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Saint Jack (1979)

R | | Drama | 5 December 1979 (France)
Saint Jack Poster
Jack Flowers, an American hustler in early 1970s Singapore, dreams of building a fortune by running a brothel and returning to the States to lead a life of luxury.

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writers:

Howard Sackler (screenplay), Paul Theroux (screenplay) | 2 more credits »

Stars:

Ben Gazzara, Denholm Elliott, James Villiers | See full cast & crew »
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Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win. See more awards »

Photos

See all 16 photos »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Gazzara ... Jack Flowers
Denholm Elliott ... William Leigh
James Villiers James Villiers ... Frogget
Joss Ackland ... Yardley
Rodney Bewes ... Smale
Mark Kingston ... Yates
Lisa Lu ... Mrs. Yates
Monika Subramaniam Monika Subramaniam ... Monika
Judy Lim Judy Lim ... Judy
George Lazenby ... Senator
Peter Bogdanovich ... Eddie Schuman
Joseph Noël Joseph Noël ... Gopi
Kian Bee Ong Kian Bee Ong ... Hing
Yan Meng Tan Yan Meng Tan ... Little Hing
Andrew Chua Andrew Chua ... Andrew
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Compelling character study, revolving around Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara), an American hustler trying to make his fortune in 1970s Singapore in small time pimping. He dreams of building a fortune by running a brothel himself and returning to the States to lead a life of luxury. Savvy but not unsavory he strikes up a friendship with William Leigh (Denholm Elliot), a genial and decent auditor who travels to Singapore every year. Ultimately, the background of the Vietnam War comes into the picture as Jack is offered the opportunity by the CIA to run a brothel for the R&R activities of U.S. soldiers on leave in Singapore. Written by alfiehitchie

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

american abroad | 1970s | vietnam war | reference to fidel castro | reference to john f. kennedy | See All (17) »

Taglines:

"People make love for so many crazy reasons-- why shouldn't money be one of them?" - The Gospel According To Saint Jack

Genres:

Drama

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

Add content advisory for parents »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 December 1979 (France) See more »

Also Known As:

Jack el magnífico See more »

Filming Locations:

Bugis Street, Singapore, Singapore See more »
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Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Copa del Oro,Playboy Productions,Shoals Creek See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Peter Bogdanovich in "This is Orson Welles", Bogdanovich wanted Welles to direct this film, and Welles was set to do so. However, after some pressure from the studio and his steady girlfriend Cybill Shepard, Bogdanovich ended up directing it. This led to a falling-out between Bogdanovich and Welles that wasn't resolved until shortly before Welles's death. See more »

Quotes

Jack Flowers: He thinks we're a couple of boys in heat.
See more »

Crazy Credits

We thank the people of the Republic of Singapore, on whose island this picture was filmed. See more »

Connections

Referenced in By Bogdanovich (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

Goldfinger
Music by John Barry
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
Sung by Shirley Bassey
See more »

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User Reviews

 
People make love for all sorts of crazy reasons ....
8 August 2006 | by VincentElgar – See all my reviews

Singapore 1973 – Jack Flowers (Gazzara) a worldworn drifter, has finally found his niche. He is a small-time pimp, eking out a living arranging liaisons for jaded ex-pats and burned-out GIs. Everybody knows Jack and everyone likes him – a situation that changes rapidly when he decides to open his own house of ill repute.

Saint Jack is Peter Bogdanovich's most accomplished film. Made long after his Hollywood star had waned it is a low-key, character driven piece full of memorable scenes and performances. The Singapore it depicts is long gone, buried under acres of concrete and glass. The world Jack Flowers' inhabits is old school orient - sampans, alleyways, bustling markets and street hustlers. Denholm Elliot excels as the bemused, vaguely melancholy accountant Jack takes under his wing. Rodney Bewes and Joss Ackland do memorable turns as aimlessly Englishmen abroad. Former James Bond George Lazenby puts in an appearance as a slimy US senator and director Bogdanovich plays a CIA operative.

For a movie produced by Roger Corman and Hugh Hefner it's far from the exploitation fare its subject matter might suggest. Photographed by the great Robby Muller and based on a novel by Paul Theroux it's well worth a look. 8/10

**Also recommended for fans of this movie is "Kinda Hot: The Making of Saint Jack in Singapore" by Ben Slater (ISBN: 9812610693) - a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film.
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