92 in the Shade

This film right here! Great cast, but the movie is a snoozefest, a total bore!!

When I'm with a crowd and the subject gets around to movies, usually someone will ask, "What was the worst movie you've ever seen"? Well for me, this is it. I saw this in the theater when it was released in 1975 and have regretted it ever since. Wooden performances by a cast of actors that should have known better than to star in this poorly written and directed production. A complete waste of time and money. You would be better off watching a bass fishing show or bowling show on television than spending your time on this dog. If you're looking for a Warren Oates film pass this one and watch The Wild Bunch. That it was reedited and re-released in 1981 was amazing considering that no amount of editing other than a match would fix this mess

I was a bit disappointed, because 92 in the Shade was my favorite book of that period. I even lifted it from the library in Arizona. I found it later under the seat of my pickup when I was living down on the Gulf of Mexico. I would differ with the other reviewer, in that I don't find a comparison between this film and Fonda's other Florida picture, "Ulee's Gold." That movie was simply the best performance Peter Fonda ever gave. In "92 in the Shade," we still come away thinking Fonda's mind was elsewhere while he was acting - and 'elsewhere' was far more interesting to him.

'92 in the Shade' is only directorial effort for author and screenwriter Thomas McGuane, and that might not come as big surprise. McGuane is undoubtedly talented writer, but not much of movie director. Cinematography is beautiful and acting jobs are excellent in most part (perhaps not Peter Fonda, but he has put out much worse performances). Warren Oates is magnificent again as likable anti-hero. Two leads are supported by strong cast of character actors. Slow burning film where characters and dialogues between them are much more interesting than the overall story. This small film is definitely worth to look up.

If you are into bell bottoms, hipsters, and quirky characters, this is your movie. Peter Fonda as usual, sleepwalks through the scenery. Warren Oates is his off kilter self, and Harry Dean Stanton is along for the ride. The supporting cast is uniformly eccentric. Unfortunately the story plays like an instructional fishing film. There are more than a few tedious moments. If you have the patience to listen carefully, some of the dialog is amusing, but not enough to sustain momentum. Ultimately, the film must be regarded as nothing more than a curiosity, with absolutely no surprises from the plot, and a very predictable ending - MERK

I rented this film one hot NYC summer night and fell in love with it. Some of the characters are a little cartoonish but overall it is a good piece worth seeing that exemplifies the beauty of a US state that I have never been to. Wonderful cast that includes Peter Fonda, Burgess Meredith and Warren Oates as an insanely territorial fishing guide. Also stars Margot Kidder when she looked good and Harry Dean Stanton as a melancholy side kick to Warren Oates. Classic all American cast from the seventies. I enjoyed this film because it is a fair portrayal of the working life of a fishing guide and the Florida landscape. It has the same qualities that I enjoyed from Fonda´s later effort Ulee´s Gold. Film is highly recommended.

Competition becomes grimly fierce between a young drifter, just returned home to his parents' Key West manor and wanting to get into the fishing guide business for tourists, and the established middle-aged guide and his partner who believe they rule the local waters. Atmospheric and seasoned to a fault, writer Thomas McGuane's character-oriented drama, which he adapted from his own novel and directed, overdoses on Florida's marinas and verandas, conch houses and local bars, salty denizens and tin-roof shacks. The accent should be on the eccentrics dotting McGuane's scenario (and the colorful group of actors in the cast), but the milieu overwhelms the proceedings to the point where the mini-war between Peter Fonda and Warren Oates seems irrelevant. There's still a great deal of colorful talk to listen to, but the plot as such doesn't build any momentum. ** from ****

Don't miss this little treat of a film. If you liked The Hired Hand, this has the same laid back style that works great for a Southern story. But it's not so much the story. It's the ripe dialog and a cast of Great American Actors that make this one to catch. Warren Oates and Harry Dean Stanton make a great team of ornery fishing guides. Burgess Meredith has a great role and makes the best of it. Margot Kidder looks absolutely great here too. But Joe Spinell is worth the price of admission in a small role. The cinematography is experimental like The Hired Hand but is not as successful. Overall, this film is a gentle surprise and would be perfect for a warm evening. Recommended without hesitation.