As remakes go, 1981’s “The Postman Always Rings Twice” from director Bob Rafelson (“The King of Marvin Gardens” 1972) has enough melodrama to keep viewers interested, minus the allure and charisma of the original 1946 black-and-white noir thriller starring Lana Turner and John Garfield.
Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange fit the bill as the drifter and restaurant owner’s wife, respectively. John Colicos played Lange’s older, Greek immigrant husband. (Colicos just finished his stint as Lord Baltar in ABC’s series “Battlestar Galactica” 1978-1979.) Superb performances by the trio.
The supporting cast includes Michael Lerner, John P. Ryan, Angelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, William Traylor, William Newman, Chuck Liddell, Albert Henderson, and Ron Flagge. The tight screenplay was written by David Mamet, adapted from the 1934 novel by James M. Cain. The book’s mixture of sexuality and violence was shocking for the time, and was banned in Boston. “The Postman Always Rings Twice” was successful at the box office for Lorimar Productions, Northstar International, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Paramount Pictures.
The term “the postman always rings twice” came from mail delivery people always blowing a whistle, knocking on the door, or ringing the doorbell twice to alert residents to the mail being delivered.
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
cinema
My Review
As remakes go, 1981’s “The Postman Always Rings Twice” from director Bob Rafelson (“The King of Marvin Gardens” 1972) has enough melodrama to keep viewers interested, minus the allure and charisma of the original 1946 black-and-white noir thriller starring Lana Turner and John Garfield.
Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange fit the bill as the drifter and restaurant owner’s wife, respectively. John Colicos played Lange’s older, Greek immigrant husband. (Colicos just finished his stint as Lord Baltar in ABC’s series “Battlestar Galactica” 1978-1979.) Superb performances by the trio.
The supporting cast includes Michael Lerner, John P. Ryan, Angelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd, William Traylor, William Newman, Chuck Liddell, Albert Henderson, and Ron Flagge. The tight screenplay was written by David Mamet, adapted from the 1934 novel by James M. Cain. The book’s mixture of sexuality and violence was shocking for the time, and was banned in Boston. “The Postman Always Rings Twice” was successful at the box office for Lorimar Productions, Northstar International, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Paramount Pictures.
The term “the postman always rings twice” came from mail delivery people always blowing a whistle, knocking on the door, or ringing the doorbell twice to alert residents to the mail being delivered.