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Paul Newman, Vittorio Gassman, Fernando Rey, Bibi Andersson, Brigitte Fossey ... see more see more... , Nina Van Pallandt , David Langton , Tom Clarke Hill , Monique Mercure , Craig Richard Nelson , Marushka Stankova , Anne Gerety , Michael Maillot , Max Fleck , Françoise Berd , Thomas Hill

Perhaps the least seen but most talked about film of Robert Altman's career, Quintet is a somber science fiction tale that takes place after a nuclear holocaust has thrown the world into another Ice A... read more read more...ge. A man named Essex (Paul Newman) and his pregnant wife Vivia (Brigitte Fossey) are wandering the desolate, frozen landscape and attempting to find Essex's brother, Francha (Tom Hill). They finally locate him in a frozen city, occupied by a number of apocalyptic survivors who who pass their time playing a mysterious game called "Quintet." No one is able to explain just how it is played, but Grigor (Fernando Rey) appears to act as the referee, and the stakes of the game are unusually high - losing means being thrown out into the snow and devoured by Rottweilers. Francha is soon killed, not as a casualty of Quintet per se, but for playing an assassination game on the side to relieve his own ennui. As 'collateral damage,', Vivia and the rest of Francha's family are soon extinguished as well. Essex is not happy with the way they've been rubbed out, but as he attempts to seek revenge, he is only drawn deeper into the lethal competition of Quintet. While this picture received negative reviews on its initial release, in retrospect it is worth noting that the photography (by Jean Boffety) and production design (by Leon Ericksen) are beautiful and striking, and that the film boasts one of Altman's strongest international casts, including Vittorio Gassman, Nina Van Pallandt, and Bibi Andersson, as befits its European-art-movie ambiance; the influence of the equally opaque, allegorical, game-playing Last Year at Marienbad (1961) is especially strong. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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32% liked it

505 ratings

Critics

13% liked it

8 critics

R, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Robert Altman

Release Date: January 1, 1979

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DVD Release Date: April 25, 2006

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Stats: 54 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (54)

  • stevenecarrier
    May 17, 2011
    stevenecarrier
    It's hard for me to call Robert Altman's "Quintet" an out right terrible film because everything we see on screen seems entirely deliberate. From the slow pace, to the detailed production design, to the multiracial casting, to the etherial score, to the philosophical musings- "Qu... read moreintet" seems extremely self assured. Unfortunately, I found none of it interesting. For me, this was slow nonsense that added up to about nothing. I feel like Altman is trying to say something about life and death with this apocalyptic tale (and that deadly board game) but it all comes across so muddled. It doesn't help that Paul Newman's performance is the definition of 'wooden.'

    "Quintet" sufficiently ended Altman's legendary 1970s run and ousted him from Hollywood where he spent the 1980s adapting little seen plays into independent films before reemerging in the 1990s with "The Player."

    Side note: If you like the film "The Road" (which I hated), you will probably be much more forgiving to "Quintet."
  • burgerstar
    July 25, 2011
    burgerstar
    This had to be one of the most boring Sci-Fi movies ever - and it had Paul Newman in it.
  • 01MovieMan
    November 8, 2008
    01MovieMan
    This is a movie about the future
    I did not think it was that great a movie
    You can view it on Flixster
  • kellycooper
    April 17, 2008
    kellycooper
    I might have actually enjoyed this movie if I were a younger, more patient man. As it happens though, I watched it after I'd imbibed too much wine and I didn't understand a thing. It didn't make any sense to me at all? and it was boring. And stupid. Overall, this one was pain... read moreful to watch.

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Critic Reviews

Vincent Canby
May 9, 2005
Vincent Canby, New York Times

All great directors must be arrogant to the extent that they will follow their dreams through to the bitter, sometimes banal end. This time Mr. Altman's faith in himself has led him over the brink. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
December 16, 2001
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

The narrative is convoluted, the characters thin, and the pace appropriately glacial; burdened with opaque metaphysical dialogue and bizarre, medieval-looking costumes. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
November 24, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

The pace of Quintet is as glacial as its setting. A career nadir for Paul Newman.

Bill Chambers
April 27, 2006
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central

A baffling film whose ultimately hollow idiosyncrasies speak to Altman's self-destructive streak more than they constitute an applicable allegory Full Review

Christopher Null
April 19, 2006
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

a painful attempt at depth that comes across as nothing more than utter pretentiousness Full Review

Steve Crum
January 3, 2005
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan

Slow, confusing, and for Altman fans only.

Emanuel Levy
July 3, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Daniel M. Kimmel
March 5, 2004
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

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Quintet Trivia

  • In 'West Side Story'(1961), Rita Moreno's singing voice was dubbed by Betty Wand only for "A Boy Like That" since it was below her range. Moreno sang "America" and "Quintet" herself.  Answer »
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