A master class in writing and acting. My god, Sidney Pollack was an outstanding director but also a vastly underrated actor. This scene and Russian Tea Room are comedy gems.
This is a perfect example of great writing. In just a few short minutes, we learn that Michael Dorsey is a difficult actor and why his career is failing. This is done in such a way that the characters are not only expressing their thoughts and feelings to each other in the dialogue, but also giving information about Michael Dorsey's character without forcing it on the audience.
Yeah, and that's why Hoffman argued for Pollack to play the agent. This scene, in Dustin's eyes, was crucial to the whole movie, in establishing that Michael's reputation for being difficult is large enough that NO ONE will hire him (and that his own agent has to emphasize it THREE times.) He has no choice but to disguise himself. Dustin used the example of how Some Like It Hot was dependent on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and Jack and Tony fearing for their lives after they are spotted at eyewitnesses. Dustin felt it would get close to a truthful level if Pollack, due to their real arguments, and as a man above Dustin in the filmmaking hierarchy as director, told him he would never get any work and that he was difficult, as opposed to a peer like Dabney Coleman (originally set to play the agent.)
The wonderful thing about this scene is it's not hard to agree and sympathize with George. Michael is essentially a decent guy but he fails to grasp the concept of dramatic license, and takes the acting profession a little too seriously. Supposedly Hoffman wasn't that far removed from his character in real life, and had shouting matches with Pollack on set or in his office. Art immiitating life.
@@robertmcelwaine7024 also he had to persuade/convince S. Pollack to play the role of the agent, which was orig slated to be Dabney Coleman , who was in turn ultimately cast as the womanizing tv director.
"You were a TOMATO!" Best (and funniest) scene in the movie and I still can't believe Sydney Pollack managed to direct it and be so frickin funny at the same time.
This scene is so brilliantly written and acted. After 40 years I still come back to it. The dynamic is so genuine and real. It almost feels like the sort of scene you’d write for a father and adult son. The father who loves his child but is completely exasperated trying to force them to face reality and grow up.
I wonder how much of the real life dynamic between the two men is being channeled brilliantly into the scene. Sydney Pollack the pragmatic director and Dustin Hoffman, the high-maintenance actor. My guess is the two may have had conversations on set that resembled this scene.
Sidney Pollack was not only a brilliant director, he was a fine actor, too. Miss him, The writing in this scene, and the whole movie, is crisp and right on target. Casting was perfect, too--especially the late Charles Durning.
Not all the roles were first choices. Actually, Sydney wanted Dabney Coleman to play George. It was Hoffman who insisted Sydney play it. Also, Dustin wanted Polly Holliday in the role Doris Belack got.
From what I've heard in interviews, this was almost exactly the kind of arguments and relationship Pollack and Hoffman had in real life while making this film. A brilliant form of self-casting.
Sydney was one of those artists who always brought quality and heart to his work, whether acting or directing. He reminded us of how good it is to be human, to feel, to laugh, and love.
It's not that Hollywood won't make movies like this anymore, it's that Hollywood doesn't know HOW to make movies like this any more and that is a heart-breaking tragedy...
Always wanted to meet this guy. Mr. Pollack always seemed like the friendliest, most approachable talent in the world. Have always been a big admirer of his. And he will be forever emblazoned in my memory for brilliantly arguing with Dustin Hoffman over the logistics of being a tomato. Now I must just say God rest him. Thanks for this.
Best scene in the film, for me. Sydney Pollack was such an underrated actor. He equals Dustin Hoffman in this scene (in fact I think he stole it) and he's also terrific in Woody Allen's 'Husbands and Wives'. He should've acted more.
“I did an endive salad that knocked the critics on their ass!” 🤣🤣☠️☠️ 8 years old when this movie came out. Saw it in theaters, one of my favorites ever since…40 years?? Awesome…
"YOU WERE A TOMATO!!! A TOMATO DOESN'T HAVE LOGIC! A TOMATO CAN'T MOVE!" "That's what I said! So if he can't move, how's he gonna sit down, George?! I was a stand-up tomato, a juicy, sexy, beefsteak tomato...NOBODY DOES VEGETABLES LIKE ME!!"
The joke is that Hoffman has always had a reputation for being “difficult.” Supposedly when he did the torture scenes in Marathon Man he stayed awake for 2 or 3 days. And Laurence Olivier said, “Dear boy, why don’t you try acting?”
He also had the lead role in Blade Runner too before Harrison Ford, but he got let go because they spent months discussing the role with him and answering one question after another. His rep for being exacting was well known, and Tootsie actually represented his comeback in a way. Art imitated life, or life imitated art.
Hoffman was going through difficult times in his personal life and told Olivier about it, something about a divorce I think. So Lawrence adviced him to concentrate on his job as a way of getting his mind clear. The rest is just another bullshit fan fact, a myth.
Definitely the best scene in the movie......."Nobody wants to see a play about a couple who moved back to Love Canal." "But that actually happened!" "WHO GIVES A SHIT???!!!" hahahahahaha Oh my God I first saw this years ago and I still bust a gut!
1:50 "Who gives a shit!!! Nobody wants to pay 20 dollars to watch people livin next to chemical waste!!! They can see that in New Jersey!!!!" I never forget this line I first heard it 8 or 9. Only when I was a teen that realized the person who said it was a notable film director. RIP Sydney.
The story goes that Dustin Hoffman had trouble doing this scene for some time, until he suggested that Sydney Pollack take the role of George, the agent. Hoffman said he’d have trouble listening to another actor trying to be his agent, but that he’d listen to his director being his agent. Pollack was reluctant, but eventually agreed, and the result was as we see here. This is one of the problems with method acting; makes it hard to invent stuff for a performance.
I know Jessica Lange won Best Supporting Actress, but I also say that Sydney Pollak should have been nominated for & WON Best Supporting Actor. A truly unappreciated performance.
2:26 "You argue with everybody!" If you know the behind the scenes stories about the movie, you can't argue that that line was just as much Sydney talking to Dustin as it was George talking to Michael.
Check out the behind the scenes of the making of Tootsie you will see this exactly how Pollack and Hoffman were with each other away from the camera although they were also very friendly towards each other as well but their arguments are so funny. It is what made Pollack perfect casting for the role of the agent.
They probably put their real feelings into this scene. Hoffman didn't feel he could push back like this to another actor. But to the director he could. And Sidney did have past acting experience, but twenty years before.
“You were a tomato!!! A tomato doesn’t have logic - a tomato can’t move!” “That’s what I said! So if he can’t move, how’s he gonna sit down, George???” 🤣😂
"...Y O U W E R E A T O M A T O !!! A TOMATO DOESN'T HAVE LOGIC! A TOMATO CAN'T MOVE!!" Honest to god (even though i don't believe in one), here where Pollack cracks up, has always been one of the most appreciated moments in movie history as far as my taste goes. The whole office scene of course too.
They don’t make em like this anymore. Everything about this movie is perfection - the writing, direction, acting - even the score! Everyone involved in this movie was a true pro!
The way Pollack is subtly trying to hold himself back from exploding through most of the scene is just so amazing. Comedic performances are almost never held up to the same acclaim as dramatic ones...but a performance like this is every bit as skilled as any great supporting drama role. Pollack was an under appreciated actor.
This movie was a gem: one of the greatest of screen actors portrayed an actor who is obnoxious and not as good as he thinks is (though he did pull off the lady character!).
Fantastic scene from one of the great film comedies of all time. The film is a great satire on the acting world and also soap operas. Also - can’t help but think that Hoffman is like that in real life! 😂
"I did an endive salad that knocked the critics on their ass!" Gelbart's brilliant writing, coupled with Pollack & Hoffman's chemistry - magic! If Pollack wasn't such a terrific director, he could've been a brilliant, constantly booked actor.
"You play a tomato for thirty seconds, they go half a day over schedule because you wouldn't sit down." "Yes. It wasn't logical." "YOU WERE A TOMATO! A tomato doesn't have logic! A tomato can't move!"
It's my favorite scene in the movie. My next favorite is the one where he tells George that Charles Durning proposed to him and he needs to get out of his contract...
A master class in writing and acting. My god, Sidney Pollack was an outstanding director but also a vastly underrated actor. This scene and Russian Tea Room are comedy gems.
The whole movie is perfect. Beefsteak 🍅!!
I believe Pollack started out as an actor, then switched his career to directing.
This is a perfect example of great writing. In just a few short minutes, we learn that Michael Dorsey is a difficult actor and why his career is failing. This is done in such a way that the characters are not only expressing their thoughts and feelings to each other in the dialogue, but also giving information about Michael Dorsey's character without forcing it on the audience.
Exactly. And you can also tell that they’ve had this argument many times before.
"Excuse me, Is my acting interfering with your talking ?"
This may well be one of the greatest expositional scenes of all time.
@@jefferoni1984 maybe in real life
Yeah, and that's why Hoffman argued for Pollack to play the agent. This scene, in Dustin's eyes, was crucial to the whole movie, in establishing that Michael's reputation for being difficult is large enough that NO ONE will hire him (and that his own agent has to emphasize it THREE times.) He has no choice but to disguise himself. Dustin used the example of how Some Like It Hot was dependent on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and Jack and Tony fearing for their lives after they are spotted at eyewitnesses. Dustin felt it would get close to a truthful level if Pollack, due to their real arguments, and as a man above Dustin in the filmmaking hierarchy as director, told him he would never get any work and that he was difficult, as opposed to a peer like Dabney Coleman (originally set to play the agent.)
Sydney Pollack was tremendous in this as the agent - brilliant acting, and hilarious!
Him & Bill Murray were brilliant
@@pruthvish007 You're watching reality because Pollack HATED having to direct a very difficult Hoffman.
Terrific dialogue.
The wonderful thing about this scene is it's not hard to agree and sympathize with George. Michael is essentially a decent guy but he fails to grasp the concept of dramatic license, and takes the acting profession a little too seriously. Supposedly Hoffman wasn't that far removed from his character in real life, and had shouting matches with Pollack on set or in his office. Art immiitating life.
@@robertmcelwaine7024 also he had to persuade/convince S. Pollack to play the role of the agent, which was orig slated to be Dabney Coleman , who was in turn ultimately cast as the womanizing tv director.
"I'm your agent, not your mother". This is one of the best dialogues in cinema history. Pollack and Hoffman, fucking hilarious.
"You were a TOMATO!"
Best (and funniest) scene in the movie and I still can't believe Sydney Pollack managed to direct it and be so frickin funny at the same time.
It wasn't that funny
.
.....
This scene is so brilliantly written and acted. After 40 years I still come back to it. The dynamic is so genuine and real. It almost feels like the sort of scene you’d write for a father and adult son. The father who loves his child but is completely exasperated trying to force them to face reality and grow up.
It is in actual real life scene
I wonder how much of the real life dynamic between the two men is being channeled brilliantly into the scene. Sydney Pollack the pragmatic director and Dustin Hoffman, the high-maintenance actor. My guess is the two may have had conversations on set that resembled this scene.
@@mattpope1746Pollock was an actor first, he's not so removed from the actor mentality.
This scene never gets old. The exchange between Michael and George about the tomato commercial is priceless!
I think what makes it great is that both characters make good points about what they are talking about. Neither one is completely right nor wrong.
IT explained so much in a short amount of time…so clearly that we UNDERSTOOD Micheal…empathized hilariously and completely! 💖🤣
Dustin Hoffman such a brilliant talented actor😊
@@user-hd3dc5up6iSydney was no slack himself!
Sidney Pollack was not only a brilliant director, he was a fine actor, too. Miss him, The writing in this scene, and the whole movie, is crisp and right on target. Casting was perfect, too--especially the late Charles Durning.
Not all the roles were first choices. Actually, Sydney wanted Dabney Coleman to play George. It was Hoffman who insisted Sydney play it. Also, Dustin wanted Polly Holliday in the role Doris Belack got.
Man was just a natural and insanely talented.
From what I've heard in interviews, this was almost exactly the kind of arguments and relationship Pollack and Hoffman had in real life while making this film. A brilliant form of self-casting.
funkmike but they improvised the scene
@Roger B That was Dave Grusin
This is a fantastic scene. Pollack was vastly underrated as an actor.
And he did more acting than directing too.
By whom?
He was in a Soprano's episode years later with Tony !
Sydney was one of those artists who always brought quality and heart to his work, whether acting or directing. He reminded us of how good it is to be human, to feel, to laugh, and love.
"This is a coast, too, George. New York is a coast too."
One of the greatest 4 minutes of dialog in movies
It's not that Hollywood won't make movies like this anymore, it's that Hollywood doesn't know HOW to make movies like this any more and that is a heart-breaking tragedy...
The corporate overlords wouldn't allow it anyway. And the green haired woke mob would have a fit.
This scene and the one with Pollack and Hoffman as Dorothy at the Russian Tea Room are hilarious and brilliantly written and acted.
the face Pollack makes when Dorothy asks him about the tea house, perfection lol
"I did an endive salad that knocked critics on their ass!"
Best scene in the whole movie. Dustin and Sidney together are brilliant.
"I will not get sucked into this conversation, I will not!" And he promptly gets sucked into the conversation.
And then Michael says “I don’t want to argue about it” and continues arguing.
When you wanna send a steak back, Michael Dorsey is a name. LOL, so many great lines in this scene
The exchange about the tomato is alone some of the greatest comedy writing of all time.
One of the best comedies ever! This movie stands the test of time, no doubt about it.
Seriously, I'm in tears. One of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite comedies. I adore Dustin Hoffman :)
Sidney and Dustin... A master-class in acting right here. To think Sidney did not want to play the agent because he couldn't act
He can be himself
damn the writing is so pitch perfect.
Stellar acting. Hoffman and Pollack are absolutely brilliant!
Me too. For comedies!
this movie is STILL funny!!
In acting class in College I wrote and performed a two person scene modeled after this scene and the Help Me Help You scene in Jerry Maguire
You're a TOMATO!!! A tomato doesn't have logic! A tomato can't move!!!
Priceless!
One of the best scenes in movie history.
"You were a TOMATO!"
Sean McIntosh
And that’s what I said!
Charles Peters A TOMATO DOESNT HAVE LOGIC
I DID THE BEST TOMATO, THE BEST CUCUMBER!
Michael is this complex mix of fear (please respect me!!), and respect for George, and denial, and unmet ego needs ...Brilliant writing.
Always wanted to meet this guy. Mr. Pollack always seemed like the friendliest, most approachable talent in the world. Have always been a big admirer of his. And he will be forever emblazoned in my memory for brilliantly arguing with Dustin Hoffman over the logistics of being a tomato. Now I must just say God rest him. Thanks for this.
Best scene in the film, for me. Sydney Pollack was such an underrated actor. He equals Dustin Hoffman in this scene (in fact I think he stole it) and he's also terrific in Woody Allen's 'Husbands and Wives'. He should've acted more.
aerialkate He definitely stole the last scene they had together in the movie. ALL of George’s reactions to Michael are GOLD.
nobody wants to pay twenty dollars to watch people living next to chemical waste, they can see that in New Jersey!
+TheColinChapman lmfao! Love that line! :)
One of the greatest lines in cinema.
Preceded by “who gives a sh*t?!” 😆
Great line 😂😂😂😂
Great line.
“I did an endive salad that knocked the critics on their ass!” 🤣🤣☠️☠️
8 years old when this movie came out. Saw it in theaters, one of my favorites ever since…40 years?? Awesome…
This scene is actually based on the real relationship between Pollack and Hoffman.
"YOU WERE A TOMATO!!! A TOMATO DOESN'T HAVE LOGIC! A TOMATO CAN'T MOVE!"
"That's what I said! So if he can't move, how's he gonna sit down, George?! I was a stand-up tomato, a juicy, sexy, beefsteak tomato...NOBODY DOES VEGETABLES LIKE ME!!"
there is a certain logic to it 😆
Arguably the best part in this whole movie!
dear God, let me write something this funny.
@otherworld11 it's not that hard; just template it to a different genre...
The joke is that Hoffman has always had a reputation for being “difficult.” Supposedly when he did the torture scenes in Marathon Man he stayed awake for 2 or 3 days. And Laurence Olivier said, “Dear boy, why don’t you try acting?”
The guy was as dedicated to his craft as any actor during his time.
He also had the lead role in Blade Runner too before Harrison Ford, but he got let go because they spent months discussing the role with him and answering one question after another. His rep for being exacting was well known, and Tootsie actually represented his comeback in a way. Art imitated life, or life imitated art.
Hoffman was going through difficult times in his personal life and told Olivier about it, something about a divorce I think. So Lawrence adviced him to concentrate on his job as a way of getting his mind clear. The rest is just another bullshit fan fact, a myth.
Definitely the best scene in the movie......."Nobody wants to see a play about a couple who moved back to Love Canal." "But that actually happened!" "WHO GIVES A SHIT???!!!" hahahahahaha Oh my God I first saw this years ago and I still bust a gut!
Yeah, that never fails to make me laugh too. Even when I first saw this at about the age of 12, I laughed over it even tho I didn't understand it!
I love it how George goes nuts over the tomato.
"New York is a coast too!"
"Oh boy!" (The agent sees right away Michael is right back in Tomatoland)
1:50 "Who gives a shit!!! Nobody wants to pay 20 dollars to watch people livin next to chemical waste!!! They can see that in New Jersey!!!!" I never forget this line I first heard it 8 or 9. Only when I was a teen that realized the person who said it was a notable film director. RIP Sydney.
"Nobody does vegetables like me" ! that line cracks me up every time.
The story goes that Dustin Hoffman had trouble doing this scene for some time, until he suggested that Sydney Pollack take the role of George, the agent. Hoffman said he’d have trouble listening to another actor trying to be his agent, but that he’d listen to his director being his agent. Pollack was reluctant, but eventually agreed, and the result was as we see here. This is one of the problems with method acting; makes it hard to invent stuff for a performance.
Method is total bs. It's masturbating in public. No one wants to see your therapy sessions, lol. Act, don't wallow.
I read that too. This might have been a common occurrence during filming, except here it was part of the story.
I think this scene has to be one of the funniest, if not the funniest, director cameos ever in movie history!
One of the best scenes of all time.
"I'm your agent, not your mother!" Haha fantastic writing
I know Jessica Lange won Best Supporting Actress, but I also say that Sydney Pollak should have been nominated for & WON Best Supporting Actor. A truly unappreciated performance.
Seriously, she was NOTHING special in this movie. I wouldn't have nominated her at all. Pollack should have won!
Jennifer Brigitte in general Pollack was more himself in that scene and he directed in his own way
Jennifer Brigitte absolutely not Lange was Brilliant in this movie one of the best supporting female performances ever
Facts!
2:26 "You argue with everybody!"
If you know the behind the scenes stories about the movie, you can't argue that that line was just as much Sydney talking to Dustin as it was George talking to Michael.
I could never order an endive salad without smirking
Ahn-deev!
I think this is one of the best scenes ever put on film. Love the chemistry between Hoffman and Pollack
I agree this was Sydney Pollack's best scene great acting from an amazing director.
I've seen this film so many times, I can practically quote the whole film
I love that his roommate wrote a play called "return to love canal" lol
who the hell would go BACK to love canal??
Check out the behind the scenes of the making of Tootsie you will see this exactly how Pollack and Hoffman were with each other away from the camera although they were also very friendly towards each other as well but their arguments are so funny. It is what made Pollack perfect casting for the role of the agent.
It was Hoffman's idea for Sydney to play it.
They probably put their real feelings into this scene. Hoffman didn't feel he could push back like this to another actor. But to the director he could. And Sidney did have past acting experience, but twenty years before.
Another sign Hoffman is a legend. He's a tremendous actor with a successful career and he totally nails the struggling loser actor part perfectly
“You were a tomato!!! A tomato doesn’t have logic - a tomato can’t move!”
“That’s what I said! So if he can’t move, how’s he gonna sit down, George???”
🤣😂
Michael does make a good point.
"...Y O U W E R E A T O M A T O !!!
A TOMATO DOESN'T HAVE LOGIC!
A TOMATO CAN'T MOVE!!"
Honest to god (even though i don't believe in one), here where Pollack cracks up, has always been one of the most appreciated moments in movie history as far as my taste goes. The whole office scene of course too.
One of the greatest movies ever made.
I really miss Sydney Pollack, a brilliant director AND actor
Hands down one of the best scenes.
My God Sydney Pollack was brilliant too. Forever missed.
A JUICY SEXY BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES!
Perfection of art. This scene is pure perfection.
This scene is perfect in and of itself.
The best part of the movie how they are bickering at each other.
Sydney Pollack was a great actor as well as a director, so underrated!
This scene and the Russian Tea Room are the whole movie! Thank you so much for posting two of the finest examples of the greatness of Sydney Pollack.
i love this movie ..the 80s had great movies great actors /times Sydney had great talent.....
This is a fantastically written show. Always makes me laugh hysterically! YOU’RE A TOMATO!
"Who gives a sh*t??!" Sydney rocks.
"WHO GIVES A SHIT?!!! Nobody wants to pay $20 to watch people live next to chemical waste, they can see that in New Jersey"...golden...simply golden
And the situation in Jersey was probably WORSE than Love Canal! (NO offense to any Jerseyites!)
@@tommyt1971 Sorry, offense taken.
Not to anyone who really knows NJ.
I agree..my fave scene in this movie by a mile ..Pollack & Hoffman are both amazing .. the dialogue is witty..sharp and hilariously executed .. xx
What's great about this scene is that both men have good points.
Most of the dialog in this scene had to have been improvised -- their interaction is too perfect to have been written out!
One of the greatest comedies ever.
They don’t make em like this anymore. Everything about this movie is perfection - the writing, direction, acting - even the score! Everyone involved in this movie was a true pro!
I love this movie. A”remote dropper “! Full of great scenes. This is but one of them. Great chemistry between Sydney and Dustin.👍🏻
The way Pollack is subtly trying to hold himself back from exploding through most of the scene is just so amazing. Comedic performances are almost never held up to the same acclaim as dramatic ones...but a performance like this is every bit as skilled as any great supporting drama role. Pollack was an under appreciated actor.
One of my favorite scenes of all time.
This movie was a gem: one of the greatest of screen actors portrayed an actor who is obnoxious and not as good as he thinks is (though he did pull off the lady character!).
"Owe it all up to her and on her terms."
"Oh God, here comes the terms"
One of the greatest scenes ever!
One of my heroes!
R.I.P. Sydney!
Thanks, Sydney, for all the great movies, for all your great performances. What a guy.
Great scene from one of the greatest movies ever made.
Classic scene from a terrific movie. Easily deserving of it's status on the American Film Institute's list of all time greatest.
Fantastic scene from one of the great film comedies of all time. The film is a great satire on the acting world and also soap operas.
Also - can’t help but think that Hoffman is like that in real life! 😂
One of the best cuts in film history
"Get some therapy".
Great scene, well-acted by director Sydney Pollack.
i played an endive salad that knocked the critics on their asses!
mistermatt moose my fav line in the flick
This is one of the funniest scenes in the history of American movies. I laugh hysterically every time. That’s good comedy and writing.
Oh, the films we used to watch in the eighties. What a time to be alive.
One of best scenes in "Tootsie" !
The scenes between pollack and hoffman are the best.
One my favorite scenes from.this movie
"I did an endive salad that knocked the critics on their ass!" Gelbart's brilliant writing, coupled with Pollack & Hoffman's chemistry - magic! If Pollack wasn't such a terrific director, he could've been a brilliant, constantly booked actor.
i would have loved to have met him. Sydney Pollack was a really really great Man
Brilliant scene.
I would love to do this scene in an acting class.
1:20 I will not get sucked into this conversation, Michael. I will not!
And proceeds to get sucked into the conversation
Simply brilliant..thanks very much..😂😂..\m/
"You play a tomato for thirty seconds, they go half a day over schedule because you wouldn't sit down."
"Yes. It wasn't logical."
"YOU WERE A TOMATO! A tomato doesn't have logic! A tomato can't move!"
It's my favorite scene in the movie. My next favorite is the one where he tells George that Charles Durning proposed to him and he needs to get out of his contract...
pureoaknut that moment the entire movie theater rolled out the aisle.