bregund Because it's neither. Twice I have tried to watch this film, and each time I got about halfway through before I called it quits. In the right role Lily Tomlin pops off the screen, here her performance is lethargic and her timing is way off. I suspect it has a lot to do with Art Carney's performance...sometimes a mismatched buddy comedy really works like Rush Hour or Lethal Weapon. In this film I kept waiting for something to happen, and while the clues roll out, they emerge with all the speed and snap of a sleepy tortoise. If they had picked up the pace this could have been an interesting film, but constantly referring to how old Art Carney's character is does nothing but slow the film down. Even the retirement home sci-fi film Cocoon proved that older actors can entertain with snappy dialogue and quick cuts, so there is no excuse for this film's glacial pace. Fool me twice, shame on me.

SnoopyStyle Ira Wells (Art Carney) is a broke aging private detective in L.A. His friend Harry Regan shows up at his door mortally wounded. Charlie Hatter introduces him to quirky Margo Sperling (Lily Tomlin) who is looking for her stolen cat. Harry was working for Margo before his demise. Ira decides to take on the case and track down Harry's killer. It's a lot of twists and turns with a good amount of danger.This is a weird hybrid of a movie. It's a little wacky due a lot to Lily Tomlin and her character but it's not exactly a comedy. It has roots in the hard-boiled detective stories. The movie keeps twisting and turning. It is a long winding road to follow. The plot gets a bit confused. It is definitely something different and unique.

tieman64 Directed by Robert Benton, "The Late Show" (1977) stars Art Carney as Ira Wells, an elderly private detective. When he's hired to find the missing cat of the volatile Margo (Lily Tomlin), Wells is provided an opportunity to showcase his talents."Show" was produced by Robert Altman. It also bears some similarities to Altman's "The Long Goodbye" (1973), both films opening with a missing feline and both films transplanting a 1940s noir hero to the 1970s. Wells is caught out of time, is chastised for being "old", "out of touch" and "outdated", but nevertheless proceeds to prove his doubters wrong. The film climaxes with Margo and Welles unravelling a conspiracy that is wholly typical of the genre.Whilst Carney and Tomlin are endearing in their roles, "The Late Show" doesn't do enough to rise above similar films from the era ("Chandler", "Harper", "Marlowe", "Night Movies", "The Long Goodbye" etc). Benton would revisit similar material with 1998's "Twilight".7/10 – See "Cutter's Way".

madmonkmcghee Wonderfully melancholy and entertaining take on the noir style, with a spot-on odd couple casting of Art Carney as an aging gumshoe and Lily Tomlin as a ditsy New Age dame, both looking for something and someone to give their empty lives real meaning. The plot is appropriately convoluted, as befits a Chandleresque mystery story, but as with most noirs a tight plot is not really what matters. Forget about who killed who and what for. It's all about the characters, and they're all memorable and played pitch- perfect. This movie could have gone badly wrong in so many ways, but director Benton knew what he was aiming for: a both funny and touching portrait of two lonely people, who even welcome murder and violence if it can get them out of the stifling rut their lives have become. Blending genres can be tricky, but here the suspense and comedy are equally balanced. Carney is effortlessly convincing as a man who would rather be gunned down than waste away in a hospital bed; it's almost as if he hopes to die on the job. Tomlin's character is gratingly annoying at times, but then she's supposed to be, otherwise she would have been merely cute and kooky. The supporting cast is equally excellent, all hitting the right notes. Those looking for belly laughs or nail-biting suspense will find this too mild for their tastes. Anyone interested in a movie that is both touching, exciting and entertaining should seek out this little gem.