Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 29, 2025

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers” opened on Broadway during the final days of 1969. The Neil Simon creation went on to become a hit on stage, attracting audiences with its humorous study of a man trying (and failing) to screw up the courage to have an affair, facing three women who challenge his life and behavior in different ways. There were Tony Award nominations, and soon a screen adaptation in 1972, with director Gene Saks hired to bring Simon’s particular way of writing to movie theaters, having already managed the playwright’s perspective in “Barefoot in the Park” and “The Odd Couple.” The helmer doesn’t really do much to Simon’s material in “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” which maintains a steady filmed play appearance, sustaining focus on the actors as they work the frame and their coverage, replicating stage energy in the offering. But what a cast it is, as Alan Arkin leads the charge in this grand study of neuroses and panic, paired with wonderful supporting turns from Sally Kellerman, Paula Prentiss, and Renee Taylor, who help to generate enough buzzing energy to the endeavor to keep it mildly interesting.

Barney (Alan Arkin) is a depressed man. He’s 45-years-old, a father to three kids, and married to his wife, Thelma, for 22 years. He’s pulled into a midlife crisis he doesn’t fully understand, barely dealing with daily drudgery as he commutes to New York City, where he runs a seafood restaurant, forced to add the indignities of management to an already stressed existence. Barney craves adventure, and he finds it, initially with Elaine (Sally Kellerman), a sultry woman who makes her attraction to the nervous man clear. Excited to be within striking distance of an affair, Barney needs a place to go, electing to take over his mother’s meticulous living space to seduce Elaine. Instead of experiencing carnal liberation, Barney is flummoxed by the ways of seduction, nearly battling Elaine as they try to find some level of comfort to help engage bedroom activities. Barney’s frustrations and humiliations are tested again by Bobbi (Paula Prentiss), an aspiring actress happy to have an older man’s attention. And there’s Jeanette (Renee Taylor), Thelma’s friend, who realizes her own husband has been cheating on her.

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers” creates a space inside Barney’s head. He’s got a screaming brain, running an inner monologue that takes notes on everything (this gives Simon room to play with wit and worry), introduced as a man from suburbia trying to work up the courage to face another day. He considers his life and makes many pleas to God for help surviving humiliations and challenges, eventually taking his misery into heavy traffic, where he has to battle to enter NYC, reaching a final destination he wants nothing to do with. Barney is ignored by others -- a faceless man finally aiming to disrupt routine, yanked out of his daze by Elaine, who takes surprising liking to a guy who’s used to blending into the background.

“Last of the Red Hot Lovers” enters an apartment setting and mostly stays there for the rest of the picture. It belongs to Barney’s mother, and she has a particular way of maintaining order of her dwelling, putting the son in a full panic to make sure everything remains as it is during three visits from strange women. There’s some humor in watching Barney remain painstakingly careful with his presence, only to observe his female companions stomp and slop all over the place, giving Saks something to photograph as the characters move around the space. With Elaine, a game of questioning emerges, trying to understand a person he simply wants to have sex with. Such interplay raises his neuroses, even exposing a finger- smelling habit for the fishman, who quickly realizes that an extramarital affair is a lot of work, especially when trying to get out of his own head.

Bobbi increases the manic energy of “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” as the actress is restless, needing an interested person to talk at after Barney provides a little monetary generosity to help her Broadway career. Prentiss delivers the best supporting performance in the picture, creating a tornado of a personality in Bobbi, who has a Nazi roommate and whips out a joint to relax, urging Barney to smoke with her. It’s a wild character, and a growing irritant for Barney, helping to generate more active troubles for the movie as the needy man meets someone just as insistent and non-stop.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "new 4K restoration from its original camera negative." "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" is not an especially lively picture, but the viewing experience remains wonderfully cinematic, with nicely resolved grain. Colors are deep, delivering defined primaries on decorative additions and costuming. New York City hues are also sharp, exploring the coldness of the streets and the brightness of signage. Greenery is distinct. Skin tones are natural. Detail is strong, examining textured outfits and apartment furniture. Skin particulars are also open for inspection. Interiors maintain depth as the action weaves around the central apartment setting. Exteriors are limited, but offer dimension. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in good condition.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix presents a straightforward listening event for "Last of the Red Hot Lovers." Dialogue exchanges lead the way, and performance choices are distinct throughout. Argumentative behavior is also balanced, with no distortion. Scoring offers jazzy moods with sharp instrumentation. Sound effects are appreciable.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson.

• "The Look" (7:26, HD) is an interview with Renee Taylor, who originally auditioned for the Broadway production of "Last of the Red Hot Lovers," only to face rejection from the director. For the movie adaptation, Taylor received another pass, this time from Robert Evans, who felt she wasn't "glamourous" enough for the part. Unwilling to give up on herself, the actress found her way to Evans's home, determined to create an impression on her future employer. Co-stars are recalled, including Alan Arkin, sending Taylor on a mission to make the actor laugh to lighten the mood. The interviewee describes the differences between theater and film, exploring the intimacy of the medium, and she shares her pleasure with Neil Simon's work, "grateful" she received a chance to participate in the project.

• "Beyond the Staged Play" (10:41, HD) is a video essay by Matt Zoller Seitz.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Time around Jeanette sobers Barney up, facing a woman with no physical attraction for him, and she's also suffering from "melancholia," forcing the twosome to regroup in a nearby diner before repeatedly returning to the apartment. Simon's vision for closure takes some air out of the material's tires, leaving the endeavor a bit anticlimactic as a day of adultery turns into a therapy session. There's not much momentum to begin with in "Last of the Red Hot Lovers," as Saks doesn't open up the play, keeping things small and dialogue-focused to help preserve the Simon-ry of it all. It's not exactly a thrilling ride of neuroses, but there's Arkin to hold the whole thing together, using his gifts communicating discomfort and comedic timing to support the viewing experience, allowing it to reach beyond the stage for a few brief moments of hilarity.