The extended cameo by Jason Robards at the beginning of the film playing someone who may or may not be Howard Hughes (and I believe he was) sets in motion a slice of life comedy/drama that shows how the real life Melvin Dummar dealt with many obstacles before the will allegedly written by Hughes showed up on his desk. Even just a possibility that he's going to inherit a huge amount of money turns out to be a big obstacle because it turns his life upside down with people popping in to congratulate him, many that he doesn't even know obviously. Then he ends up in court and the circus continues.
The women in his life includes the mother of his children, Mary Steenburgen, who definitely wants more than he can provide yet walks out on him when he tries to give it to her. Second wife Pamela Reed is much more loyal, but she doesn't really get a lot of screen time. A game show (very similar to "Let's Make a Deal") dominates much of the first part, and when Steenburgen ends up winning big, it's the step towards her walking out on Melvin. It's surprising go see her playing a not really sympathetic character, and she does a fabulous job playing her. In spite of that, I like her. I just do not like what she did.
LeMat is the perfect loser, someone that is truly likeable and just content to make enough to get by. His ambitions are happiness and peace, and he wouldn't get that from having won the case in court. John Glover is the attorney out to prove the will a fraud, and Dabney Coleman is the judge. But it's LeMat (definitely deserving of a best actor nomination which he did not get), Robards (making it look easy to whqt he does) and Steenburgen who are brilliant, aided by a great script and super direction by Jonathan Demme. A simple film in many ways, but sometimes simple is much more.
The women in his life includes the mother of his children, Mary Steenburgen, who definitely wants more than he can provide yet walks out on him when he tries to give it to her. Second wife Pamela Reed is much more loyal, but she doesn't really get a lot of screen time. A game show (very similar to "Let's Make a Deal") dominates much of the first part, and when Steenburgen ends up winning big, it's the step towards her walking out on Melvin. It's surprising go see her playing a not really sympathetic character, and she does a fabulous job playing her. In spite of that, I like her. I just do not like what she did.
LeMat is the perfect loser, someone that is truly likeable and just content to make enough to get by. His ambitions are happiness and peace, and he wouldn't get that from having won the case in court. John Glover is the attorney out to prove the will a fraud, and Dabney Coleman is the judge. But it's LeMat (definitely deserving of a best actor nomination which he did not get), Robards (making it look easy to whqt he does) and Steenburgen who are brilliant, aided by a great script and super direction by Jonathan Demme. A simple film in many ways, but sometimes simple is much more.