is not what I thought this movie was. That. To be fair, the you know, video box cover does not do a justice. No, well, okay, so that's the story I'm telling you. That because I knew that would sell you right, right, you know how to pitch it? Yeah, And if I was gonna pitch to anyone else, I would say, this is a movie starring can you get to my twenty five year old son? Okay? If I'm pitching it to Liam, I'm gonna say Liam, William Zopka and Joyce Heiser topless. Now the truth comes out, is William Zabkas in it? And that's fine. Yeah, Look, I listen, any chance I get to mention my buddy, williams Zapka, I'm going to You're bestie. You have to all right, Let's we gotta move on. Last the last, the last couple say yeah Colleen, Colleen Camp and Bob Ballaban as Patty and ed Alt. I love Colin Camp. I love her so much. Evett from Clue. She she's awesome in this She is so good. They the way this family tears each other down, like with the quick jabs during dinners and breakfasts and knowing the minutia of everybody's little secrets, and you throw that in like, oh, did you not want people to know? Yeah? Right, I thought everyone knew. Yeah, they're they're fantastic you know, I can't say enough about

25:56 all of them. I know we got to move on, though. I'm gonna give you this one we got. We've got a before they were famous, and a little cameo also now the one I knew about. There's a couple that you haven't mentioned. Well, you know, for the sake of time. I'm just I'm trying to you know, there's some good there's there's some other ones. Kevin McCarthy, I could say, I could talk about him, but you know there's some other ones. But yes, yeah, but who is it? Uh? Ed Bagley Junior and Mary Ellen Traynor. They got the uh, they got the girls, They got the boys. They got the boys who and their son? The little one is the kid from the Santa Claus Yes, okay, I didn't catch that one. But the little girl who plays Joline remember the Yes, it's Colleen camp Camps.

26:44 Yeah, Joline Jolette? Yeah? Did you did you catch Joline? I didn't know this until I was watching the credits. Jolene is played by Kirsten Dunst. Yeah, if you know it, because you only see her for like a second. Yeah, but if you know that it's her when she gets out of the car like you tell you can see her. Yeah. Uh. And then obviously Douglas, the butler who is just there for for pratt falls and comedic timing. None other than our our director, Jonathan Lynn is playing Douglas. He really puts himself through it. He does. There's just moments like I laugh like an idiot, Like when when Joe Uncle Joe swimming and he's like Douglas and he leans down to the pool and he just splashes him for no reason. He's like, thank you, sir, thank you, sir. May I go chack? Yeah, you can dance the Wholly Gully for all I care. He's awesome. Amber. Let's let's take a quick break. When we get back, we'll talk a little bit about the production in the background this movie. Okay, all right, welcome back.

27:47 Amber Lewis and I talking about Jonathan Lynn's Greedy. So this is written by Lowell Gance and Babbelo Mandel. Amber. We've talked about these two guys before because we did night Shift Ron Howard's Night Shift not too long ago. When you look at the writing talent, these guys worked with Penny Marshall back like I think they got their start on Laverne and Shirley back in the day. If I remember, let me just give you a rundown of the work that they did together, because separately they're doing some incredible work, but just the ones they worked on together. Night Shift Gung Ho, which we covered on our nineteen eighty six series Parenthood. Then they do a Billy Crystal four pack of City Slickers, City Slickers to the Legend of Curly's Gold, Forget Paris and Father's Day. They do the animated film Robots with melt Brooks.

28:38 Remember that one. Yes, yeah, they did Fever Pitch and Tooth Fairy, which you know, maybe we skipped that one. That's where the rock is like becomes the tooth Fairy. Oh yeah, no, thank you. Yeah yeah. But again, when you think of all the laughs and all the the amazing moments in this movie, and then you look at the body of work that these guys have done together and and separately. I know, Lil Gance, I think he did spies like us, uh, illegal their own, There's there's there's a couple others, but just incredible talent here. I think this movie opens at number two at the box office, behind another blockbuster film and if I give you a hint, you will take a guess at it. At what the number one? Terrible at this game, but I'll give it a shot. It was a film about a detective who would like to ask you some questions. Oh Ace Ventura pet detective. Yeah that had that not had that not come out, this this movie, Greedy would have been number one at the box office. Not a lot of background on this film. There's not a lot of research to do on this one.

29:55 Amber, I don't know. I don't know what you might have found, but uh, I did dig deep in to a certain scene and m's skip ahead and look, obviously this movie is all about a long con, right, So I guess this is the point where we should say, hey, listen, if you haven't seen Greedy and you don't want it spoiled, hip, pause on the podcast, go watch the film and then come back, because we're gonna we're gonna talk about what the long con is, you know at some point, I'm sure, but well, right now, that's out of the way. So when this film ends with Danny and Robin discovering Uncle Joe's big charade, they see Molly and Douglas standing outside the window right, he says, says, go look out the window. They're standing under a movie theater Marquee and the movie theater is playing a film called Charade from nineteen sixty three. Have you seen this? Yes? Oh, I love this movie. I had not seen it. I did a little digging on this one. You know. Charade stars Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. And listen to this synopsis. Romance and suspense en sue in Paris as a woman is pursued by several men who want a fortune her murdered husband had stolen. Whom can she trust? So I love the I love the fact that you know the whole movie. Joe's like, I needed to know who could I trust?

31:12 Who loves me? So I thought that was a cool little nod. But I wasn't done. Like I looked at this. This is This is directed by Stanley Donnan, And I gotta tell you we may have to cover this one with with Robert the authority on the Golden Age of cinema Burnett. Yes, are you familiar with Donnan's filmography? Oh? Yeah, I started looking at it and I thought, somewhere Robert Burnett's glasses are steaming up he has got he's got to talk about this film, so so, uh, you might have to put in a call and see if we can get him on the show again, because uh, I kind of want to talk about Charade at some point. Well, and it's just so such a charming movie.

31:56 Hit it. Oh, I'm I'm gonna take your word for it because I put on my watch list. But I know we always talk about the pivotal moment. We're not gonna do that. I want to know. I've got four scenes here, and I want to know what scene or line made you laugh the most. So here's your candidates. I'll give you breakfast to Uncle Joe's kind of started the movie, kind of shows us a little bit about how nasty these people are, you know, tearing into each other, you know, airing out their dirty laundry. Again, Phil Hartman just doing amazing work in that scene. How about Michael J. Fox drunk, naked and tattooed. I know you had to be giggling when that scene came up a little bit. It's more like it was such an elaborate tattoo that was the thing that threw me. It could have just been like a bowling ball of flames or something, you know, I mean with several tattoos myself.

32:58 I've never even wons had the inclination like, you know what, I think I'll go get a tattoo in my ass. It's just bowling the bowling theme. Tattoo on your ass is okay? No, I thought he played he. I think he did a good job for as good as a Chavon did playing drunk the entire movie. I love this brief moment of Michael J. Fox drunk and defiant. You know, can you go out my underwear? I'll go out with no underwear. I love that was a good moment for Dancy Travis when she's like, fine, go you know, like I can imagine if you're in that situation as a woman, you just just let the guy be a horse's ass, right, do it? Okay? How about uh? How about when he wrestles Uncle Joe in the pool? Oh?

33:43 I hated that scene. You hated that scene? Okay, you're not laughing? Why did you hate it? I was not laughing? Well, first of all, like I don't know. First of all, was mean, and I didn't like it because it was mean, and I just couldn't get over that but then like he's under the water, and they did like a voiceover of him screaming, so it doesn't sound like he's screaming underwater. It sounds like he's in a booth screaming and put that sound over top of the scene. I'm like, what is even going on that moment though, where he's screaming underwater, Uncle Joe's screaming above water. He's just dominating him. I uh. I did read. Michael J. Fox was talking about that that pool scene and he said, you know, a couple days in advance, Kirk Douglas would just grin at him and say, wait till I get you in that pool. And the whole time he's like, well, I'm gonna have to be careful. This is Kirk Douglas. He's like seventy something years old. And then he said, after a half a day of shooting, Kirk Douglas is like, hey, let's do another take, And Michael J. Fox said, I was destroyed. I was crushed, Like I just felt like a sponge in this guy's hands, like he is so strong.

34:51 So yeah, that was so one hundred believable. Yeah. Uh. And then we got that towards the end we got the big reveal during the meeting with Uncle Joe's lawyer, when Phil Hartman is at his absolute best in this movie. In my opinion, yes, that scene might have the best line in the movie. Yes, at that point too, So I go, I'm throwing a couple out there. But I want to know, like it was there a scene or a certain line that made you laugh the hardest. I'm not like laughing out loud a lot in this movie. It was more just sitting back and enjoying Phil Hartman was most of what I did. But I really enjoyed that that scene at the lawyer's office. Were it all just unhinges Kevin McCarthy, I can see this has come as a shock to you. No, I won't repeat what Phil Hartman says because you know we have we have sponsors. But yes, it's such a good line and just the character he created was just everything about him was perfect. Yeah, this is this is the Can we go ahead and say it, is this the best Phil Hartman performance in a n A film? Yes, I'm I'm there.

36:02 If there's like he did stuff on Saturday Night Live that was so funny, like you couldn't breathe, But this in a movie. This was absolutely his best. Yeah, I think, I think, I think so. Yeah, listeners, if there is a better Phil Hartman performance in a movie, please let us know, because I I can't think of what it would be. Honestly. Let me talk a little bit about Jonathan Lynn and get into his filmography. Yes, all right, I got two things you might not know about mister Lynn, and then I'll give you a quote. Surprisingly, he earned a law degree from Cambridge before entering the movie business. What yes, yes, ma'am, Oh my god, he's like a money python.

36:51 Yeah, I think this one's will put a smile on your face. He also gave a eulogy at legendary actor Leonard Russiter's funeral. Is that name ring a Belle? No? It should because he played doctor Andre Smithlof in your all time favorite Stanley Kubrick film, Really Yeah, two thousand and one of Space Odyssey, Noddy, Yeah, they were friends. He gave the eulogy is at his funeral. Discussing the film Greedy, Jonathan Lynn says, and I quote Greedy asks the question, how far will you humiliate yourself to get your hands on twenty five million dollars? Greedy? Is a movie for anyone who wants more money or isn't fond of their relatives. Amber, I'm very fond of my relatives, but I always want twenty five million dollars, So I don't know. I don't know how far Uncle Joe's hooks would get into me. But the I don't know, this film is just fantastic.

37:53 I'm, I'm. This is one of Jonathan Lynn's best It's not his it's not his best because we're gonna talk about his filmography right after this break, Amber, we are back. Let's discuss the philmography of Jonathan Lynn. His feature film debut in nineteen eighty five is Clue. I mean on the side of my face, breathing, breathing, hear the breasts, you know, so clearly not his greedy, not his first time working with Colleen Camp. Clearly not his first time handling a large ensemble comedy. But damn, what a what a way to make your mark right out the gate, Lou.

38:39 We've mentioned Clue in passing like you know, we're you know, we're never going to cover it on a film buy because it's it's not really an underrated film, obviously, but one of the all time greatest mystery films, right well, and yeah, and I think it's one of those it's almost impossible to do an episode on because it would just evolve into all of us laughing and quoting it, and you might as well just act out the movie. And yeah, altely because it's one of those just perfectly quotable, hilarious. It's one you know, pour the drinks, we're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna quote the whole thing the whole time. Interestingly enough, he wrote that he co wrote it with John Landis. Also, so if you ever wonder why Clue is as good as it is, among the many reasons the cast, primarily John Landis and Jonathan Lynn write co writing that one Love Clue.

39:37 Nineteen ninety, he's writing and directing again a film called Nuns on the Run. Have you seen that one? Yeah, but I don't really remember it. I just remember it's Eric Idol and Robbie Coltrane. Yeah, as I say, it's it's funny. You mentioned you mentioned uh, Monty Python a little bit ago, and then here we go. He's working with Eric Idol. Yeah, two criminals, uh one out, but their boss kills everyone that tries to leave them, leave them so when they are ordered to rob the triad, they keep the money, hide from the boss, the Triad, and the police at a convent dressed as nuns. He again writing and directing. I remember this. I remember liking this one and laughing a lot when I was a kid. But I don't think it really ever found its its audience, you know, like it's one of those It was always on Showtime or the movie channel. Yeah, money members by themselves like you need, like you need more, you need, you need, you need a few of them together, right, Well, I'll do respect to Robbie Coltrane. You need a couple of them now. Same year he does that, he does he directs one of the episodes for the Farris Beeler television series, talk about a television series that never should have happened. Oh my gosh, why would you even bother? I don't know, honestly, I don't, but uh, I mean they try fun fact. I don't know if you you know, I don't know if you did you watch it when it was on a little fun fact for you so we know. Jennifer Gray plays

41:12 Genie in the film The nineteen eighty six classic Ferris Bueler's Day Off. Yes, on the television show, Genie was played by Jennifer Aniston. That's right. I was like, somebody played her, I can't remember. And the irony here is that they would then be together on Friends when Jennifer Gray showed up as her long lost friend that was getting married to her ex, the you know, the dentist. Oh what is that she played? Yeah, that was Jennifer Gray. So kind of a interesting little tangent on Fairis Pray. But you had mentioned Mursa Tomey earlier. Nineteen ninety two. He directs the incredible film My cousin Vinnie. This this movie, like I almost can't watch it because it was one of my dad's absolute favorites. And he was not the most efflusive person. You know, you would watch something funny and he might grunt. Yeah, he would watch this movie and just laugh until he cried, like full on belly laugh. He loved this movie. And it's, oh my god, it's so good. It's so funny. She's so good in it. I would if I had to make a list of let's call it the perfect film. Yeah, a compilation, I think you'd have to put my cousin Vidi on that list. Yeah, don't. I

42:44 can't think of a single frame that should be altered or changed or cut. I can't think of a single actor or actress in the film that should be removed or included. It's just it's it's fantastic. I love are Probably it'd probably, I'd probably listit among my top films. If you're talking courtroom movies, it's got. If it's not number one, it's it's in the conversation. Tell you something I I wish could be in the conversation. The same year he does My cousin Vinnie, he does a film, he does an Eddie Murphy movie called The Distinguished Gentleman Amber. I'm looking at you and you're you're just like, huh, like go to Congress or something. Yeah.

43:31 So he was a con man who kind of canned his way into becoming a politician, which I mean, yeah, But I mean, if ever I've said this, I've said this, I've said this plenty of times. If ever there was an Eddie Murphy movie I wanted to be a hit, it's this one. Because he plays a character named Jeff Johnson. Yes, and he says his name several times throughout the movie, like there's so many Jeff Johnson quotes and the distinguished gentleman. Ah, it's just it's just not that good though. It's it's not Eddie Murphy not not helping me out there. So we always get a die hard shout out in our house because we have Dayton Johnson over at docking Bay and we have you over here in a film by and Liam and I, one of us inevitably will be like, no relation. No really, yeah, the the diehard connection between me and Dayton is always fun. The show that you can't be serious guys, Dan, Jason, we were we were just on their show doing a an episode on The Phantom Menace. Oh my god, I loved those That and the Star Trek the Motion Picture. Yeah, oh my gosh, those are two of the best episodes. Those are always a fun time with Jason and d.

44:52 But D will always take the opportunity of if Dyton and I are in the same episode, he will always no relation. Moving on, we've we've been talking about Greedy this past hour nineteen ninety four. I hate to say this, I don't want to say it, but I kind of feel like this is where we start to hit the downward slope. Nineteen ninety six, he does the Steve Martin film Sergeant Bilco, proof that even an absolute certified genius can make a mistake. Steve, Steve Martin, Steve, how could you? You know, No offense to Steve, because he's fantastic and everything, but oh my god, I worship him. But this movie is a conker.

45:37 Think about this, a movie that stars Steve Martin, Dan Ackroyd and Phil Hartman. That should you should be printing money with that, and somehow, somehow they did not. Just yeah very much, Yeah, thank you, No thank you, Sergeant Boco speaking, Let's let's keep on the tip of no thank you. Nineteen ninety seven. This is a point point where Hollywood's trying to make Michael Richards a film star. You know, he's all you know, it's Kramer on Seinfeld, He's you can't stop laughing. But yes, trial and error. He does this with the Jeff Daniels again. You put you put a talented cast together, Michael, you know, Michael Richards with Jeff Daniels Charlie's Throne. You should be doing good business here, but this movie not good. Have you seen this one. Yeah, no, I'd never even heard of it. You know what, just forget, I forget I mentioned it because everyone else, most everyone else moved on with their life. They weren't watching this nineteen ninety seven. Now in two thousand, he does make a better film. He does The Whole nine Yards with Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry and Amanda Pete. Yes, I remember watching this for Matthew Perry. Okay, I I so you come in from Matthew Perry.

47:00 I came in for Bruce Willis. We're both happy, awesome. But yeah for this movie that I came in for Matthew Perry. Yeah, yeah, but then we you know, we came in for Bruce and Matthew, but we stayed for Rosanna Arquet, Michael Clark, duncan you know many Pete, Kevin Pollack. This is this is a fun movie. I mean, it's good enough to get a sequel. The sequel wasn't great, but it was watchable, I feel like, but I I enjoyed the Whole nine Yards. If it like, that's one like. If it if it shows up on a streaming platform, I'll add I'll add it to the queue. If it's been a while after this. A couple years later two thousand and three, swear he kind of fades out. He does. He did a movie called The Fighting Temptations. Did you see this one? Mm hmm, all right, we're gonna do something here. I'm gonna I'm gonna pitch this to you and you tell me if you want to watch it. Yea, a New York advertising executive travels to a small southern town to collect an inheritance, but finds he must create a gospel choir and lead it to success before he can let Does that grab you? Okay a little? I mean, what if I told you it starred Beyonce. Oh you're a Beyonce fan? Shut up and take my money? All right, well check it? Check out Beyonce. Who else is in it? Cuba Gooding Jr. And well he's And then you lost me. I had you that, I lost you.

48:28 Okay, Well I might still watch it just for Beyonce though, Yeah, this is this is this is before the fall of Cuba Gooding Jr. You know, he's he's still Cuba at this point. Still a little of him goes a long way with me. That's true, that's true. I after Jay McGuire. I just think nothing he was gonna do was gonna gonna measure up. So yeah, well, speaking of measuring up, I'd like to tell you what's next for this director Jonathan Lynn, but he has nothing. He has nothing on the docket. So as far as what I would like to see him do, we've been talking about this whole episode. He does his best work with ensemble comedy films. I don't care what the plot is.

49:10 Do one of those and it's gonna hit as far as I'm concerned. Yeah, absolutely, sambur I take it you would recommend this one. I would. I was thinking that it's a nice slice of really great nineties comedy, like it really it's that niche you know, Yeah, doesn't feel dated, right, you know, nothing too nothing to crass, like you could watch this with like your teenage kids. You can watch this on a date night, watch this with your buddies. It kind of kind of hits. It checks all the boxes as far as I'm concerned. Definitely, definitely a wickedly funny film. Happens to have our favorite Phil Hartman moment. If you enjoyed his ensemble comedy clue. I think this one keeps you laughing, So listeners, we want to know what you think of Greedy. You can let us know on social media. You'll find us on Facebook, Instagram, x.

50:07 You can check out www dot a film byapodcast dot com for all of our episodes streaming on all of the platforms. You can write to us at a Film by a Podcast at gmail dot com with your questions, comments and concerns. We may just read your response on the show and send you some A film by swag that's gonna do it for us this episode. But our Star Trek themeed series Phaser set to stun is on a brief hiatus, but it will be back the first Wednesday of July. So for all of you wondering, like, hey, where's start, Where's Phasers? It's coming back and they got a fun They have a very fun episode planned for the return before that though. This Friday, our limited series nineteen ninety six returns with a conversation about murder Mystery and Edward Norton in Primal Fear. Yes, Amber's a fan of Primal Fear apparently, so I'm excited for this conversation. All right, Uh, And next time on a Film By we'll discuss a competitive sports drama from director John G. Avelson. It's not Rocky, it's not the Karate Kid. So keep guessing. Amber, It's always awesome when you're here talking with me. You're gonna be on. You're gonna be back on Docu Based seventy seven any time soon, Yes, tomorrow. We earlier in the show, we were talking about our episode about the movie Milk. We are continuing our Pride Month with a conversation with myself and Robert Burnett and Disney

51:42 John talking about the movie In and Out versus the movie Jeffrey In and Out with Kevin Klein. Kevin Klein, Yeah, John Cusack and Jeffrey starring Steven Weber, based on the play of the same name, a little lesser known film that a lot of listeners might not know about. I have not seen that one, and I'm I'm now wondering, what are the odds that we would have an episode where we discuss not one, but two movies that have my name. Yeah, that's that's weird. But yeah, definitely check out Amber on the Docu Based seventy seven podcast, where she is always always the voice of reason as far as I'm concerned. Hashtag you'll being yeah hashtag Team Amber and you'll be back in a few weeks for Richard Donner's Lady Hawk correct.

52:38 Oh my gosh, yes, I need to love fest. That will be episode Me and you on that one. And to all of you out there listening each week hitting the like, share and follow buttons, as well as subscribing to our Patreon for the bonus content and exclusive episodes, we thank you. Not no writing. I didn't can you, I didn't can do a think that note was given to me by Bing Crosby and was he glad to get rid of it? Means it's wonderful to play a character who's so incurably manipulate, manipulat. I can't say that word manipulative. I'll fix that in post h