Tribute (1980)

Please don't spend money on this.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Blistering performances.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Jack Lemmon played the part of Scottie Templeton in 1978 on Broadway for 212 performances. I was lucky to be there and be part of a remarkable performance. The audience was actually part of the tribute as guests and I think maybe some of that was lost in the film. All were in tears at the end and became friends of Lemmon. I also think some of the "Broadway" acting transferred to the screen and may have made it look robotic. I enjoyed the film but it may have been because I was I was a part of that private party years earlier. There were many surprises in the play that were lost in the film. There were 2 memorable moments for me. As I was sitting in the 3rd row, Lemmon recognized his nurse's voice as a former stripper, and verified it when she ripped open her uniform to reveal her memorable breasts. I often use the line "You say potato and I say potato" (no difference in the pronunciation) which Lemmon delivered hilariously.Harry

A shallow Broadway press agent (Jack Lemmon) discovers he's dying. At the same time his ex-wife (Lee Remick) and their kid (Robby Benson) visit. They all try to come to terms with his impending death and bond.Sounds pretty terrible doesn't it? The script is annoyingly predictable, it goes on far too long and Benson is just horrible but this is still worth catching just for Lemmon. I've heard he did this on stage beforehand so he knew the character and plays it to perfection. He's just great from beginning to end. He was justly nominated for an Academy Award for this. Remick isn't in this much but she does wonders with a clichéd character. Also the wonderful Colleen Dewhurst was sadly underused as Lemmon's doctor. Still for Lemmon's performance alone this is worth catching. It looses points because of the predictable script and Benson's truly horrible performance.

I saw the Broadway play starring Jack Lemmon, and it was very memorable. I saw this film version of it shortly after, and it was awful! Fortunately this movie went away and no one seems to want to view it anymore, and good for that. May it rest in peace.

"Tribute" is a wonderful tear-jerker about a father and his estranged son. Benson is good, though his character may be a bit over-the-top cynical. But as usual, Jack Lemmon provides a textbook example of acting without seeming like he's acting, the mark of a great performer.