Comments on: Recommendations for dialogue-heavy films a la Glengarry Glen Ross?

Question: Recommendations for dialogue-heavy films a la Glengarry Glen Ross?

porn in the woods — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:26:18 -0800

I have lately been hooked on Glengarry Glen Ross and The Big Kahuna, small casts with stellar scripts and casting. What other dialogue-heavy films in this vein should I be watching?

By: stresstwig

stresstwig — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:30:40 -0800

12 Angry Men?

By: stresstwig

stresstwig — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:31:27 -0800

On a slightly different note, a lot of Hitchcock's films might fit your bill.

By: LoriFLA

LoriFLA — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:34:35 -0800

Put the coffee down. Coffee is for closers.

The Usual Suspects comes to mind.

By: amyms

amyms — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:34:36 -0800

My Dinner With Andre

By: amyms

amyms — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:36:57 -0800

The Big Chill

By: starman

starman — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:47:27 -0800

Dogville (love it or hate it...)? Same with Waking Life.
Before Sunrise
Before Sunset
Court movies like Judgment at Nuremberg, Anatomy of a Murder, or Witness for the Prosecution?
If you like Mamet, maybe Heist or The Spanish Prisoner

By: Pater Aletheias

Pater Aletheias — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:51:58 -0800

Kicking and Screaming
Seconding Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Great films.

By: zanni

zanni — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:54:46 -0800

Defintitely check out Mamet's other films. I'd suggest this order: House of Games, Spanish Prisoner, State & Main, The Edge, Spartan, Heist. They become more and more Mamet-y as you go. The first two are just great films. The last two I think you have to be a Mamet fan to appreciate.

By: ob

ob — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:56:12 -0800

It's much older but His Girl Friday is a very very wordy script, not quite what you're describing but you might like it anyway.

By: sneakin

sneakin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:56:14 -0800

If you liked Glengarry Glen Ross, you will like the other David Mamet scripts that have been adapted for movies (IMDB page with his writing credits), all of which is exceptionally talky. First things that come to mind of his work is Oleanna (talkiest movie ever, I promise) which is decent and the Spanish Prisoner which is awesome. The Winslow Boy is great and so is American Buffalo. (Links for all those can be found on the IMDB page.)

By: sneakin

sneakin — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:57:00 -0800

Shoulda hit preview. zanni beat me to it. Oh, yeah, good call: House of Games FTW.

By: Jahaza

Jahaza — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:00:15 -0800

Whit Stillman's films.

"Boiler Room".

By: grumblebee

grumblebee — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:00:21 -0800

Billy Wilder films:
-- "The Big Carnival" (also known as "Ace in the Hole")
-- "Double Indemnity"
-- "Sunset Boulevard"
-- "Some Like It Hot"
-- "The Apartment" (my favorite)
-- "The Seven Year Itch"
-- "Stalag 17"

"Bringing Up Baby" (Maybe the best example ever of what you're looking for)
"Top Hat" (Fred/Ginger musical with a smart, snappy script)
"His Girl Friday"
"The Lady Eve"
"All About Eve"

Whit Stillman Comedies
-- "Metropolitan"
-- "Barcelona"
-- "The Last Days of Disco" (I'm not a fan of this last one)

The TV Series "Deadwood"

By: Justinian

Justinian — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:10:12 -0800

The Lion in Winter

Peter O'Toole. Katharine Hepburn. 'Nuff said.

By: Lucy2Times

Lucy2Times — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:20:50 -0800

Mamet's play Sexual Perversity in Chicago was made into a somewhat kitchy romance in 1986 as About Last Night. Say what you will about what Hollywood did to it, but many of the Mamet dialogs were lifted from the play intact. If that doesn't get you interested, nudity from both Rob Lowe and Demi Moore might. It's also Jim Belushi's best role, especially before people realized he'd never be John Belushi.

By: timeistight

timeistight — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:23:47 -0800

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

By: keith0718

keith0718 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:25:37 -0800

2nding Metropolitan

By: sjthomp

sjthomp — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:31:36 -0800

stresstwig mentioned Hitchcock, and I would recommend Lifeboat and Rope in particular. Strongly second House of Games and 12 Angry Men.

By: Flunkie

Flunkie — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:34:39 -0800

Miller's Crossing

By: decathecting

decathecting — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:39:36 -0800

The Business of Strangers

The Last Supper

By: Artw

Artw — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:45:47 -0800

You could go got a 90s o'rific combo of Trainspotting, the first two Guy Ritchie movies, the first few Quentin Tarrantino movies and the first few Kevin Smith movies.

By: ocherdraco

ocherdraco — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:45:59 -0800

Six Degrees of Separation (The play is fantastic; the film of it, somewhat less so, but it certainly does fit the parameters of what you're looking for.)

By: shinynewnick

shinynewnick — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:48:59 -0800

There's a new Mamet movie coming out soon, Redbelt. Haven't heard any reviews, but might be worth a shot.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:04:44 -0800

small casts with stellar scripts and casting

Mike Leigh and John Sayles are two directors definitely up this alley. Leigh's Secrets and Lies is especially wonderful, but Life is Sweet and High Hopes are right up there, too. Sayles' Matewan is a little-known gem of a historical film, and Lone Star is near-perfect dialogue-driven drama. You can't go wrong with either of those two directors' better films - and there are a lot of them.

By: xz

xz — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:11:18 -0800

Miller's Crossing, as Flunkie mentioned, is amazing. Possibly my favorite film.

In terms of Mamet (of whom I'm also a big fan), he wrote the script for The Verdict with Paul Newman, and that's a good match for your interests.

Perhaps The Limey? Great film. Great acting. Terrence Stamp. Steven Soderburgh's smaller films are fantastic. Much better then the Ocean's 11 stuff.

By: xz

xz — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:13:41 -0800

ditto Matewan! great film. you can't go wrong with Sayles.

also, duh, Jim Jarmusch, if you haven't found his stuff yet: Down By Law is the place to start. Dead Man is also exceptional.

Have you seen any Hal Hartley films? His stuff might work for you.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:15:23 -0800

Oh, and Richard Linklater's nearly unknown Tape, released the same year as Waking Life, has a cast of three and is a great example of a tight, dialogue-heavy small-cast film. In general, you'll want to keep your eye out for stage plays adapted by smart directors.

By: paulsc

paulsc — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:26:59 -0800

Closer (2004). The Professional (2001). Wit (2001). Shakespeare in Love (1998).

By: anitanita

anitanita — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:30:05 -0800

Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Sharp dialogue and intrigue, with wit.....

By: mediareport

mediareport — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:30:53 -0800

Oh yeah, there was a similar question a couple of years back with lots of good answers. I'll repeat a recommendation for Death and the Maiden, another adapted play that's a dark, brilliant, captivating small film.

By: msbrauer

msbrauer — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:31:11 -0800

Waking Life was mentioned, and many other of his films might qualify. Tape immediately came to mind when I thought of dialog-heavy movies. Not sure how it holds up, though, saw it in the theater in 2001 and can't remember it all that well. Thinking of Tape lead me to think of other movies filmed (largely) in a single room; Hitchcock's Rope and Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. I'm sure there are plenty others that fit that bill, but it might be an interesting way to arrive at movies dependent almost entirely on the dialogue. Another movie that comes to mind is Funny Ha-Ha, which I'd bet is a love it or hate it type of movie; felt like a revitalization of the post-college slacker movie (see also Linklater's Slacker) in a way that was honest and familiar. The dialog is the movie, and the final exchange and final line, which is barely intelligible, reframe the entire movie. It's great.

By: paulsc

paulsc — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:53:36 -0800

Brick (2005).

By: rokusan

rokusan — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:54:44 -0800

Seconding Boiler Room, and adding Wendy McLeod's House of Yes.

Mike Leigh, as mentioned above, is also lovely, but I think the very dark Naked (does not contain nudity, at least not of the body) is his best work.

I, too, almost always like adapted stage plays. The dialogue always seems so much better than your average written-for-the-screen product.

By: rokusan

rokusan — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:55:55 -0800

And MsBrauer is right about Tape. Very similar to Hospitality Suite/Big Kahuna.

By: good in a vacuum

good in a vacuum — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:18:12 -0800

"Two" movies:
Two Girls and a Guy
2 Days in Paris (this one is similar to Linklater's Before Sunrise/Sunset).

By: cinemafiend

cinemafiend — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:42:31 -0800

If you think you might love Mamet - then I highly recommend reading his recent book BAMBI VS GODZILLA in which he talks about the films (GALAXY QUEST, DODSWORTH, ) and filmmakers (Preston Sturges, Michael Powell) that he loves...

And he also talks about what he hates about the business Hollywood.

Oh, and you really cannot go wrong with any of the films of Preston Sturges (THE LADY EVE) and Michael Powell (THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP).

By: minkll

minkll — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:44:11 -0800

Sweet Smell of Success

By: gjc

gjc — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:44:34 -0800

-- Sleuth Lawrence Olivier and Michael Caine. The entire movie is basically these two guys talking.

-- The Americanization of Emily James Garner and Julie Andrews. The movie is more broad, but there are a couple of scenes that I feel have exactly what you are looking for.

Not exactly what you're looking for, but close:

-- Anything with Cary Grant and/or Alfred Hitchcock, but especially Father Goose, Indiscreet, North by Northwest, To Catch a Thief, Suspicion

-- The Man Who Would Be King

-- The Manchurian Candidate. Frank Sinatra's finest role. Seriously. This is a fucking creepy movie. The 2004 version is not as good (perhaps because I already knew the basic story), but it is worth renting. ((Chicago radio fans might note Buzz Kilman in a pivotal scene.))

By: jouster

jouster — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:45:14 -0800

Back to the 70's: Three Days of the Condor, All the Preseident's Men, The Conversation.

By: sciatica

sciatica — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:46:33 -0800

Mindwalk - Three people walking around Mont St. Michel and talking nonstop for the entire show about pretty much everything. You will never see oranges the same again.

Seconding Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang and Sleuth (1972).

By: Gorgik

Gorgik — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:51:03 -0800

How about Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, by Tom Stoppard. Never saw the play, but the movie is great, with Gary Oldman and Tim Roth?

Along the Mamet lines, how about American Buffalo? That's Dennis Franz and Dustin Hoffman.

By: cinemafiend

cinemafiend — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:58:45 -0800

"My idea of perfection is Roger Livesey (my favorite actor) in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (my favorite film) about to fight Anton Walbrook (my other favorite actor)." - David Mamet

Bambi vs. Godzilla p.148

By: doncoyote

doncoyote — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:12:08 -0800

"The Mother and the Whore" (1973), at 3 1/2 hours of Left Bank talk, is probably the most monologue-and-dialog heavy film ever. Not much snappy banter, but plenty of great cafe talk among disaffected youth.

For snappy banter, "His Girl Friday" is my favorite. It has a very high rate of words per minute.
"Blessed Event" (1930) with Lee Tracy is also great.

For sections of recent films, Mark Wahlberg has plenty of snappy answers to stupid questions in "The Departed."

By: jak68

jak68 — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:35:26 -0800

The Player

Several Woody Allen movies come to mind (Broadway Danny Rose, Crimes and Misdemeanors).

By: rhizome

rhizome — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:12:21 -0800

L.A. Confidential
Henry Jaglom
The Taking Of Pelham 123

By: turgid dahlia

turgid dahlia — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:19:23 -0800

American Buffalo. Also, Sexy Beast.

By: bifter

bifter — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:28:03 -0800

Saw In Bruges on Saturday - it was superb.

By: quadog

quadog — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:37:20 -0800

The Maltese Falcon. Small cast. Good script. Fast talking.

By: quentiniii

quentiniii — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:51:33 -0800

Melvin Goes to Dinner
The Anniversary Party

By: bertrandom

bertrandom — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:02:23 -0800

The Man from Earth, the acting is pretty terrible but the script is well written in my opinion. It's another one of those entire movie in a single room with people talking movies.

By: dzot

dzot — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:14:17 -0800

Seconding Deadwood, and if you are particularly interested in the use of dialogue in a non-utilitarian way, you could even try David Milch's short lived follow-up John from Cincinnati.

By: BozoBurgerBonanza

BozoBurgerBonanza — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:23:19 -0800

Talk Radio is quite good.

By: 2or3whiskeysodas

2or3whiskeysodas — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:14 -0800

Very different from the movies you mentioned as it's a comedy, but Flirting With Disaster has a small cast with a stellar script and (seriously perfect) casting and is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:01:51 -0800

Seconding House of Games.

By: porn in the woods

porn in the woods — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:16:02 -0800

Thanks for all of these tremendous recommendation. Filled out my Netflix queue accordingly.

Somehow, Glengarry Glen Ross had completely fallen off my radar, and I didn't give it a proper viewing until a few weeks ago. Holy smokes, this might be the best ensemble cast of the 1990s.

By: waltzing astronomers

waltzing astronomers — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:47:07 -0800

Seconding Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Thirding Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Fourthing Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

By: inqb8tr

inqb8tr — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:29:44 -0800

In the Company of Men

By: jak68

jak68 — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:48:41 -0800

Daytrippers.

By: jenlyn1123

jenlyn1123 — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:36:21 -0800

seconding the anniversary party--it's self indulgent but brilliant

By: Xere

Xere — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:15:40 -0800

I'm coming in really late to comment, but I recommend Before Sunrise and the sequel Before Sunset.