The Adding Machine (1969)
DIRECTOR:Jerome Epstein
STARS:Milo O'Shea (The Pilot), Phyllis Diller, Billy Whitelaw (Shadey, Payroll), Sydney Chaplin, Julian Glover
SYNOPSIS: Here's a one-of-kind, forgotten oddity that's hard to properly describe. In the 1930's a sad, workaholic man named Mr. Zero, toils away at his Brazil-ish job adding up figures. His co-worker is a cute blonde, Billy Whitelaw, who he secretly desires but constantly treats poorly. In a nice touch the filmmakers let us hear the inner thoughts of these two characters as they bemoan their choices in life (and their inability to fix them). Zero is called in by his boss after 25 years of work only to be told he is to be replaced by an adding machine! In a fit of rage Zero kills him. At home his wife, Phyllis Diller, is a non-stop barrage of put-downs and insults. Mr. Zero doesn't say a word but simply stares into space. During a dinner party at his apartment police officers arrive and arrest him for murder. In court he has an amazing soliloquy, again we are hearing his inner thoughts, wherein he pleads his case to the jury. In prison his wife visits and they argue in a memorably brutal scene. Finally, he is executed for his crime and ends up in a heavenly way station neither here nor there. Everything is provided for him, he wants for nothing and an old friend even shows up…but it's not enough. Zero is his own worst enemy. A soul doomed to repeat past mistakes. It may not be apparent from the above synopsis but Adding Machine is also very funny. Not to mention thought provoking and original. All the actors do a great job with Diller, a revelation, as the nightmarish Mrs. Zero. Sydney Chaplin shows up near the end as a character who explains to Mr. Zero just how insignificant he really is. Based on a play by Elmer Rice.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR:Jerome Epstein
STARS:Milo O'Shea (The Pilot), Phyllis Diller, Billy Whitelaw (Shadey, Payroll), Sydney Chaplin, Julian Glover
SYNOPSIS: Here's a one-of-kind, forgotten oddity that's hard to properly describe. In the 1930's a sad, workaholic man named Mr. Zero, toils away at his Brazil-ish job adding up figures. His co-worker is a cute blonde, Billy Whitelaw, who he secretly desires but constantly treats poorly. In a nice touch the filmmakers let us hear the inner thoughts of these two characters as they bemoan their choices in life (and their inability to fix them). Zero is called in by his boss after 25 years of work only to be told he is to be replaced by an adding machine! In a fit of rage Zero kills him. At home his wife, Phyllis Diller, is a non-stop barrage of put-downs and insults. Mr. Zero doesn't say a word but simply stares into space. During a dinner party at his apartment police officers arrive and arrest him for murder. In court he has an amazing soliloquy, again we are hearing his inner thoughts, wherein he pleads his case to the jury. In prison his wife visits and they argue in a memorably brutal scene. Finally, he is executed for his crime and ends up in a heavenly way station neither here nor there. Everything is provided for him, he wants for nothing and an old friend even shows up…but it's not enough. Zero is his own worst enemy. A soul doomed to repeat past mistakes. It may not be apparent from the above synopsis but Adding Machine is also very funny. Not to mention thought provoking and original. All the actors do a great job with Diller, a revelation, as the nightmarish Mrs. Zero. Sydney Chaplin shows up near the end as a character who explains to Mr. Zero just how insignificant he really is. Based on a play by Elmer Rice.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR:Jerome Epstein
STARS:Milo O'Shea (The Pilot), Phyllis Diller, Billy Whitelaw (Shadey, Payroll), Sydney Chaplin, Julian Glover
SYNOPSIS: Here's a one-of-kind, forgotten oddity that's hard to properly describe. In the 1930's a sad, workaholic man named Mr. Zero, toils away at his Brazil-ish job adding up figures. His co-worker is a cute blonde, Billy Whitelaw, who he secretly desires but constantly treats poorly. In a nice touch the filmmakers let us hear the inner thoughts of these two characters as they bemoan their choices in life (and their inability to fix them). Zero is called in by his boss after 25 years of work only to be told he is to be replaced by an adding machine! In a fit of rage Zero kills him. At home his wife, Phyllis Diller, is a non-stop barrage of put-downs and insults. Mr. Zero doesn't say a word but simply stares into space. During a dinner party at his apartment police officers arrive and arrest him for murder. In court he has an amazing soliloquy, again we are hearing his inner thoughts, wherein he pleads his case to the jury. In prison his wife visits and they argue in a memorably brutal scene. Finally, he is executed for his crime and ends up in a heavenly way station neither here nor there. Everything is provided for him, he wants for nothing and an old friend even shows up…but it's not enough. Zero is his own worst enemy. A soul doomed to repeat past mistakes. It may not be apparent from the above synopsis but Adding Machine is also very funny. Not to mention thought provoking and original. All the actors do a great job with Diller, a revelation, as the nightmarish Mrs. Zero. Sydney Chaplin shows up near the end as a character who explains to Mr. Zero just how insignificant he really is. Based on a play by Elmer Rice.
Fullscreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R