High Five: Theme: Jack Nicholson

High Five: Theme: Jack Nicholson

FPJ BureauUpdated: Saturday, June 01, 2019, 09:44 AM IST
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Something’s Gotta Give

Harry (Jack Nicholson) is a rich man in his 60s who dates only young women. On one such occasion he dates Marin (Amanda Peet) and meets her mother Erica (Diane Keaton), a divorced playwright. After dinner Harry has a heart attack and is rushed to a hospital where Dr Julian (Keanu Reeves) suggests that he stay at Erica’s place. Erica and Harry spend quality time together but after recuperating he heads home. When Erica sees him with another woman they have a heated argument. Erica uses the personal details of their affair in her play and hints to Harry that his character will die in the play. Later Harry realises his love for her and they get married. Diane Keaton won numerous awards for her performance in this smart rom-com.

About Schmidt

After retiring, Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) sees his entire lifetime’s work dumped outside the office as garbage. He sponsors the education of a small Tanzanian boy Ndugu. His wife is suffering from a terminal illness and after her funeral, daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis) refuses to care for him. Lonely, he leads a disorganised existence and stops bathing and sleeps and wakes up at odd hours. Since he does not approve of Jeannie’s fiancé he decides to stop the wedding but later attends it. He begins to feels that his life is meaningless.  On receiving a letter from Ndugu thanking him for his support and a sketch depicting two figures holding hands on a sunny day, he realises the value of his life. A thought-provoking film, it did well both at the box office as well as garnered critical acclaim.

As Good as It Gets

Novelist Melvin (Jack Nicholson) suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and avoids stepping on footpath cracks for fear of bad luck and eats at the same table every day using disposable utensils. Waitress Carol (Helen Hunt) is the only person who can tolerate his behaviour. When Melvin’s neighbour Simon is hospitalised, he is forced to care for his dog. Melvin initially hates it but later becomes so attached to it that when Simon gets discharged, he is unable to return it. In the climax, Melvin and Carol walk together and he overcomes his fear of stepping on cracks in the footpath. In a rare feat both Nicholson and Hunt won Academy Awards for Best Actor and the rom-com ranked among ‘the 500 greatest movies of all time’ was also a massive BO hit.

Wolf

Will Randall (Jack Nicholson) gets bitten by a wolf and following a take-over by tycoon Alden he is replaced by Stewart (James Spader). Due to the bite Will develops heightened senses of sight, smell and hearing. He catches the scent of Stewart on his wife’s clothing and after tracking it to Stewart’s house, bites Stewart. He transforms into a werewolf and around this time meets and falls for Alden’s daughter Laura (Michelle Pfeiffer). Will then regains his former position in office and fires Stewart. After Will’s wife is murdered, Stewart tries to frame Will for it to get back his job. Seeing Stewart’s behaviour, Laura is convinced that Will is innocent. But Stewart follows Laura and during a struggle between Stewart and Will, Laura shoots Stewart. Will lopes away into the forest and now Laura too is amber-eyed. Watch this irresistibly slick film that also offers great performances from the lead pair, apart from the special effects.

A Few Good Men

When Marines Dawson and Downey are arrested for killing Private Santiago at Guantanamo Bay, naval investigator Joanne (Demi Moore) suspects they carried out a ‘code red’ order, an extrajudicial punishment. But the case is given to rookie Navy lawyer Daniel (Tom Cruise). Following a setback, Daniel believes the case is lost but Joanne convinces him to call base Commander Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson). Initially Jessup outsmarts Daniel’s questioning but forced to justify his actions he confesses to ordering a ‘code red’ and is arrested. Dawson, who never previously respected Daniel, finally salutes him on the ship’s deck. Nicholson’s line ‘You can’t handle the truth!’ was voted one of the greatest film quotes of all time and the film was voted the fifth-best courtroom drama.

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