The Late Show (Blu-ray)

Writer / director Benton is best known for his screenplay for BONNIE & CLYDE and his later dramatic work. But in the 1970s he directed two fine genre subversions: the Western BAD COMPANY (whose fingerprints are all over the Coen brothers’ TRUE GRIT) and THE LATE SHOW, a laidback dryly funny neo noir. Robert Altman produced it and this sort of resembles his own THE LONG GOODBYE. Carney and Tomlin really make this and there is a heavy, melancholic nostalgic vibe going on here, so don’t expect the acidic skewering that Altman did with his film. But this fits nicely with other amiable L.A. detective pictures from the late 1970s and early 1980s, like THE BIG FIX and THE BLACK MARBLE.

The Late Show is, perhaps, several things at once – an offbeat neo-noir mystery sprinkled with the odd light moment, an affectionate tribute to golden-age noir, even a curious if slight love story. That it works so wonderfully well is attributable to a few things – the engaging mystery, the cracking script, and the superb performances from Art Carney and Lily Tomlin. Very happy to have it on Blu-ray at last.

Robert Benton's (KRAMER VS. KRAMER) classic 1977 detective picture with comedic flourishes by Lily Tomlin (NASHVILLE) and Art Carney (HARRY & TONTO). It's really more than that though, it's what might be called a 'slice of life' movie. This is a lived in world and we 're along for the ride. They don't make them like this anymore.

The presentation from Warner Archive is exactly what could be hoped for in a nearly 50 year old film. The presentation is in the original aspect ratio of 1:85:1. And the sound is the original mono track. Both exactly as they should be presented. The transfer is clean and looks fine. No complaints.