User Reviews

Even though Duvall's fake, middle class Cuban accent was not right on the money all the time, he portrayed his obsessive/compulsive, retired gentleman character's odd and gentle affectations to the letter and was totally believable and the best thing in this movie, along with Shirley Maclaine in her tough/nice landlady role as Cooney. Duvall played his character Walt as an intensely honorable man raised in the strictest form of old Spanish "gentilhombre" tradition prevalent in pre-Castro Cuba. He left Cuba for America to see the Yankees in the 1958 World Series, and never returned as the Communist revolution occurred at the same time, preventing his return. As he was a true gentleman, when there was such a thing, he was not to be personally insulted or touched in anger by any man or be at all discourteous to women or tolerate such behavior by other men, and any such coarse behavior in his presence was sure to cause an altercation, and perhaps even a physical one. To him, true gentlemen were protectors of the innocence and dignity of women in his well-defined world of gentility and respect.

Harris' sloppy and crude character Frank, who was achingly lonely but showed good reason for his alone-ness in his selfishness and eccentricity, was sure to aggravate Walt in short order with his cursing and coarse behavior. Harris' role was really not too much of an acting stretch for this famous rounder in real life, but he was still very effective in conveying the angst of loss of a meaningful life and family love.

Their short friendship leading to the inevitable conflict was so touching and sad in its honesty and spot-on emotional accuracy when men of a very different style finally clash and part. The same or similar thing has happened to many of us at one time or another in life, so most viewers will connect with its truth and emotional impact. It was nice to see them reconnect after Frank essentially apologized to Walt in the only way he could, obliquely.

The film had a relaxed and almost "retired" pacing, never boring to me but perfectly in tune with day to day retired living in the Miami area, or anywhere. Three scenes of the men together were particularly memorable for their sensitivity and insight.... the fireworks scene, the haircut/shave scene, and the scene where Frank "apologized" to Walt after their argument and afterward they both danced with little girls in a park. Watch for these scenes as they come up as they are crucial to story development. Just great film-making.

This film was one of the best I have seen in depicting how differing people retire from useful professions and then fade from being productive social contributors into their respective, more or less useless retired ways, with some fighting and struggling the whole way and others accepting their fate with gentleness and realization of the inevitability of life. We are all like these film characters in some ways, or will be, and seeing in the film what awaits us all in an older age was not always a pretty sight, but it was always very engaging and touching. We truly cared for the characters in this film....the primary mark of a successful story.

A wonderful film not to be missed by anyone over 50.

A movie I stumbled upon accidentally in a video store, WRESTLING ERNEST HEMINGWAY turned out to be a complete and utterly delightful comedy-drama that, though probably not for all tastes, would be a wonderful film for anyone to see who appreciates really great acting. The film takes place in Florida and traces the unlikely friendship that develops between a straight-laced, Cuban, retired barber (Robert Duvall)and a free-spirited, independent-minded, retired naval officer (Richard Harris) who brags to anyone who will listen about his wonderful relationship with his son, who, in reality, is just too busy for him. This warm and engaging character study is not so big on story, but on the relationship that develops between these two diversely different people who eventually find a way to connect with each other. Harris, in particular, is just remarkable in his gutsy, totally unhinged performance that should have earned him an Oscar nomination. There are effective supporting turns by Sandra Bullock as a waitress Duvall has a crush on, Shirley MacLaine as Harris' landlady and Piper Laurie as a local lady Harris fancies, but this movie is mainly an acting showcase for two of the best...Robert Duvall and the sublime, divine (and deeply missed) Richard Harris.

I got some good belly laughs watching the antics of these two gents dealing with retirement and loneliness. Duvall was superb, as always, but Harris stole the show with his constant search for companionship and his relentless quest for sex - something I suspect he was no longer capable of. Well worth seeing.

In 1992, I was a literary agent at Writers & Artists Agency in Los

Angeles. In a town where new scripts by unproven young writers

can't get their scripts read, I was one of the few agents who was

eager to find new talent. One day, I received a letter from a young

writer asking me to read his script. The title intrigued me and the

story he described demanded that I read the script. The young writer's name was

Steve Conrad and he had just graduated from the University of

Chicago. The script was "Wrestling Ernest Hemingway", and from

the very first page, I knew I had to represent it. The writing was so

simple, so poetic, so powerful, so witty and so real that I called

him before I had even finished reading the script. I was able to

convince Todd Black, an enthusiastic young producer, to read it

and his passion matched mine. He sold it to Warner Bros. and

they made the movie. In a Hollywood rarity, Steve remained the

sole writer of the script.

I am so gratified to read the User Comments and to see how this

little gem of a movie has affected so many people. I am no longer

a literary agent; I now teach English and History to 6th graders. I

shall always be so proud that I had some part in bringing this

wonderful writer and his script to the screen, and that so many of

you have shared my passion about it.

"Wrestling Ernest Hemingway" is an often poignant, sometimes plaintive, and always delightful slice-of-elderly-life old guy flick which, BTW, has nothing to do with wrestling or Ernest Hemingway. With the exception of Duvall's awful Cuban accent, Harris and Duvall shine in Florida's sun as they fully flesh out their somewhat eccentric and quirky characters in this wistful, slow moving, and light hearted musing. Artful and well crafted, "Wrestling..." is recommended for viewers with sufficient maturity to tap into the many age-related subtleties woven into to fabric of the story. Younger viewers may become impatient with the film's slow pace.

Two elderly gentlemen - one neatly dressed, well-mannered and forward-looking (Robert Duvall), the other shabby, loud-mouthed and nostalgic (Richard Harris) - meet in a park close to their simple dwellings in Florida and are slowly drawn to each other, despite their obviously different outlooks on life in general and love in particular. This contemplative and fairly pleasant film about lives well-lived is just a little bit off in the authenticity department (written by 25-year-old Steve Conrad) but is elevated by brilliant performances. Robert Duvall does a near impeccable Cuban accent and has a believable mellowness and virtue to him, whereas Richard Harris embodies his part as an old sailor and lothario with conviction. Directed by Randa Haines (Children of a Lesser God), who tries to make the film's inevitable melodrama more true by slowing down the tempo. It almost works.

Two retirees in Florida find friendship in their twilight years. Frank (Richard Harris) is a brash retired seaman. He annoys his bitter landlady Helen Cooney (Shirley MacLaine). He claims to have wrestled Ernest Hemingway back in the day. He flirts with Georgia (Piper Laurie) while watching old movies. He feels abandoned by his son. Walter (Robert Duvall) is a particular retired Cuban barber. He often eats at a diner to talk to waitress Elaine (Sandra Bullock). The two lonely men meet at a local park.

These are legends at work. Richard Harris especially really chews up his scenes. By having two leading ladies, Frank's romantic story gets muddled. While they created interesting characters, there isn't much of a plot. Walter's relationship with Elaine is mostly cute but also a little awkward. I'm also interested in a scene between Frank and his son which never materializes. This is a rambling buddy movie with some legendary actors.

This movie isn't for everyone. There is little action, no sex, nudity, or violence, no voluptuous bodies, no chase scenes (the fastest anyone goes is on a tandem bicycle), no glitzy special effects. There are very few characters at all; nearly all dialogue comes from the five top billings, and most from the two central characters: the old men played by Duvall and Harris.

Yet it is one of the most engaging and thoughtful films I've seen in a long time. It deals with aging in a realistic way that isn't morose or gruesome, but instead pulls you into the movie as if you're one of the cast who just doesn't happen to have any lines. You are "there" for the entire two hours and you don't want to leave. You quickly care about these people as if they're your own family members, and you move through the movie with them.

Neither do you want to miss a line. The acting is superb all the way around. Duvall's performance is incredible. I didn't come to IMDb today to write a review; I came to see if Duvall won an academy award nomination for his performance. I'm disappointed that this film appears to have won no awards at all. This is probably more a result of the film's poor box office showing than the quality of the movie (it only grossed $231,700, not enough to even pay the crew, let alone the cast). It's a shame that quality films such as this can't draw enough of an audience to be successful, or to even attract enough attention from Academy members for them to even see it and vote on it.

If you didn't know that Duvall was in this film, it might take you awhile to even realize it's him. I can't say enough about it, and am not a good enough movie reviewer to do his performance justice. I hope you'll just trust me on this one and rent this film. It's worth seeing for Duvall's work alone. The rest will be gravy.

But what tasty gravy it is. If you like movies that draw you in and present characters who are real, whom you care about, who change before your eyes in ways you can relate to and understand, then you'll really like this movie. If you like movies that change you a little, that teach you something about life without being at all obvious about it, that don't try to manipulate you, that are sincere, that elicit a range of your emotions without playing you like a cheap fiddle, then you really should see this.

I'm also disappointed in the movie's rating here on IMDb. I notice that the raw numbers are much higher, but the IMDb special formula has adjusted it significantly downward to factor out "the village idiots." While I'm sure there's a good reason for IMDb's secret adjustment formula and that it is appropriate for many situations, I can't imagine that this is the kind of movie for which village idiots would try to stuff the ballot box. Most people who voted for this movie gave it very high ratings--7 to 10--and I'd recommend that you believe them. Wrestling Ernest Hemingway is a quality movie with broad appeal that will leave you feeling very glad you invested two hours in watching it.

Leisurely-paced, remarkably sweet and entertaining character study about an elderly Irish codger in Florida striking up an uneasy friendship with a retired Cuban barber. Not especially original or revealing, but wonderfully acted and directed, with a beautiful sense of atmosphere. Written by 21-year-old Steve Conrad, whose natural-flowing dialogue and character development admirably shucks a formulaic pattern. In the leads, Robert Duvall and Richard Harris prove to be a striking screen match (at times, they may struggle with their characters' overall make-up, yet they create genuine people--not caricatures); Shirley MacLaine is also fine in a supporting role (in her book, "Thank My Lucky Stars", MacLaine gives hint this film wasn't a positive experience, though you wouldn't guess it from the end results or from MacLaine's excellent performance). Sandra Bullock also shines as a waitress. Not a blockbuster or a career watermark for anyone, but a gentle, moving film that leaves a thoughtful trace of its passion for life behind. *** from ****

The lack of attention this film received is an embarrassment. This is a fantastic film. Simple, elegant and true. Beautifully rendered from all points. In a just world, Duvall and Harris would have shared the Oscar. No other actors that year came anywhere near what these two accomplished. The fact that neither was even nominated is truly shameful.

If you were to ask me what it's about, I guess I'd say that it's about life, death, and rebirth, and all the human stuff that goes with that. Oh yeah, and joy. About how joy can seem like a distant, unreachable memory, when really it can be as close as the next park bench over--if only we have the courage.

If you want to experience a quiet little movie that will move you and reverberate in your memory long after, then seek this one out.

A wonderful character driven film, brilliantly crafted by a gifted director and some of the best acting ever put on film. Robert Duvall inhabits his retired-barber character to the point of being unable to picture him as anyone else, let alone the hard-ass Vietnam Colonel Kilgore who "loves the smell of napalm in the morning". The first time I watched this movie (and trust me, it's worth watching again and again) I completely forgot the actor and was watching the life of this Cuban transplant unfold. And please, oh please, let Richard Harris find another role within which to shine as he did this one. He may be a prolific actor, but I hate to see his talent wasted in such "blockbusters" as Gladiator and Harry Potter.... His face, his eyes... you feel the distance and sorrow his character feels without his uttering a word. Brilliant. I'm constantly amazed when I mention this film that NOBODY seems to have seen it! One of my top ten favorite films of all time.

I thought Wrestling Ernest Hemingway was going to be a heartwarming, lightly funny movie about old folks, like Cocoon or The Boynton Beach Club. It's not, and if you're looking for a good movie, don't watch this one.

Sure, Robert Duvall has a pretty good accent as a Cuban retiree, and Sandra Bullock is well cast as a low-class but kind-hearted waitress, but this movie is pretty bad. It could have been so much better, if the screenwriters had thought a little longer. For example, at the start of the film, Richard Harris keeps talking about his son, and how excited he is to see him for a visit. Wouldn't it be an interesting twist if Richard's son was dead, but he had Alzheimer's and didn't remember? Or when Shirley MacLaine complains about her ex-husband, wouldn't it be clever if Richard Harris was her ex-husband and that's why she's always hostile towards him? I won't spoil anything, but this movie isn't very clever or twisty.

It's also pretty depressing. Richard's always talking about how lonely he is, and when he reaches out for companionship, nobody likes him. It's not very inspiring to watch an old person living alone in a retirement community, trying and failing to make friends, trying and failing to have a romance, all the while melting in the Florida heat because his apartment doesn't have a working air conditioner.

If you like Richard Harris, watch This Sporting Life. If you like Robert Duvall, watch A Family Thing. If you like Shirley MacLaine, watch The Apartment. You don't have to watch Wrestling Ernest Hemingway.

In life, one of the simple pleasures for me is getting a haircut, closing your eyes and feeling someone's massaging fingers on your scalp, snipping your wet hair, in the caring hands of an old pro. I came to this fifteen minutes in -- I hope I didn't miss anything crucial -- but in a way, the movies we watch having missed a portion are always more interesting. This is a just a small, easy slice-of-life drama -- a perfect example of a "good little movie," the kind to watch on a Sunday afternoon with someone you love. An actor who never stops taking chances and a master of understatement, Robert Duvall slides into his role of a humble, honorable, respecting Cuban so perfectly here and he's complemented by excellent work from Richard Harris, as the well-meaning but coarse drunken loudmouth ex-sailor in the park he befriends out of a need to simply not be alone anymore. Because of their mastery, we grow so attached to these fully-formed characters that it honestly hurts to leave.

The film is exceptionally well-paced, and written with fresh dialogue and immensely touching observances. There's a scene where Duvall learns his favorite waitress is moving away (Sandra Bullock, with appropriate charm), and the expression on his face and hesitance in his speech rips your heart clean out. Then there's the buried disappoint on his face when he sees her reaction to the farewell gift of vodka suggested by Harris. Where Duvall has his junior league baseball games and poignant dancing in his apartment (alone), Harris gets positively hostile towards a woman (Piper Laurie) in a movie theater (where he works, thanks to a spiffy haircut by Duvall) and Shirley MacLaine, also in his housing complex. The plot is thin but in the meandering vignettes there are superb moments, like Harris accosting Duvall in the street about his fantasy of dancing (whether it comes true, you'll have to watch), or later, Duvall insisting that Harris be a well-dressed gentleman at all times. The sentimental score and old time Cuban music enhance the movie; it's quiet and wonderful -- the years may fly by, but the summer days are nice and slow. 9/10

This is a great movie, and the critic's plot summary doesn't come close to helping you decide whether or not to watch it. It's NOT a tear jerker either. With this cast you're obviously not watching any rookies or male actors lost in their macho. Every character in this movie is played superbly, and becomes so real, that you can't help but feel like you are right in the middle of a slice of life in a little town on the coast of Florida.

Robert Duval (Walter) is a retired Cuban gentleman, Richard Harris (Frank) is a lonely, crusty retired sailor. Each lives alone, without any family around. They meet in the park at Franks' unwelcome prompting, and with some real reluctance on Walter's part. Shirley McClaine (Coonie) is the divorced motel landlord where Frank lives, and they go toe to toe over one issue after another, occasionally over a little Irish whiskey, including whether or not she'll let Frank get his hands on her. Sandra Bullock (Elaine) is Walter's favorite waitress at the Sweetwater Cafe, and they exchange fond jabs each time he comes around. Piper Lorie is a self respecting single lady, on whom Frank clumsily works his flawed romanatic magic in their town's only movie house.

At the center of this light drama is the unlikely and rocky friendship developing between Frank and Walter. With the backdrop of a laid back little coastal town, and moving to wonderful cuban music and rhythms, each one of the characters and relationships unfolds a little at a time, and begin to cross over one another. Just as you get to know people in your life a little at a time, these folks become more and more themselves as the story unfolds.

The timing, setting, filming, music, and subtleties of the characters and the script work beautifully so that you fall right into it all.

The ending is tender, wistful, and the characters just seem to go their own way. This is like that book you read, where halfway through you started dreading the last few pages.

I saw this movie for possibly the ninth time today(Labor Day). It never fails to move me in the way it portrays two lonely people (who could be the flip sides of every person)who meet and fulfill and antagonize each other at the same time. I think that this is one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. I wish I could tell the writer of this film how much it means to me. The entire picture, from its writing, to its filming and acting is top notch. I wouldn't change a thing about it. I love every thing about it. I have read many reviews of this film and some of them have some things right and others are completely wrong. This is a film that says so much about lonliness, neediness, and friendship. I wish everbody could see it.

Why is it that all the best movies never seem to make it big? Not enough explosions, car chases, exploding heads, sex scenes? Sometimes it seems that way. Wrestling Ernest Hemingway got barely a moment in the theaters despite the presence of two heavy hitters like Robert Duvall and Richard Harris. It's a real sleeper.

Harris plays Frank, a down-at-the-heels wreck of a dissolute old sea captain and Duvall plays Walter, a retired Cuban barber, very fastidious and introverted and a bachelor. These two polar opposites, alone in their old age, develop a devoted but rocky friendship wherein they learn a lot from each other. The movie has a whole lot to say about loneliness, friendship, old age, living life, and caring and it says it in a strong, yet understated and beautiful way.

It is worth comparing with the glitzy and ineffective "Grumpy Old Men", which tried to be both serious and a comedy and failed at both. This is the `serious' half of that movie done right, even brilliantly.

The odd title comes from Frank's story - repeated ad nauseum to anyone whose ear he can grab - about how he once wrestled Ernest Hemingway in 1936. The screenplay is touching in a restrained way that is all the more effective for its restraint. No tear-jerker scenes to wring the emotion from the audience, and yet it is more emotionally powerful than a lot of run-of-the-mill hankie-twisters. The plot moves to a predictably sad ending, but then moves beyond that to a quiet reaffirmation of life.

The acting is top-notch, as one would expect, although Duvall's Spanish accent is better than Harris' American one. In particular I cannot speak too highly of Duvall in this role. This is the direct opposite of the "Great Santini"-type roles that he does so well, and he is astonishingly effective in playing this fastidious, gentle, shy, repressed, soft-spoken old man. It is a joy to watch him make this character real.

I once heard some critic remark that one mark of a good movie is if you find yourself caring about the characters. On that scale this movie is 12 out of a possible 10.

Shirley MacLaine and Piper Laurie put in well-turned performances, as well as Sandra Bullock in an early appearance.

If you are a Duvall nut, as I shall forever be, you must rush out and rent this immediately. I spent last night cuddled up with my husband sobbing quietly at this rich and beautifully told story of a shy Cuban barber and a salty sea captain thrown together in retirement hell. They make, needless to say, a momentary paradise out of their touching and sly friendship. Some of the best ensemble acting you will ever witness. Go...now!

I saw this film by chance, was working at home with the TV humming, and it caught my attention. Didn't do much work! It's a great piece of acting, Duvall is amazing as an old Cuban bachelor, and Harris is very touching as a lonely retired sailor (oops sorry... captain!). MacLaine has a smaller part, but acts it perfectly, with a classy economy of emotions. They all fit their characters like gloves.

The whole film is a quite little masterpiece, and extremely emotional. Couldn't stop the tear flow ;o) I'm rushing to see what else that director did, Randa Haines. Not surprised this film was directed by a woman, it's got that light yet deep emotional quality...

Another excellent aspect of this film is the way the atmosphere is depicted. You can feel the heat, and laid back lifestyle of... wherever it's taking place... Miami? A superb sound track, Cuban Son, helps a lot too.

Great film to see if you're in a thoughtful mood, and if you're looking for something else than action blockbusters.

I am a big fan of Richard Harris but he unfortunately hasn't had interesting roles very often. Camelot was endearing, Wild Geese was entertaining, Cromwell was interesting but none of that showed his real power as an actor. This movie does at last! Alec Guinness said once that true comedians are theater actors because we don't see their faces up-close and they can act a different personality than themselves whereas cinema actors are often shot very close and therefore, they show much more their own self: think about Jimmy Stewart (certainly very close from his characters). I think that Richard Harris was also very close to the characters he embodied and it makes me like him even more.

But let's talk about the movie: it's very well shot, edited, adapted, superbly acted. The storyline is very well developed with an amazing character study, very profound and very moving. Technically, it's not very far from deserving a 10 out of 10, but I may give this grade for personal reasons, because the movie touches me particularly. It talks about loneliness and the aging of the body, the frustrations from both. Harris meets Duvall (also amazing) and become friend with him. Both are very lonely. Harris waits for his son, who is living faraway, and who planned to take him to the fireworks for the 4th of July. At the last minute, the son cancels his visit. It leaves Harris devastated with disappointment and sadness. Maybe, the character that Harris plays hasn't been a very good dad and this maybe why the son isn't very kind and caring with him, but what about forgiveness? We obviously pick side for Harris' character because despite his flaws, he's touching and endearing. I live very far from my dad (he's back in Europe). He's aging, he's lonely and even if we get along very well and I have nothing to reproach to myself, I feel sorry for him and this movie reminds me of his life and breaks my heart. I am still young but I have known loneliness and I can imagine the difficulties of having an aging body. It scares me like most of us I presume. Watch this movie if you want to know a little bit more about life.

If this only has a 6.5 rating here on the data base it only tells me that folks just aren't paying attention. I would certainly rate this film is one of the ten or 20 greatest films of all times. And if anyone had any doubt about who the greatest actor alive is....after viewing this film you will absolutely know that he is Robert Duval. Further, In my opinion, perhaps the finest performance of his life was turned in by Richard Harris This is an absorbing tender, and powerful performance by a brilliant ensemble of Actors. Amazing. I am stunned that this is not in the top 100 films here on the data base.

Wrestling Ernest Hemingway is a example of how a really fine movie doesn't need to have tons of special effects or a huge budget. This small simple film deals with real life problems and emotions encountered by aging adults. The acting is excellent as is the script. Here is where the rubber hits the road in the serious industry of film making. Richard Harris does an excellent job portraying an aged lonely Sea Captain, who interacts with an equally lonely Cuban American former barber played by Robert Duval. Although from very different back grounds and cultures they share a common bond due to their isolation from most of society. Sandra Bullock, who portrays a young waitress in a Miami Beach café provides a focal point for the film as Duval develops a crush on her. There is little fluff in this film as the script, setting and acting provide all the elements need to create a fine film, durable for years to come.

Although I've only seen this movie once quite a while ago it is definitely on my "see again soon" list. While slipping through the many film credits of Robert Duvall I felt I just had to comment. His performance in this movie separates him from his other characters and in my eyes cements his reputation as a premiere actor. Along with a wonderful cast including Richard Harris as a crusty old curmudgeon, the always talented Shirley MacLaine, and the relative newcomer at that time, Sandra Bullock the film spins its story in a very timely and entertaining manner and left me at the end with not only a lumpy throat (i can't tell you who dies of course but it's one of the best death scenes I've ever seen) but the crushing desire to see it at least three or four more times. Highly recommended.

Moved to Miami in 1971.

Duvall was excellent. Gave me chills. A comment by someone called his accent more Mexican than Cuban. Not so. Have lived in California and Florida. Duvall's character could sit down at any checker board in Little Havana and be taken as a "native."

The "South Beach" setting reminded me of the early days of the revival of the area. There was time for those days.

An excellent movie. It captured me by its reality and simplicity just like when I turned on "Blade Runner" …and didn't move from the edge of the bed until it was over. Of course, the subject matter was wildly divergent. The attraction was not.

Everyone seemed to know they were making a gem. I think the over-all rating is too low for this film, which is more like walking into a part of life, then taking your leave to move on to a different place, across the street, down the road.

You want to go back the next day for another cup of coffee.

The teaming of Robert Duvall and Richard Harris sounded promising even before this film opened, and neither disappoint in this tale of a couple of elderly oddballs having one last fling. Walter (Duvall) is a shy man, who has never danced with a woman, and whose only friend is a young waitress (Sandra Bullock) for whom he has developed a quaint affection. Frank (Harris) is a boaster, who claims to have wrestled with Hemingway – hence the film's title – who antagonises his landlady (Shirley MacLaine) and his lady friend (Piper Laurie); his family largely ignore him.

The beauty of this film, written by twenty-one year old Steve Conrad and directed by Randa Haines, is that it gives you both a belief in the characters, and a genuine interest in what will happen to them. As Walter and Frank, misfits both, become friends, we cheer them on and are concerned for them at the same time. There can't be a happy ending for both of them (and there isn't), but this movie really is a celebration of age and what can be achieved beyond the prime of life. Bullock, Laurie and MacLaine are fine in small, less showy role, but this movie belongs squarely to Duvall and Harris.