The King of Marvin Gardens

Amazon.com

One of the most subtle and deeply felt--if ultimately downbeat--collaborations between Jack Nicholson and director Bob Rafelson, this film was Rafelson's follow-up to Five Easy Pieces. Nicholson plays a disc jockey whose withdrawn personality translates to radio mystery. But he's out of his depth when he goes home to Atlantic City at the invitation of ne'er-do-well brother Bruce Dern. Dern has a big-money scam that's also high risk, particularly to himself if the black-crime syndicate he's ripping off ever gets wind of it. But Nicholson gets swept up in the blarney of his charismatic older brother, even as he suffers gnawing doubts about the way Big Bro treats his lady friends (including Ellen Burstyn). Low-key but evocative, this is the kind of movie that has you remembering images and moments and feeling for Nicholson's dilemma, long after you've seen it. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews:

King Jack.......2007-01-23

A over looked classic, all the cast act their socks off. Nicholson particularly is understated and so more effective. Failed dreams portrayed in a most moving fashion.

Against the struggled reality: evasive dreams!.......2005-08-25

Against the struggled reality: evasive dreams!
Two brothers share a same dream; to live in an island paradise where they will both kings once they have retired; one of them is a bewildered man product of the inscrutable fate, the other the great swagger, the unexhausted dream machine who certainly swears he is a small entrepreneur. The long late night radio monologue is the standout of the film.

Great Film. Dern Rocks........2005-05-04

This movie has one the best performances by Jack Nicholson and proves that acting is more about being true to life than acting like you want to be noticed; that along with Bruce Dern's outstanding performance, playing Nicholson's brother, is what makes this film tick.
Yes, it is not a fast movie.
But the outstanding cinematography of of Laslo Kovaks working off the assured direction of Bob Rafelson makes this movie a gem.
I've never seen a movie that accurately portrays the dementia of the lower end of the middle class so well, as it does so without making them drunks or drug addicts which most people need to see, to understand how delusional these people are.
What a film.

Interesting Character Study From the 70's.......2005-02-15

"The King of Marvin Gardens" is an example of why the seventies was such a golden period in American filmmaking in that studios as well as stars would take a chance on offbeat material regardless of it's box office potential. Director Bob Rafelson creates a haunting story of disparate souls who cling to hopes that are as faded as the Atlantic City facade they inhabit. Jack Nicholson effectively plays against type as a radio personality who joins up with his brother(Bruce Dern) to partake in his latest get-rich-quick scheme that has all the earmarks of going up in flames. They are joined by Ellen Burstyn as a faded beauty queen who's along for the ride in the futile hope of attaining a dream. This film is not easy to watch at times but the more ambitious viewer can appreciate filmmaking that dares to challenge it's audience. Gorgeous cinematography of the Atlantic City landscape before the casinos were erected.

What was the point?.......2004-08-07

I remember seeing this film as a kid and thinking to myself, maybe when I'm older I'll understand the signifigance of this movie. But 29 years later I'm even more confused as to why this film was made.

"King of Marvin Gardens" took me a record-breaking four sittings to watch because I kept falling asleep. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate a thoughtful, well-written, well-acted human interest story--but where was the human interest in this flick?? Why am I supposed to be interested in these characters?? Interesting characters don't have to be nice and heroic, but they certainly have to be compelling!

I think after the tremendous success of "Five Easy Pieces" (deservedly so), that genre of anti-story must have been all the vogue in cinema during the mid-1970s. With the exception of the last 10 minutes you have an absolutely flatliner of a film here. Movies of that period, like "Fat City" and "Scarecrow" do a much more effective job of conveying the dire banality of real life.

Although the packaging and presentation for the "King of Marvin Garden" DVD was flawless.

Average customer rating:

Blood and Wine

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

SYNOPSIS: Bob Rafelson has stated that this is the final part of an informal trilogy he started with "Five Easy Pieces" and continued with "The King Of Marvin Gardens". In the three, Nicholson has now played son, brother and father. In this one, Nicholson is a wealthy wine dealer who has distanced himself from his wife with his philandering and from his son with his negligence. After he steals a diamond necklace with the help of a safecracker partner, Victor, things start coming apart. His wife sets out to interrupt what she thinks is another one of his weekend dalliances, but is really his trip to pawn the jewels. [IMDB - John Sacksteder] ++++ DVD FEATURES: Officially licensed South Korean release is in color with Widescreen 1.85:1 format. This NTSC 0 All-Region DVD will play world-wide and is in ENGLISH (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround) with optional (removable) English and Korean subtitles. SPECIAL FEATURES: Interactive Menu; Scene Selections; Cast/Director's Profile; Theatrical Trailer.

DVD:

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