The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??

Good idea lost in the noise

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The Postman Always Ring Twice is a noir-thriller that reminds me of the film noirs made in the 1940's and 1950's. Ironically enough, this movie happens to be a remake of the 1946 film with the same name starring John Garfield and Lana Turner, which was previously adapted to screen by the immensely popular 1934 novel written by James M. Cain. This movie was brought more explosively to the screen when compared to the movie that came out nearly forty years prior. With less censorship this time around, the movie is told in a style where murder, blackmail, and lust lurks around every corner. The movie wants to be shocking, and it mostly succeeds by the standards of 1980's. Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) is a drifter and an ex-con man who stops at a roadside diner one night. He decides to linger when he puts his eye on the very attractive cook, Cora (Jessica Lange). She so happens to be in a loveless marriage with the Greek owner of the restaurant, Nick (John Colicos). Frank takes on a job as a mechanic, and immediately starts an affair with Cora. After they were caught, the duo plans to murder Nick. Can they pull it off? Are they aware of the consequences if they were successful? I liked the majority of the film for what it is. The film relies upon atmosphere and vivid cinematography by Sven Nykvist, who rose to fame handling camera duties on Ingrid Bergman films. I also liked how the characterization was changed when compared to the original film. Frank is more seedy, more violent, and generally not a very nice man. Cora is more strong-willed, and way more attractive. I thought Nick may have been a little old for the role, but John Colicos delivers a simple, but strong performance. Jack Nicholson rose to big heights with his performances in films like Chinatown and The Shining. He returns to the noir genre here, and once again delivers a committed, nearly flawless performance. He plays these kind of roles so well. Then there is Jessica Lange, who first came to the audiences minds with 1976's King Kong. She is a strong-willed woman and she masterfully commits as she is pulled away from the monster that is Frank. There were moments that I found less impressive. The ending for one left me a little dry, but the actual story itself was strong enough that I can slightly forgive that. Another moment was the character of Anjelica Huston. She played a lion tamer that is quite weird and it felt like she came from a different movie. The movie was expertly directed by Bob Rafelson, and it has an underrated screenplay by playwright David Mamet. These men gave the 1946 classic a sexy update, one that was not beholden to the constraints of censorship. Sex is prevalent, as well as violence which increases as the film goes on. This movie is a sly wink to the noir films of old and any movie that pairs up Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange is a good one. My Grade: B+

Drifter Frank Chambers (Jack Nicholson) decides to stay and get a job from gas station owner Nick Papadakis (John Colicos) when he sees Nick's wife Cora (Jessica Lange). Cora is tired of her marriage and convinces Frank to kill Nick. After some failures and hesitations, they finally succeed. The prosecutor tries Cora and use tricks to pit her against Frank. Defense attorney Mr. Katz (Michael Lerner) is able to use tricks to get an acquittal.I find their relationship careening between love and hate too jarring. While I like the two leads, they have trouble maintaining the chemistry. The movie is trying to stuff a lot in. I can't blame it all on the movie for trying to cram the novel into the two hour movie. At times, the movie feels too abrupt. There is one major change for the ending that actually makes it less poetic.

Wasn't there some significance to the title in James Cain's novel and the 1946 movie version? It's a long time since I visited either so I can't be certain, but I seem to remember the postie's propensity for ringing twice was at least referred to. Unless I missed it, it gets nary a mention in this lethargic 1981 remake of the original, making the title somewhat meaningless.Anyway, Jack Nicholson reins in his trademark rakish, devilish attitude to play the role of the drifter (previously played by John Garfield) who conspires with luscious housewife and gas station-diner cook Jessica Lange to do away with her annoying Greek husband, Nick. Nick takes his wife for granted; he has a Stavros accent and buys himself silk nightgowns and so deserves to die. Jack and Jessie make a convincing couple – probably more so than Garfield and Lana Turner, although that's the only respect in which this version surpasses the original. Their attraction is animal, their love-making more of an adversarial duel than a demonstration of intimacy as they tear at each other on the diner's kitchen table. It's easy to see why Cora falls for Frank, even as his ardour cools. He offers a way out from the drudgery of her life with Nick. But for Frank you always get the impression (until the end at least) that it's more about the sex, and that he never really knows what he wants.The story is slow in unfolding, but drags fatally once the killer couple get away with their crime. Perhaps that's deliberate, to demonstrate the aimlessness of their relationship – or of any relationship that isn't fuelled by love. The couple blow hot and cold with each other as they wait for Cora's brief probation period to be over so that they can move away from the scene of their crime. You get the impression that, if Cora's life hadn't been cut short, they would have ended up either destroying one another or drifted aimlessly through life long after any love they feel has been extinguished, wondering why the hell they stay together. Either way, you don't really care that much whether their end is happy or tragic.If you have a choice, watch the original (or the Italian movie, Ossessione, another version). If you don't, this one's OK but it's nothing special.

Disappointing is the first word that comes to mind after sitting through this sexed-up noir remake of a 1946 film of the same name based on a popular novel. This critic has neither seen the original, nor read that novel, so he is forced to take this film on face value and evaluate it on its own merits. That said, The Postman Always Rings Twice failed to come close to my expectations. You won't care a lick about drifter Jack Nicholson and bored housewife Jessica Lange who start a torrid love affair behind the back of her husband, and then look to kill him off. These two amoral jerks are all dressed up with nowhere to go in this script, and once the deed is done, the story really jumps the tracks. This was an intriguing premise, but the many talented people who made this film have all done much better things.The biggest selling point for this film was its steamy sex scenes, and there are indeed a few. But something is missing. Something that should be fairly obvious to those of us who have had sex in our lives. Nobody is ever nude during them! Save for one brief scene where we see Nicholson's rear, there is a jarring lack of nudity. At times these people seem to be having intercourse right through their clothes! I've heard Nicholson is a legendary lover, but is he strong enough to.... I'll stop there. What happened? I'm sure they at least negotiated with Lange about perhaps a topless scene or something. I guess she said no. Look, one does not need nudity for a sexy scene. The only interesting scene in Random Hearts is a testament to that. But when you advertise your picture as a steamy, sexy thriller, you pretty much have to go all in, or the whole thing is a waste.Aside from the sex scenes, this film seems confused about what its characters are supposed to do once the husband is out of the way. And the conclusion is so abrupt, its almost like they ran out of money and just decided to kill one of the leads off and call it a wrap. The acting isn't bad, but thats about all the film has going for it. Lange is her typical self... not great, but not bad either. Nicholson is born to play this type of character, and he doesn't disappoint. You may remember John Collicos from TV's Battlestar Galactica. Angelical Huston is on hand for a cameo that they probably just gave her when she was hanging around the set to be close to her main squeeze Nicholson. This film is really just a waste of your time when you consider all of the better pictures these people have made. Avoid it. 4 of 10 stars. And what does the title have to do with the movie, anyway? The Hound.