The Late Show

The Late Show is an engaging meta-noir film from 1977 directed by Robert Benton. Starring the commendable Art Carney and the charismatic Lily Tomlin, the film intricately weaves together elements of dark humour, drama, suspenseful mystery and classic film-noir aesthetics. The supporting cast boasts such noteworthy actors as Bill Macy, Eugene Roche, and Joanna Cassidy, all of whom bring richness and depth to their unique character portrayals.

The stellar performances of seasoned actor Art Carney, best known for his role in The Honeymooners, and the quirky Lily Tomlin, a beloved comedian, musician, and actress, form a compelling duo in this unique amalgamation of distinct narrative genres. Carney embodies a character named Ira Wells, an aging private eye who is struggling to keep up with the changing times. Ira is played with a wistful, melancholic nostalgia that seems to hark back to Hollywood's golden era of the hard-boiled detective.

Lily Tomlin shines as Margo Sterling, an eccentric, flighty individual with dreams of stardom, who borders between being delightfully naive and exuding a beguiling charm. Tomlin brilliantly balances her comedic timing with a depth of emotional vulnerability that only adds to the multi-layered character of Margo.

When Ira and Margo's worlds intersect, thanks to a series of crisis situations and intriguing plot twists, the ensuing narrative becomes a quirky, offbeat exploration of Los Angeles' underbelly. This world is filled with dimly lit alleyways, dissentious double-crosses, and intricate manipulations, a loving homage to the classic noir films of the 1940s and 50s.

Director Robert Benton, an Oscar-winner, known for his nuanced storytelling, speaks the language of noir fluently through The Late Show. He successfully manages to create an engaging narrative standing starkly between the new-age Hollywood cinema and the long-past golden era. This film is a unique experiment attempting to bridge this gap and delivers an engaging experience with its unusual characters, seedy settings, and strange happenings.

Key supporting performances include Bill Macy’s ambiguous portrayal of Charlie Hatter, Ira's old pal, who despite his flawed nature and self-interest, maintains a certain kind of loyalty towards his friend. Eugene Roche plays an unconventional tough guy, Ronnie Birdwell, with an effortless charm and deceptive simplicity, providing an additional layer of complexity to the environment within which the main characters operate.

Through the lens of cinematographer Charles Rosher Jr., who provides the gloom and graininess that is essential to the film-noir style, the city appears menacing yet fascinating. Scenes are lensed with high contrast lighting, dark shadows, atypical angles, and locations that amplify the cinematic atmosphere of suspense, intrigue and impending danger.

David Shire’s score, with its melancholic tunes and edgy beats, further immerses the audience into the essence of the narrative, hitting all the right notes at crucial junctures in the film. The production design and costuming capture the essence of the 70s, clearly marking it as a modern film despite its noir interests.

The Late Show has a stark approach to violence and confrontation, presenting it in a realistic and genuinely shocking way, reverberating the hard-boiled ethos of the noir genre. It effectively captures the linguistic charm of noir, interjecting sardonic and complex dialogues, thus embodying the hard-edged sensibility of the genre it pays homage to.

All in all, The Late Show is an uncommon kind of movie, a noir-detective film that encapsulates the eccentricities of the 70s Hollywood. It's a pastiche of dense plotting, dark humor, characterized by fatalism and cynicism and yet, it's startlingly funny and affable on the surface. This rare blend of styles and moods makes The Late Show an interesting proposition for viewers who enjoy layered narratives and genre-mixing cinema.

This movie is a testament to the excellent talent of Art Carney and Lily Tomlin. They convincingly portray an offbeat double-act, creating a fascinating world of danger, humour, and pathos. The Late Show is truly an ode to film-noir, skillfully interpreted through the unique lens of Robert Benton, resulting in a compelling viewing experience. With its blend of laughter, peril, gritty drama, and unexpected tenderness, it creates an indelible impact, ensuring its position as a significant film of the late 20th century.