The Wheeler Dealers

source: The Wheeler Dealers

James Garner's latest wildcat well has come up dry, and he needs money to continue operations. So he flies up to New York City and starts raising cash. His peregrinations around Wall Street bring him to Lee Remick, who's been handed a dead stock to unload; her certain failure will give her boss, Jim Backus, an excuse to fire her. He's reckoned without Garner and his cohort of high-rolling Texans as played by Phil Harris, Chill Wills, and Charles Watts. Another of my old friends, this movie is like that pal you had as a kid, who modeled himself on Eddie Haskell. Everyone knew he would come to no good, but he was so darned much fun, and here he still is, doing fine. This movie has it all: a good, satiric view of how Wall Street and the tax code operated, everyone a smug caricature ten years out of date when the movie was released, everyone out for a buck, and some fine comic performers, including Louis Nye, John Astin, Pat Harrington Jr., Robert Strauss, and Pat Crowley. What's that, you say? Of course Charles Lane is in it. How can you not like a movie that makes fun of everyone who shows up on the screen?

Garner even wears a cowboy hat, though in this movie it's white rather than the black one he wore in Maverick. And, just like most Maverick episodes, in The Wheeler Dealers he's the consummate "operator". Deals flash in and out along with discussions of tax breaks and depreciation and partnerships and reminders of past successful deals. Lee Remick is a female stockbroker and (for that era) the only one in her office. The glass ceiling is high and thick here. She's been trapped into selling stock in an obsolete "widget" factory so when she fails her firm can cut costs by firing her. The funniest part of this movie are the three friends, headed by Chill Wills, with immense confidence in Tyroon and their bids on taking percentages of his deals. Makes us smile every time. :-)

Let me add my agreement with the the majority of the reviews below about this mediocre Kennedy 60s sex/business comedy. Just an uninspired job all around, from the mirthless dialogue by George Goodwin (from his novel) and Ira Wallach that takes clumsy swipes at broad targets such as NYC restaurant religion, art gallery pretension and Wall Street non ethics, to direction by Arthur Hiller that is, at best, borderline sit com in style. And if by chance you at any time fall under the misapprehension that you are watching a film rather than glorified TV, then DeVol's annoyingly cute, perky music will jolt you back to reality. As far as the acting goes Garner is on "Maverick" autopilot pretty much throughout while Lee Remick, in a comedy, shows why she is a great dramatic actor (Of course, it doesn't help that she is given none of the very few good lines in the screenplay). The supporting cast is pretty much forgettable when it is not idiotically offensive (as in the three obnoxious Texas dwarves/oilmen). And speaking of offensive there is the great Hollywood liberal Garner's referring to Mexicans with a racist slur. Give it a C. PS...If you want to see a much better Garner film with the same general zeitgeist, check out "Cash McCall".

A good Sunday afternoon or late night distraction. You can pretty much figure out the entire storyline before it gets underway. If made by MGM we'd have seen this as a Doris Day/Rock Hudson vehicle. Almost as interesting for its take on the earliest beginnings on the (ahem) "career-girl" whose most shocking decision was to put career before marriage even when the marriage prospect was Texan James Garner at his most charming and chivalrous. Given Lee Remmick's modern day interest in feminism, this must be one film she's deeply embarrassed to have made. She did a good job - she did what she was told to do by either studio or director - she's disarming, charming, and feminine in Hollywood's best "we-don't-know-the-50's-have-ended-what-new-era?" style. The set dressing and costumes will make many a middle-aged person nostalgic for mom and the home they grew up in. Charming, dated fun. If you ever wondered what made Garner a star - here's your answer. Sean Connery's "it" factor without the dark undertones.

Henry Tyroone (James Garner) is a Texas oilman with a few too many dry wells. He needs to go up north to raise money or else he's going broke. There isn't a complicated deal that he couldn't make or a scheme that he couldn't hustle. In NYC, Bullard Bear (Jim Backus) needs to cut one job and he sets his sights on the only woman stock analyst Molly Thatcher (Lee Remick). He gives her a really bad stock to sell. Nobody takes the women seriously. Tyroone comes in to do a deal and Bear pushes Molly out to sell the bad stock. It's a bland rom-com. Lee Remick is really pretty but she doesn't have a comedic side. James Garner is a cad. They have limited chemistry. At least, he's playing his character with a smile and a giddy-up. He's the best thing in this movie. Everybody is lying, scheming and selling junk. The money grubbing isn't all that fun or that likable. Director Arthur Hiller has trouble bringing joy into this movie. There is nothing memorable or hilarious. The story throws around a lot of business deals but half of them don't make sense. I guess the writer hopes they go by so fast that the audience won't notice. More than anything, this is just bland.

One of my favorites in the 'old comedy' genre. I bring it out for friends and relatives for comfort evenings. Jim Garner at the top of his form, not long after his Maverick character became a household name, but before Rockford. Lee Remick looking great, in an intelligent role for a beautiful woman. It's worth the time just to see the terrific supporting cast of old faces (now mostly passed away.) The only problem is my VHS version is just about worn out, and it's not available on DVD. Who do we complain to? - - Art

I think this film is a rough parody of the life of Tom Brown (Jame Garner) and Joe Roper of Tom Brown Drilling Inc.(TMBR/Sharp) of Midland, Texas. The company never paid a dividend. They would buy the company stock when it was low and sell when high. A lot of people do just that. But they flew the corporate jet to New York and convinced Wall Street investors to buy their company stock, which of course made the price increase. Brown and Roper then sold their stock! Is this insider trading! I enjoyed watching this film.

Since accidentally catching this film several years ago on cable, I have counted this as one of my favorite films. It is dated by its 60's chauvinism but sports some of the snappiest dialog and humour since George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart wrote. My favorite movie quote of all time comes from this film. I hope you give this a viewing. I promise if you like subtle and not so subtle dialog driven satire, this is a film for you.

"The Wheeler Dealers" is quite a dumb film. And, it's not because some freewheeling millionaires have their own 727 aircraft. It's the plot with its quick moves and constant buying-selling to everyone's advantage by the hero. James Garner plays the role well, as Henry Tyroon. (Would that be as in tycoon, only spelled with an 'r?') And, most of the cast are fine in their roles. But the plot is so goofy and all over the place. No doubt it's intended to show the unlimited capacity of Henry to wheel and deal in virtually any situation. But that doesn't provide any humor and the film is weak in its portrayal of the romance. The movie needed to slow down, pick just a few dealings and milk them for comedy with more witty dialog. There just isn't anything in here that induces laughter. Nor is there much spark in the romance. The underlying theme of writing things off, getting around the IRS, etc. was something of the culture in mid-century. I seem to recall it with adults talking about working so many hours each week for the IRS. That went on from the late 1940s maybe through the 60s. But, I think it died out – or at least wasn't among the top things on people's minds after that. Lee Remick plays Molly Thatcher in a shallow role for her talents. Phil Harris, Chill Wills and Jim Backus are fine in there roles. It was a stretch for me to give this film five stars, but the talent of the cast earn that – even if they aren't used very well here. Here's a sample of the best comedy this film has to offer. Molly, "Is your word worth anything, or isn't it?" Bullard Bear (play on words with the name of the Jim Backus role), "Well, it varies." Henry, "You're a rich man, and a rich man can't afford to go broke." Molly, "Was that Italian?" Henry, "I find that in New York most French head waiters are Italian." Molly, "And you speak Italian?" Henry, "No mam. A little wetback Spanish. Sounds the same."