THE LAST TYCOON (1976) * This thing has the look and feel, the script, and the acting of a substantially worse than average made-for-tv movie. I haven't read the "unfinished novel" by Fitzgerald, so I don't know how much of it is his fault, and how much should be blamed on Elia Kazan. If any of it is the novel's fault then clearly some moron "finished" it, or Fitzgerald had entirely blown all twelve cylinders on booze. Either are possible. Theresa Russell and Ingrid Boulting are absolutely spectacular in their inability to deliver even the most basic two and three word lines with any conviction. With about 40 minutes left Jack Nicholson shows up to bail things out but it's too late. Robert De Niro realizes this and drinks too much. He then hits ping pong balls at Jack, who promptly knocks him out. Soon De Niro is throwing up, and who wouldn't? Entirely gutless music by Maurice Jarre matches the film perfectly.
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