The Big Knife

[edjames]

The latest from The Roundabout Theater Company is this revival of Clifford Odet's play from 1949 about a successful handsome Hollywood actor whose life is spiraling out-of-control after he is involved in a tragic car accident and his studio helps him cover it up to escape jail time. Bobby Carnivale has never looked better in his role as Charlie Castle. Glamorous and handsome! Bobby's been working out and looks every bit the Hollywood star.

Charlie wants to straighten out his life. His marriage is on the rocks. His best friend took the rap for him after the accident and helped in the cover up. His contract with the studio is up and he's under enormous pressure to renew for millions of dollars. And to make matters worst the little Hollywood floosie that was with him in the car that night is going around talking. With everything closing in around him Charlie makes a fatal mistake to end the drama.

The set is classic post war Bel-Air/Beverly Hills chic and the costumes are also. A great supporting cast including Richard Kind as the malevolent studio boss.

Three acts, one intermission.

 

On discounts and well worth seeing.

[operalover21]

The latest from The Roundabout Theater Company is this revival of Clifford Odet's play from 1949 about a successful handsome Hollywood actor whose life is spiraling out-of-control after he is involved in a tragic car accident and his studio helps him cover it up to escape jail time. Bobby Carnivale has never looked better in his role as Charlie Castle. Glamorous and handsome! Bobby's been working out and looks every bit the Hollywood star.

Charlie wants to straighten out his life. His marriage is on the rocks. His best friend took the rap for him after the accident and helped in the cover up. His contract with the studio is up and he's under enormous pressure to renew for millions of dollars. And to make matters worst the little Hollywood floosie that was with him in the car that night is going around talking. With everything closing in around him Charlie makes a fatal mistake to end the drama.

The set is classic post war Bel-Air/Beverly Hills chic and the costumes are also. A great supporting cast including Richard Kind as the malevolent studio boss.

Three acts, one intermission.

 

On discounts and well worth seeing.

 

The problem with plays like this that are made into MORE successful movies is that you can't get the movie characters out of your mind (I had the same problem during Sunset Blvd). All I could see was Jack Palance, Rod Steiger, Ida Lupino, Jean Hagen, Ilka Chase .....

 

Bobby Cannavale (not Carnivale) is good but a tad old for the part at 43 ... and Richard Kind is just too goofy to be believed as the killer studio boss.