Customer Reviews

Tin Men

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For many years, I was outraged that this classic entry in director, Barry Levinson's Baltimore series of films, was out of print.Well I'm glad to report that this hilarious, nostalgic comedy has been brought to light in the DVD format.The film takes place in Baltimore, (Circa 1963), where we are introduced to the world of the 'Tin Men'. These are notorius, aluminum siding salesmen, who will use any con or scheme to get customers to sign on the dotted line of a contract. We are intoduced to two such 'tin men'(wonderfully played by Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito) when they both accidentally hit each other in their Cadillacs. From then on a war of words and pranks begins. This escalates to the point that the Dreyfuss character has an affair with DeVito's wife (well played by Barbra Hershey). Eventually the affair, which started out as a form of revenge, blossoms into love.While this film is very funny it plays out against a melancholic background, because the story gives you the feeling, that the days of the 'tin men' have come and gone.Their livelyhood's days are numbered and in order for these men to survive they will have to move on.The acting in this movie is great.All three lead actors in this film (Dreyfuss, DeVito, Hershey)play their roles to perfection.This is an ensemble that really works. Barry Levinson has written and directed a story that is both humorus and touching.We really care about these characters.The dialogue is also first rate. In the tradition of the other Baltimore films, many of the characters have hilarious conversations about the smallest details in life.My personal favorite scene is when one of the salesmen obsessively keeps going on and on about how unrealistic the TV show 'Bonanza' is ("Who ever heard of a 50 year old guy with three 47 year old sons?").The DVD to this film is clear and crisp. It has trailers, deleted scenes, and a wonderful commentary track which includes Levinson and many of the priciple players.All in all this is a great movie, where the writing,directing,acting all gel together to make marvelous entertainment.Get this DVD!

Why this hasn't been re-released on dvd is beyond my comprehension. This was truly one of the best comedies I've seen and I watch my copy on VHS sparingly as the quality of the print is degraded with use. If they don't come out with a dvd print I am afraid I'll be forced to look for a bootleg copy.

After a minor fender bender and a heated argument, two men become locked in a battle of 'one upping' each other in a quest for revenge. Written and directed by Barry Levinson (Diner, Avalon, Rain Man, Wag the Dog), Tin Men stars Richard Dreyfuss as Bill "BB" Babowsky and Danny DeVito as Ernest Tilley.

Set around 1962, the title, Tin Men, refers to aluminum siding salesmen. This is the profession of both BB and Tiley, although they work for rival companies. Throughout the movie, we are treated to different shady tactics employed by these salesmen to peddle their wares. A wonderfully funny movie, Dreyfuss and DeVito play their parts so well, taking two fairly unscrupulous characters and making them somewhat likable. They are supported by an excellent cast including Barbara Hersey as Tilley's wife, John Mahoney, Jackie Gayle, Seymour Cassel, and Bruno Kirby.

The main crux of the movie revolves around BB and Tilley going back and forth, supported by subplots involving a failing marriage, an investigation by a governmental agency into improper business tactics, and a budding romance. The film did slow down a little near the end in tying up the various plot threads, but that mattered little to me, as it's a treat to see so much talent properly utilized. The casting is dead on, the dialog truly quotable and seemingly appropriate for the time, and the direction very professional. The musical score was well chosen, but I did wonder about the use of the band Fine Young Cannibals. Their signature song, Good Thing, fit the scene it was in nicely, but I've always had a bit of an issue with the use of contemporary music in movies set in the past. I'd rather see music of the period incorporated, with credit going to the artists of the time.

The movie is presented in wide screen, and extras include a trailer, a deleted scene, and a commentary with most all major contributors to this movie, except Danny DeVito. I haven't had a chance to listen to the commentary, but given the people involved, I'll venture to bet it's pretty entertaining and informative.

One of my favorite movies from the late 80's, TIN MEN is about two rival aluminum siding salesmen (Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito) who plot to get even with each other after a fender-bender escalates into an all-out war. But the plot runs second, however, to the delightful supporting characters that writer/director Barry Levinson has created to provide the film with most of its comic zest. The film also features one of the late, great J.T. Walsh's finest performances in a small but typically-Walsh role, and a pre-"Frasier" John Mahoney as another "tin man". This would be Richard Dreyfuss' finest comic role until "Let It Ride" a mere two years later. You'll NEVER trust salesmen again after seeing this movie, not that you do now.

...it's truly a slice of life, contrasting its two main characters, one who moves his life forward (Babowsky/Dreyfuss) and one who virtually regresses (Tilley/DeVito) in response to the increasing challenges which time and life always bring to us all. And the collection of supporting characters adds such a fine flavor that the resulting stew is savory indeed. Its fleet of wonderful tail-finned Cadillacs is fascinating, perfectly symbolic, and truly beautiful to behold.

Never when watching this film do I get the feeling that anyone's acting, so natural are all the players, each with his or her own unique appeal. You'll love them all from the start.

Funny? I've never thought it was particularly funny. It's simply too genuine, so engrossing that you may forget all about laughter, as I did, but you'll find comedy here if you wish. Tin Men's direction is marvelous-charming, easy, and utterly economical-with a fine sound track of carefully chosen material.

I'm keeping my eyes open for the soundtrack...

Add me to the list of people who think this movie should be re-released. Very, very funny and not the same old, same old.

From the period-piece opening scene, with the silky voice of Nat King Cole crooning as the camera affectionately caresses the curves of a new, early sixties Cadillac, to the end of the film, when the furiously feuding Richard Drefus and Danny Devito are finally pushed into mutual forgiveness, this film stands alone. There is no other comedy, romantic or otherwise, to which this one can be compared. It has a feel of its own, a fluidity of movement from farce to irony to romance to (just the right touch of) tragedy.

The depiction of early sixties Baltimore is superb. The fact that the abundance of Cadillacs is just a little over-played actually adds to the delightful whackiness of this wonderful film.

Terrific performances by Barbara Hershey, Richard Drefus, Danny Devito -- and, above all, the British-born actor, John Mahoney, make this film a treat at every viewing. Mahoney, whom no one would ever identify as anthing other than 100 percent American in looks and in voice, almost steals the show with his portrayal of Moe, Drefus's patient partner in scam.

Technically, "Tin Men" is a masterpiece of editing. Example: when Devito's character smashes his adversary's Cadillac windows, we see each blow to each window just as the crowbar crashes through the glass -- we don't see the assailant walking around the car; we don't see his back-swing -- just one crowbar blow after another, viewed from inside the car, with Devito's delightfully wicked expression of glee behind each frame. Bang bang bang. It's brilliant.

I think this is a very underrated and under-appreciated film. I'd recommend it to anyone.

A short while back, I somewhat accidentally came upon the newly released widescreen DVD of Tin Men, Barry Levinson's 1987 follow up to his remarkable 1982 Diner. I hadn't seen this movie for quite a while and was expecting an entertaining thoughtful movie-experience in light of my recent appreciation of having just seen Diner for the first time in a few years.

I recalled enjoying Tin Men when it was originally released in theaters, but I was wonderfully surprised that it was even better than I'd remembered.

I think Tin Men is a significantly "better" film than Diner. While the latter is a fantastically written and directed, assembly of choice intimate moments in the lives of a few remarkably entertaining boys (and one girl) on the teetering verge of new adulthood, Tin Men is much more. The same seemingly stream-of-consciousness throw-away snappy-patter permeates the experience, but the situations are much more "adult..." sorta.

Overall, Tin Men is a technically much more evolved movie than Diner, and while I don't prescribe to the notion that technical prowess is tantamount to perfection, I also don't think that clumsy, inept movie-making is the key to "good" colloquial entertainment, "indie" or otherwise (although I'm sure it is to some people). While someone like a Kevin Smith plays at the contrivances of continually remaking an amateur movie, Barry graduates from a mere excellent movie-maker to an incredibly wonderful movie maker.

With Tin Men, Levinson has learned even more about the emotional contributions of music, lighting, camera movement, interesting frame composition (although this may indeed be the developing artistic eye of Cinematographer, Peter Sova), and most important; the art of "naturally" evolving his characters in very compelling light. The story takes a back-seat to the lives and emotionally-natural free-fall of his main characters.

The performances are quite remarkable. Richard Dreyfus and Danny DeVitto - being the focal points for the two "families" of tin men that inter-react - have a fascinating and very complicated rapport. Dreyfus' performance is especially interesting in light of what is said by him in the commentary. Barbara Hershey's performance doesn't seem to have as much range as the rest of the ensemble, but fits quite naturally amid all the turmoil expressed by the other main characters and their entourage. It's interesting to realize that Tin Men and Diner are mostly about Boy's Clubs with the pivot of action revolving and resolving around the singular female lead.

One of Levinson's strengths is his ability to interest a movie-going audience in what is essentially a play, in that, the forward motion of the experience is driven almost entirely by dialogue, and he does it with a most wonderful quiet panache.

One of the rumors I've heard since its initial release is that the Micky Rourke character in "Diner" was supposed to be the same character as the Richard Dreyfece character, albeit grown up. The only clue I've found being the last comments about aluminum-siding from the friend of Boogie's (Micky Rourke) father who saves Boogie from a beating in the last few minutes of Diner.

All in all, a wonderful experience with a great and informative commentary, especially suited for a burgeoning writer or director.


peace,
~albabe

Most movies try and take you to a place you normally could never experience. This is not one of those films. Tin Men, is the kind of story that in some form or another, mimics most of our own lives. The main characters are two salesmen who sell aluminum siding. They live in a time when aluminum siding was relatively new product, and sometimes apply some shady tactics to make a sale. Despite that, this film is not about a time of corruption in the home improvement industry. I believe the editorial review might have that wrong. Rather, it's about the everyday working lives, loves, and times, of working men in this kind of business.

Every story needs conflict, and this one begins with a minor traffic accident between Danny Devito, and Richard Dreyfuss's characters. Both are "Tin" salesmen who drive Cadillac's, because they believe it will impress their customers. As the battle of pettiness wages between these two men, we get to peer into their everyday lives. The battle escalates to the point of great humor, but never goes over the line, to hatred and cruelty.

Barbara Hershey plays Devito's long-suffering wife, who is romanced by Richard Dreyfuss's character BB. It's an attempt by him to gain the ultimate revenge. While I won't reveal the plot here, suffice it to say it does not turn out the way he thinks. This is a movie you should see during a quiet time. I had originally watched it when I was distracted at college, and got almost nothing from it. I couldn't even remember much of the movie, and didn't think I liked it. Later, when a friend rented it, I saw it in a calmer state, and I realized it was a great movie.

The score is excellent, blending songs by Fine Young Cannibals, with Frank Sinatra and others. The backdrop is 1960s Baltimore, and it presents a time in America, rarely presented in a period piece. When I try to explain why I like this film to others, it seems next to impossible. It's just a finely crafted film about ordinary people, which leaves you with a good feeling when it's done.

Tin Men tells a very funny but also very human story. Rival aluminum siding salesmen fight over territory, pride and even women. Danny DeVito and Richard Dreyfuss are in prime form as a pair of `tin men' that get into a minor fender bender and escalate the situation into an all out feud. The two exchange insults and assaults until both men finally lose control. The film is made complete by an excellent supporting cast, including Jackie Gayle, Bruno Kirby, John Mahoney, and J.T. Walsh. Tin Men is a new comedy classic.