Bye Bye Braverman

Segal, Wiseman, Booke and Warden: each actor's performance makes for a superb piece of a patchwork quilt. These old friends may rub roughly against each other, in a NY/ethnic kind of way, but we recognize the deep understanding they share from long familiarity. The story offers us a superb ensemble cast, with a wonderful cameo from King. It will never knock "Citizen Kane" off anyone's shelf, but makes a great candidate for the second tier of movie treasures.

I haven't yet seen "Starting Out in the Evening", but it clearly lives in much the same territory as "Bye Bye Braverman". Is it too much to hope that the release of this new film will lead to some efforts to rescue this lovely older Lumet film from its undeserved obscurity? At the very least, a DVD should be available!

It looks odd that those who write reviews of Braverman here give it a 9 or 10 (which is what I would do), yet the over-all viewer rating is below 6. I guess that you have to have some feeling for the New York (or upper west side) milieu in order to appreciate this film; but if you do have it, then you're apt to love this film.

Speaking of under-appreciated New York films, the second on my list, after "Bye Bye Braverman", would be Bill Murray's "Quick Change".

One of the best off-beat movies I've ever seen. The eulogy by Alan King was one of the best that I've ever heard. It reminded me of so many sermons that I've heard on the high holidays: a lot of words in search of a theme.

to me this movie turns the biblical story of the Exodus on its head. Instead of leading His people into the Promised Land, Monroe(Segal)leads His people out of the Promised Land(Manhattan), and into the desert(Brooklyn), and they wander and wander. While there, each character comes to question his faith. The four main characters, assimilated Jews, have abandoned their traditions when we first meet them. Upon their return to their roots(Brooklyn),characters and situations confront them, that force them to look inward at themselves, and what they have become. Listen to the speeches carefully. King's, Cambridges'(brilliant cameo), and don't overlook Segal's at the cemetery addressing the headstones(just beautiful. Strange that this move as released in 1968,at the height of so much turmoil. BBB is an overlooked classic. This movie is so important to me, that when it finally is released on DVD, I will be the first on line to buy it. And, I don't even own A DVD player! But for this movie I might just buy one.

This movie is about four friends searching for their friend's burial place. Not only do you experience the frustration of New York in the 1960's, but you can relate to how these aging friends are dealing with an ever-changing society. Sorrel Brooke, perhaps best known as Boss Hogg, steals the show. A true gem!