The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1974)

Mel Edison, a soon-to-be-unemployed advertising executive, is driven to the brink of a nervous breakdown by New York City living. In an attempt to escape from a garbage strike, nosy neighbors and an unreliable air conditioner in the middle of a head wave, Mel and his long-suffering wife Edna visit his brother in the country. Unfortunately, the dark cloud of tribulation seems to follow Mel in this comic nightmare.

LEMMON & BANCROFT ARE IN TOP FORM IN THIS CLASSIC!

Yet another Simon and Lemmon partnership that still holds up well today! Lemmon and Bancroft are teriffic in this very funny film. In the same vein as 'The Out-Of-Towners, but I think this film is a bit better. This DVD has a nice transfer and some interesting extras. August 16, 2008

Side splitting funny !

This is one of Jack Lemmon's best movies. Well written and acted. A real pleasure. Anne Bancroft was as funny Lemmon. Well worth the price June 12, 2008

Shrill Neil Simon Effort

Neil Simon's work to me runs hot and cold. This seventies recession era farce was just plain annoying. Like in the worst Simon efforts the characters either scream at each other or tell jokes. Sorry, Neil, you're skating on a thin line on someone's nervous breakdown and you didn't pull it off here. This flick feels claustrophobic, barely transcending it's stage roots. The redeeming factors here are the performances of Jack Lemmon and Anne Bancroft who manage to imbue humanity into Simon's cartoon characters. Another plus are the radio announcements interspersed throughout the movie. June 8, 2007

One of the best comedies ever.

I have watched this movie at least 25 times and it is still laugh out loud enjoyable as well emotionally touching.The comedic timing between Anne Bancroft and Jack Lemmon is unsurpassed by any other actors.You won't be disappointed watching this. July 9, 2006

Where Does the Time Go????

For some reason, probably because I watched this again shortly after Anne Bancroft passed away, and of course watching the always terrific Jack Lemmon at the top of his game (at my current age!) playing yet another of those wonderful angst driven characters using words created by Neil Simon, for that reason perhaps I was struck by our mortality. This film was made just a few short years ago, and yet all the actors are gone,and they left looking 'old'. My God, where does the time go?
This is not the funniest film you'll see, some of it is sad and human, but it has moments of comic brilliance. Its eminently watchable thanks to the two main actors and their great talent; its sad, its wistful, its a slice of New York that we will never see again, and I plan on watching it again soon.
I'm glad its in my collection although it left me with a bit of a lump in my throat. They were just so good, these comic talents, and it was just a few moments ago, wasn't it? July 9, 2006

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