Save the Tiger (1973)

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Steve Shagan (writer)

Release Date:

21 July 1973 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Jack Lemmon in his most important dramatic role since "The Days of Wine and Roses."

Plot:

A businessman's professional struggles begin to conflict with his personal life over the course of two days.

Plot Keywords:

Fashion Show | Businessman | Tie | Oscar Winner | Alienation

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Harry Stoner
Jack Gilford	...	Phil Greene
Laurie Heineman	...	Myra
Norman Burton	...	Fred Mirrell
Patricia Smith	...	Janet Stoner
Thayer David	...	Charlie Robbins
William Hansen	...	Meyer
Harvey Jason	...	Rico
Liv Lindeland	...	Ula (as Liv Von Linden)
Lara Parker	...	Margo
Eloise Hardt	...	Jackie
Janina	...	Dusty
Ned Glass	...	Sid Fivush
Pearl Shear	...	Cashier
Biff Elliot	...	Tiger Petitioner (as Biff Elliott)
Ben Freedman	...	Taxi Driver
Madeline Lee	...	Receptionist
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barton MacLane	...	(clips from 'High Sierra') (archive footage)
Tony Regan	...	Man at Show (uncredited)
Leoda Richards	...	Woman at Show (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Man at Show (uncredited)
Ken Weiner	...	Movie Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
John G. Avildsen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Steve Shagan		writer

Produced by
Edward S. Feldman	....	executive producer
Martin Ransohoff	....	producer
Steve Shagan	....	producer
Jack Lemmon	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
James Crabe		(as Jim Crabe)

Film Editing by
David Bretherton

Casting by
Caro Jones

Art Direction by
Jack T. Collis		(as Jack Collis)

Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux

Makeup Department
Harry Ray	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ronald L. Schwary	....	second assistant director (as Ron Schwary)
Christopher N. Seiter	....	assistant director (as Christopher Seiter)

Art Department
Donald B. Nunley	....	property master (as Don Nunley)
Leamon Adams	....	swing gang (uncredited)
Ron Chiniquy	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Robert Krume	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Spencer Moore	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bud Alper	....	sound
Robert Knudson	....	sound (as Robert I. Knudson)
Gene Ashbrook	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Vincent Garcia	....	sound cable (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ross A. Maehl	....	gaffer (as Ross Maehl)
John Murray	....	key grip
Jack Willoughby	....	camera operator
Gene Kearney	....	grip (uncredited)
Calvin Maehl	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Mason Sperry	....	grip (uncredited)
Robert M. Stevens	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Orlando Suero	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Timothy E. Wade	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bill Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John A. Anderson	....	wardrobe
Joseph Magnin	....	fashion show wardrobe

Editorial Department
David Ramirez	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Marvin Hamlisch	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Howard A. Small	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Pat Quinn	....	fashion show consultant
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
Alan DeWitt	....	dialogue coach (uncredited)
Frank Friedrichsen	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Barbara Gallagher	....	secretary to producer and director (uncredited)
Bridget O'Brien	....	secretary to production manager (uncredited)
Carl Skelton	....	auditor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Filmways Pictures
• Cirandinha Productions
• Jalem Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Paramount Pictures (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (Spain) (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment Finland (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1973) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Australia:M | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Jack Lemmon was in Europe filming Avanti! (1972) for director Billy Wilder when this film was edited and scored. A print was flown to show Lemmon and he invited Wilder to see it. Afterwards, Lemmon asked for Wilder's opinion. Wilder advised one change, cut out the scene in the film where Lemmon's character visits his mistress early in the story. Wilder felt it slowed down the momentum of the story. The scene was cut, the picture was released to box office success and Lemmon won a second Oscar.

Goofs:

Continuity: Harry wipes Fred's face almost completely clean of the red body paint. In a subsequent shot, Fred's face is covered with red paint again.

Quotes:

Myra:Are you OK? Do you want something?
Harry Stoner:Yes. I want that girl in a Cole Porter song. I wanna see Lena Horne at the Cotton Club - hear Billie Holiday sing fine and mellow - walk in that kind of rain that never washes perfume away. I wanna be in love with something. Anything. Just the idea. A dog, a cat. Anything. Just something.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Dune/Starman/Mass Appeal/Runaway" (1984)

Soundtrack:

Stompin' At The Savoy

" Quarterbacks, get knocked down, nurses get knocked up, yes professionals make mistakes "

As an audience grows older, their perception of life changes. When viewing a movie in your youth, you may not understand the tiny, subtle remarks, nor the innuendos. But as you reach mature milestones, suddenly those secret words, phrases and remarks make so much sense, you wonder why you didn't understand them the first time. That is the message in this film called " Save the Tiger." Although the initial message in the movie was to try and save an endangered species of Indian Tiger, the subliminal message was it could also apply to an American Original; an Idealist American businessman on the verge of extinction. Jack Lemmon plays Harry Stoner, a middle age clothing designer trying to save his faltering business. Despite having a winning fashion line which will yield a sizable profit, they can achieve their goal if they can meet their payroll. As a result, Stoner and his business partner Phil Greene (Jack Gilford, superb acting) may have to resort to criminal options to survive. Thus enters a professional arsonist named Charlie Robbins (Thayer David, is brilliant in this role) who for 10% of the insurance will make short work of an aging property and make it look like an accident. Phil wants nothing to do with the arson plan despite the fact he is already part of last year's fraudulent scheme. Added to his worries, is the fact that Stoner like so many other Veterans, cannot seem to lose the nightmarish visions of the war, where so many of his fellow soldiers died. Stoner fades in and out of reality often dreaming of a past where the highlight of a day was to see the 'Old Fashion Wind-up and pitch' of his youth. This is truly a Classic for anyone wishing to recall a younger segment of one's life which we all understood. ****