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12 Sep, 2017
Great performances but occasionally too slow.
Jack Nicholson was only an emerging talent in 1973, but that talent nonetheless shows, as it's one of his best performances. In 'The Last Detail', Nicholson plays a navy Lt. Billy 'Badass' Buddusky who, along with Otis Young as fellow navy seaman Mulhall, have to take a young Larry Meadows (Randy Quaid in his screen debut) to prison for eight years. Because Buddusky and Mulhall feel sorry for him, they decide to take him for one final good time, before his lengthy prison sentence.
The film, as you can imagine, is mainly about the trip to prison, as they stop for several detours and teach Meadows the meaning of a good time. Because of this, it can sometimes feel slow and plodding. They stop in a bar, then they stop by Meadows' mother's house, then they go to another bar etc.
Despite this, Hal Ashby's direction and Robert Towne's screenplay are never boring. There's always a line or shot that keeps your attention. In the hands of anyone else, it could have gone badly. Ashby is perhaps one of the greatest 'actor' directors of all time and knows exactly how to get a good performance from someone and all three actors shine. Nicholson is filled with kinetic anger that's boiling below the surface, with Young constantly trying to calm his nerves. It's a shame one went on to HUGE stardom, while the other, sadly disappeared.
The 'Indicator' Blu ray disc is also well presented with a great selection of extras. The most notable among them being the 'TV Cut' which deletes all traces of the navy men's use of swear words. It is a vastly inferior cut but interesting nonetheless. Other extras include two features with filmmaker Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways, The Descendants) who gives a 5 minute introduction to the film and a 20 minute talk about why he loves the film so much. It's great to see a man of his talent and stature talking so passionately.
Overall, The Last Detail is definately a good buy. If you're a Jack Nicholson fan or you like spending time with interesting characters, it's worth a watch!