Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I agree "Diner" is a classic film that just get better and better as the years go by. It's a shame you never got to see the movie in a movie theater with a full audience. It was a great experience.
Ok 58 years young. This is one of my top 5 movies of all time for many of the same reasons you’ve skillfully recounted. I have told many people that this is the movie that no matter how late it is, how tired (or drunk) I am or what part of the movie is playing when I discover that it’s on - I watch it to the end. It was a far stronger statement before streaming, when everything can be viewed conveniently and paused and “returned to”. Many a night, when I was the age of the characters and having the same experiences, I came home late, flipped the many cable channels and realized it was on. And I started awake to the end. Laughing at Paul Reiser always checking with his pals to see if they’re going to finish what they ordered. Thanks for the trip - great Substack.
Thanks for reading! It's amazing that Paul Reiser had never acted in a movie before "Diner." In fact, he had no intention of auditioning; he just went with a friend to support his buddy and then got coaxed into trying out himself. My favorite Paul Reiser bit in the film is when he says, "You know what word I'm not comfortable with? Nuance." That's classic.
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I agree that Rourke gives one of his best performances in this film. I'm a huge Mickey Rourke fan too. I really like his work in "Body Heat," "Rumble Fish," and although it's hard to watch at times, "The Wrestler."
Outstanding film callback and essay...I mean, over 40 years ago, but still registers. Nailed it with cast assembly...wonder how Sean Penn would have fit in as a "Spicoli" character...naw!
Great piece; I loved this film back in the day , but haven’t thought about it in a while. I’ll be looking up later, and watching it again… Is it just me or does it have quite a lot in common with American Graffiti?
Thanks for reading my post! I think the "Diner" era of the late 50s set the stage for what would become the car-cruising culture of the early 60s. The guys in the time of "Diner" (and on the east coast as opposed to the west coast) weren't into cars, didn't cruise around town all night trying to pick up girls and race each other, and didn't have drive-in's like Mel's. My hunch is that the silver diners found back east morphed into the drive-in burger joints found in the rest of the country a few years later. So, the "Diner" era was the precursor to "American Grafitti" in my opinion. Thanks again!
Very good article, Jim. Never thought this was specifically a “great” film, as much of a good character study, as you mention here. Unlike some films that attempt to look like a period piece, this WAS one. Everything looked right, imperfect, worn in. Those little touches really make it of Methan quoting “The Sweet Smell of Success” (a film with GREAT dialogue), Bagel’s wisdom, and Eddie taking football a bit extreme with the basement test. I love the classic trailer diner, too, and you can actually feel the cold of the winter. As other comments here mention, it’s a film you can return to from time to time. One typo I caught for you: it’s Michael Tucker, not Stewart, portraying Bagel (who reappears in Levinson’s 1987 film “Tin Men”).
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. One of my favorite movies of all time. Not a wasted second in this poignant and beautiful movie. The record collection scene is heartbreaking; the manger scene hilarious. As you said, we all knew people like the characters in this gem. Some stared back at us in the mirror, too.
Thanks for reading! As you can tell, "Diner" is also one of my favorite all-time movies too. I agree that the film wisely uses every second of its running time. It may be one of the best structured screenplays I've ever read; yet it's not plot-driven but focused on characterization. I think "Diner" is one of those rare moments in film where everything came together in just the right way.
Hi Will, thanks for reading! That's a great line you quoted from the movie - there are so many memorable bits of dialogue in the film, don't you think?
I saw Diner over two decades ago and couldn't remember how much I had enjoyed/liked it until I found a dvd copy if it in my now defunct dvd collection. Since I only bought DVDs of movies I absolutely loved, finding Diner there after reading your words made me feel nostalgic.
How many things we love do we put aside over time to make room for disposable experiences that leave us empty? Diner I will watch again soon thanks to this great article, Jim.
Thanks for reading my post! It's amazing how well "Diner" still holds up now, decades after it was first released. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching it again. For me seeing "Diner" again recently after so much time has passed was like stepping into a pair of old, comfortable shoes.
I remember seeing this on VHS over 25 years ago. It's a classic for sure...
Hi Jason,
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I agree "Diner" is a classic film that just get better and better as the years go by. It's a shame you never got to see the movie in a movie theater with a full audience. It was a great experience.
Ok 58 years young. This is one of my top 5 movies of all time for many of the same reasons you’ve skillfully recounted. I have told many people that this is the movie that no matter how late it is, how tired (or drunk) I am or what part of the movie is playing when I discover that it’s on - I watch it to the end. It was a far stronger statement before streaming, when everything can be viewed conveniently and paused and “returned to”. Many a night, when I was the age of the characters and having the same experiences, I came home late, flipped the many cable channels and realized it was on. And I started awake to the end. Laughing at Paul Reiser always checking with his pals to see if they’re going to finish what they ordered. Thanks for the trip - great Substack.
Hi DPatrick,
Thanks for reading! It's amazing that Paul Reiser had never acted in a movie before "Diner." In fact, he had no intention of auditioning; he just went with a friend to support his buddy and then got coaxed into trying out himself. My favorite Paul Reiser bit in the film is when he says, "You know what word I'm not comfortable with? Nuance." That's classic.
GREAT movie. Rourke at his best.
He did okay in “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” too.
Yes, I forgot about that "The Pope.." - I've always liked his performance in that too.
Hi John,
Thanks for reading my post! Yes, I agree that Rourke gives one of his best performances in this film. I'm a huge Mickey Rourke fan too. I really like his work in "Body Heat," "Rumble Fish," and although it's hard to watch at times, "The Wrestler."
Outstanding film callback and essay...I mean, over 40 years ago, but still registers. Nailed it with cast assembly...wonder how Sean Penn would have fit in as a "Spicoli" character...naw!
Hi Lance,
Thanks for reading my post! As you can tell, I really love this film.
A must see classic.
Hi Christopher,
I agree! Thanks for reading my post!
Great piece; I loved this film back in the day , but haven’t thought about it in a while. I’ll be looking up later, and watching it again… Is it just me or does it have quite a lot in common with American Graffiti?
Hi Robert,
Thanks for reading my post! I think the "Diner" era of the late 50s set the stage for what would become the car-cruising culture of the early 60s. The guys in the time of "Diner" (and on the east coast as opposed to the west coast) weren't into cars, didn't cruise around town all night trying to pick up girls and race each other, and didn't have drive-in's like Mel's. My hunch is that the silver diners found back east morphed into the drive-in burger joints found in the rest of the country a few years later. So, the "Diner" era was the precursor to "American Grafitti" in my opinion. Thanks again!
Very good article, Jim. Never thought this was specifically a “great” film, as much of a good character study, as you mention here. Unlike some films that attempt to look like a period piece, this WAS one. Everything looked right, imperfect, worn in. Those little touches really make it of Methan quoting “The Sweet Smell of Success” (a film with GREAT dialogue), Bagel’s wisdom, and Eddie taking football a bit extreme with the basement test. I love the classic trailer diner, too, and you can actually feel the cold of the winter. As other comments here mention, it’s a film you can return to from time to time. One typo I caught for you: it’s Michael Tucker, not Stewart, portraying Bagel (who reappears in Levinson’s 1987 film “Tin Men”).
Nuance and Gesture…
Thanks for writing this.
Boogie: what’s your name?
Woman on the horse: Jane Chisholm. As in the Chisholm trail. (Turns horse and rides away over miles of what is obviously her family’s land)
Boogie: (short silence, confused look)
Boogie: what fucking Chisholm trail?
Fenster: Do you ever get the feeling there are things going on in the world that we don’t know about?
Love that scene
Yes! That's one of my favorite scenes in "Diner" too. The way Kevin Bacon says that last line is just superb.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. One of my favorite movies of all time. Not a wasted second in this poignant and beautiful movie. The record collection scene is heartbreaking; the manger scene hilarious. As you said, we all knew people like the characters in this gem. Some stared back at us in the mirror, too.
Hi Blitzkrieg,
Thanks for reading! As you can tell, "Diner" is also one of my favorite all-time movies too. I agree that the film wisely uses every second of its running time. It may be one of the best structured screenplays I've ever read; yet it's not plot-driven but focused on characterization. I think "Diner" is one of those rare moments in film where everything came together in just the right way.
Final scene still works today too.
Thank for the memories this piece brings back.
Hi David,
Thanks for reading - As you can tell, I love "Diner." I sure wish Hollywood would go back to making that type of movie today.
So do I, Jim.
Good Cinematic Times.
Wonderful movie. What a cast. “I’ll hit you so hard I’ll kill your whole family!”. Glad to hear it still holds up.
Hi Will, thanks for reading! That's a great line you quoted from the movie - there are so many memorable bits of dialogue in the film, don't you think?
“Carole Heathrow…She is cold…”
Man, I love this movie.
Great! I think it's one of the best films of the 1980s - thanks for reading!
I am curious to know how “Diner” affected popcorn sales at theaters…
Ha! Great question! It may not have affected popcorn sales, but it might have caused women to check before they put their hand in each box of popcorn.
I saw Diner over two decades ago and couldn't remember how much I had enjoyed/liked it until I found a dvd copy if it in my now defunct dvd collection. Since I only bought DVDs of movies I absolutely loved, finding Diner there after reading your words made me feel nostalgic.
How many things we love do we put aside over time to make room for disposable experiences that leave us empty? Diner I will watch again soon thanks to this great article, Jim.
Hi Juan,
Thanks for reading my post! It's amazing how well "Diner" still holds up now, decades after it was first released. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching it again. For me seeing "Diner" again recently after so much time has passed was like stepping into a pair of old, comfortable shoes.
I'll so looking forward to watching it again soon, Jim. Thanks for this wonderful post.