Just Tell Me What You Want (1980)

When his long time mistress (Ali MacGraw) leaves him for a young playwright (Peter Weller), a ruthless magnate (Alan King) will stop at nothing to get his revenge on her. Based on the novel by Jay Presson Allen (who adapted her book for the screen) and directed by Sidney Lumet (DOG DAY AFTERNOON). A highly uneven romantic farce without a single character one can like. Dina Merrill as King's emotionally disturbed alcoholic wife is probably the most sympathetic character in the movie but everyone else is either a shark or a sellout. Even the usually likable Myrna Loy (in her final film role) gets no respect from me as King's secretary who carries out his dirty work. Alan King isn't a strong enough actor to make his ego driven and vengeful tycoon believable but on the plus side, it features Ali MacGraw in a rare good performance. At least it's not a bore so I suppose we can thank Lumet for that but it's a bit of a mess. With Keenan Wynn, Tony Roberts, Joseph Maher and Judy Kaye.