Word: baldwinism
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Other than witnessing Pacino's versatility, Baldwin's corporate intensity, Harris' moral indignance and Lemmon's superbly pitiful side-stepping, "Glengarry Glen Ross" is better seen as a stage production. And it's best seen after you've had enough sunshine to combat the film's dour undercurrent...
Blake (Alec Baldwin) makes a cameo, bringing in his steel briefcase the old themes from "Downtown": "Closers get more leads (names to call on) and losers get out." Blake has no mercy for leftovers like Levene. He delicately encourages those who don't like it to "get the fuck out" and taunts those who stay with the fact that his watch costs more than each of their cars. If you can't sell his trashy property deals, you're nobody to Blake...
...fact that director James Foley sticks too close to play format deprives "Glengarry" the possibilities that film give it. Instead, only the mighty but topically depressing performances by Lemmon, Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin and Pacino keep us interested. We receive no alternate stimulation by movement, day-light or more than the five principal actors...
...present imperative now -- because there's a dogfight among the four middle-aged men whose tough job it is to cozen the consumer. The top salesman will win a Cadillac; runner-up gets a set of steak knives. And third prize? Ask the cool executive (Alec Baldwin), himself a human steak knife, who has dropped by to explain the competition. "Third prize is you're fired...
Among his inspirations, Damon cites Marlon Brando, who he calls "a genius. There's no other way to put it. He's the best actor I've ever seen." Other greats are Meryl Streep. Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Alec Baldwin. He would "love to work with any of these actors...