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The Late Show

Play trailer Poster for The Late Show PG 1977 1h 34m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 40 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Private detective Ira Wells (Art Carney) isn't getting any younger. He's also barely staying in business. So when Ira's former partner, Harry, is killed, Ira vows to not only take on Harry's last job, but also find his friend's murderer. While trying to crack Harry's case, Ira is introduced to Margo (Lily Tomlin), an eccentric pot-selling agent who wants to hire him to find her cat. Desperate for the work, Ira takes on the pet search and winds up with an unexpected new partner in Margo.
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The Late Show

The Late Show

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Critics Consensus

Deft direction from Robert Benton and a perfect pair in Art Carney and Lily Tomlin make The Late Show a solidly savory neo-noir treat.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker 01/23/2024
The Late Show is fast and exciting, but it isn't a thriller, exactly. It's a one of a kind movie -- a love hate poem to sleaziness. Go to Full Review Kathleen Carroll New York Daily News 06/14/2021
3/4
Writer-director Benton has fashioned two richly human characters, and the talents of Art Carney and Lily Tomlin take them from there, making both roles not only believable but irresistible as well. Go to Full Review Susan Stark Detroit Free Press 06/14/2021
The film's striking originality, as well as its emotional force, stems from the two personalities that stand as an excuse for its mannered plot. Go to Full Review Vickie Ong Honolulu Advertiser 04/05/2024
It's a joy to find a movie that can still lift you above the humdrum world, keep you smiling for a few hours and send you back to earth, feeling good about life. Go to Full Review Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 08/16/2023
The Late Show is a joke, but not in derision. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Michael Clark Epoch Times 12/16/2022
4.5/5
The crowning achievement of the film was the unlikely pairing of Carney and Tomlin, both regarded as comic masters. This changed after Carney’s Oscar-win turn in “Harry & Tonto” and Tomlin’s, non-comic Academy Award-nominated performance in “Nashville.” Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 May 31 Funny in 1 hour and 34 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more mark g @Mark_Alan_G. Apr 23 Brilliant film! The acting is top-notch and the writing is taut. One of those subtle masterpieces that gets better every time you watch it. They don't make them like this anymore. See more nick s @Nick_S 06/30/2024 Good charismatic performances by the leads, but in terms of storytelling it was a bit of a fizzer. Failed to build tension and had a made for TV vibe. Really did not have much comedy and what little it did have was very muted. See more Alec B @Alec97 01/10/2024 Maybe the oddest of the oddball neo-noirs. The plot isn't all that interesting but the movie knows that. These characters are why we are invested with Tomlin and Carney's hilarious and enduring duo at the heart of the whole thing. See more Shadowman4710 08/10/2023 Art Carney plays a small time, broken-down private detective in 1970's Los Angeles in this Robert Altman deconstruction of the noir genre. When a long time friend (Howard Duff) is killed, he begins to investigate, only to get pulled into a web of theft, infidelity and murder. Carney is absolutely wonderful as veteran detective Ira Welles, who is forced to deal with a variety of quirky, off-beat characters living at the edge of LA. society. He has plenty of help from a solid supporting cast that includes Lilly Tomlin, Bill Macey and Eugene Roach. Highly recommended to any fans of Film Noir and its descendent, neo-noir which flourished during the 1970;s. See more Russ 07/23/2023 Art Carney proves there's more to his talent than just Jackie Gleason's foil in The Honeymooners. You'd be inclined to doubt the pairing of Carney and Lilly Tomlin but it works. This film was the sleeper of the year when it came out. See more Read all reviews
The Late Show

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Cast & Crew

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Robert Benton

Director

Art Carney

Ira Wells

Lily Tomlin

Margo

Bill Macy

Charlie Hatter

Eugene Roche

Ron Birdwell

Joanna Cassidy

Laura Birdwell

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The Late Show

The Late Show (1977) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Private detective Ira Wells (Art Carney) isn't getting any younger. He's also barely staying in business. So when Ira's former partner, Harry, is killed, Ira vows to not only take on Harry's last job, but also find his friend's murderer. While trying to crack Harry's case, Ira is introduced to Margo (Lily Tomlin), an eccentric pot-selling agent who wants to hire him to find her cat. Desperate for the work, Ira takes on the pet search and winds up with an unexpected new partner in Margo.
Director
Robert Benton
Producer
Robert Altman
Screenwriter
Robert Benton
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 10, 1977, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 31, 2008
Runtime
1h 34m
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