After watching an entirely dreadful film called "Tamara Drewe" (misdirected by Stephen Frears) on Wednesday night, we stumbled upon the beginning of Arthur Hiller's "The In-Laws" from 1979, staring Alan Arkin and the late, great Peter Falk. "Now THIS is a proper goddamn movie," I announced, throwing the remote control well out of my wife's grasp. I hadn't seen the film in a few years, but it's always been a favorite and easily Falk's finest hour (with the possible exception of his role in "Murder By Death"). They, of course, re-made it a couple of years back, but don't trouble yourself with that bullshit. Seek out the original, laugh and thank me later.
In any case, while watching it again, I thrilled to the fleeting footage of Manhattan circa 1979. There's a great chase scene wherein hapless dentist Sheldon Kornpett (played by Arkin) is pursued by gun-toting gangsters through midtown. The scene below presages that one, but provides a quick glimpse of Greeley Square in the grotty late 70's. The bar they pull up in front of on 31st street is still there, if memory serves.
ADDENDUM: Whoops, looks like that clip's been dismantled. Shitty. Anyway, here's the original trailer:
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