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Saint Jack

Play trailer Poster for Saint Jack R 1979 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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72% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara) is an American pimp in Singapore, and, although his livelihood is unsavory, he is not morally bankrupt, and makes friends with auditor William (Denholm Elliott). Jack yearns for more than the small-time, though -- his ambition is to open an entire bordello. Meanwhile he gets the squeeze put on him by the local mob for his business dealings, and, to achieve his dream of luxury, he may need to assist in a sinister deal by the CIA to take some compromising photographs.
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Saint Jack

Critics Reviews

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Frank Rich TIME Magazine 07/18/2008
If Saint Jack is not another complete embarrassment for Bogdanovich, it nonetheless reveals his deficiencies as a film maker. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 07/18/2008
Well crafted, finely acted, and conjures up a positively intriguing milieu. Go to Full Review Time Out 02/09/2006
Hard to imagine how anyone could make less of such a promising subject. Go to Full Review Jesse Cataldo Spectrum Culture 04/26/2022
Shooting halfway around the world, director Peter Bogdanovich manages to reinvent his style in a minor key with Saint Jack, while retaining the love of sparkling dialogue, gag work, and interpretive pastiche that defined his career. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 06/25/2021
4/5
...a brilliant character study of a reprehensible man who is also a decent human being... Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews 12/16/2020
3/4
...an episodic drama that ultimately benefits quite substantially from its use of real-life Singaporean locations and the superb work of its performers... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alec B 02/20/2024 Gazzara is phenomenal (probably the only guy who could have made this convincing) and I really like the lack of plot which fits the mood of the characters. On top of that, the movie is an astonishing visual record of a Singapore that no longer exists. See more 02/08/2022 Gazzara is phenomenal (probably the only guy who could have made this convincing) and I really like the lack of plot which fits the mood of the characters. On top of that, the movie is an astonishing visual record of a Singapore that no longer exists. See more 11/15/2020 Ben Gazarra playing a part tailor made for him as the seemingly heart of gold albeit not always moral center; rest of amateur cast is quite amateur See more s r @ScottR 05/14/2020 I enjoyed Singapore having just traveled there. However, I felt myself wondering about the purpose of the movie at the end, but then again maybe there is none and that was on purpose. Saw it on TCM. See more 02/26/2020 Superb character study set in Singapore (filmed secretly to circumvent the nanny state's strict censors) based on Paul Theroux's surprisingly and thoroughly mediocre novel. Bogdanovich plays a CIA type; Monika Subramaniam was a local whom B. took home with him to LA after the movie wrapped up. Bogdanovich's extensive use of local amateurs made this a very authentic film with authentic accents. Denholm Elliot used to hightail it to his local young boyfriend as soon as the day's shooting was done. Gazzara was born for the part, cooler than McQueen and suaver than Bond. See more delysid d 03/02/2018 possibly an example of a film thats both underrated and overrated simultaneously See more Read all reviews
Saint Jack

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Bogdanovich

Director

Ben Gazzara

Jack Flowers

Denholm Elliott

William Leigh

James Villiers

Frogget

Joss Ackland

Yardley

Rodney Bewes

Smale

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Saint Jack

Saint Jack (1979) Saint Jack (1979) Saint Jack (1979) Saint Jack (1979) Saint Jack (1979) Saint Jack (1979) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Jack Flowers (Ben Gazzara) is an American pimp in Singapore, and, although his livelihood is unsavory, he is not morally bankrupt, and makes friends with auditor William (Denholm Elliott). Jack yearns for more than the small-time, though -- his ambition is to open an entire bordello. Meanwhile he gets the squeeze put on him by the local mob for his business dealings, and, to achieve his dream of luxury, he may need to assist in a sinister deal by the CIA to take some compromising photographs.
Director
Peter Bogdanovich
Producer
Roger Corman
Screenwriter
Howard Sackler, Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Theroux
Production Co
Copa Del Oro, Playboy Productions Inc., Shoals Creek
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 27, 1979, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 1, 2018
Runtime
1h 52m
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