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In 1973, Jack Lemmon received his 2nd Oscar for his performance as Harry Stoner in "Save The Tiger".
This is a win I don't see many talk about. When it comes to Jack Lemmon most of the discussion centers around his work in Some Like It Hot, Mister Roberts, or The Apartment.
This win is typically seen as a make-up or career win. Or Save The Tiger hasn't been seen by a lot of people for them to have an opinion on the win.
I recently watched this movie and I think he deserved this one. It's one of Lemmon's most laid back roles, yet still somewhat of a powerhouse in and a fascinating character study. He's the type of character you can understand despite his extreme measures.
Loved his scenes with Jack Gifford too, especially the "Don't sell me America" scene. It feels so real, like a type of conversation I can see having today.
Overall, it was a tough lineup for 1973. But I think Lemmon's performance here is understated and deserved his Oscar here. A pure example of someone who can pull off comedic and serious roles such as this one.
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I’ve not seen it but it’s my understanding that he’s regarded as a deserved winner. He’s a legend for a reason
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Jack Lemmon's win for Save the Tiger isn't talked about much now but it was back in the 1970s. People hated that win for the film and for what it represented. 1973 was a year where Hollywood was sort of at war with itself, caught between the young and the old, the political and the classical. Jack Lemmon's win sort of captures both. It's about being old surrounded by the young. I don't doubt older Oscar voters could relate. Definitely a career win. If social media existed back then, Jack Lemmon and Save the Tiger would have major Oscar Villain energy.
That said, watch this reaction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMSGITS4wXQ
His win also coincided with a low ebb in respectability for the Academy Awards and he gave a spirited defense of the affair. Also... he basically worked for scale because he believed in it so much. Hard to begrudge someone so gracious.
I saw Save the Tiger for the first time last year. It should be talked about today because of what a fascinating time capsule it was. It hasn't aged well IMO but it's an interesting look at the 1970s. It's a piece of overwritten anti-counterculture grumpiness. I have no difficulty believing your average 50-something Oscar voter would be taken in by it. Lemmon gets to rail against these kids today but then enjoy some free love himself. As for his performance, he's quite good but he's up against Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris and Jack Nicholson for The Last Detail. If voters couldn't stomach giving Brando a second award (and they should have), Nicholson was right there. He hadn't won yet. Serpico is a little overrated as a film. It's one terrific scene and the rest is a fine enough cop procedural. Redford's award was for his year (The Sting & The Way We Were). I think he's middle of the pack.
Save the Tiger marked an important turn in Jack Lemmon's career. He was now in mid-life crisis mode which led him to playing a lot of conservative types who face a reckoning. I think Missing puts that Lemmon on better display than Save the Tiger.
What an insightful comment! Thank you very much for your time. 🙏🙏🙏
Np! It’s a fun topic
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He's honestly outstanding in it.
It's an underrated performance but a lot of voters treated it like a leading career win, I think even he mentioned that he campaigned hard for it while iirc his competition didn't outside of maybe Nicholson.
It's one of those wins that isn't resented but a lot of people prefer another nominee. I would rank his performance around the middle of the pack for Best Actor winners
I haven’t seen Save The Tiger but considering that he had already won an Oscar at that point, calling it a career win is stupid. I personally would have gone for Al Pacino for Serpico or Robert Redford for The Sting. But I wouldn’t call Jack Lemon’s win a career win.
Love “Save the Tiger” and of course all of the others PLUS “The Days of Wine and Roses” AND “Glengarry Glen Ross”! He once said in an interview that the secret to being a good actor was to “not look like you’re acting”. He was great!!
It’s a Jack Lemmon performance, so naturally he’s great, and it was the real start of his “I’m a dramatic actor” phase. But he would do this role way better after this with The China Syndrome, Missing, Glengarry, you name it. The real sting is that he’s the worst of the 5 nominated performances that year, which admittedly makes that class fantastic, but still the win is undeserved.
I don't think it's great or anything, or even uniquely good in Lemmon's career. Definitely a career win. Not bad for a nomination, but there is a reason why it's not remembered at all.