Shadows (1959)

Director:

John Cassavetes

Writer:

John Cassavetes (writer)

Release Date:

11 November 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Cassavetes' jazz-scored improvisational film explores interracial friendships and relationships in Beat-Era (1950s) New York City.

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | Extramarital Affair | African American | Opportunity | Chorus Girl

Awards:

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ben Carruthers	...	Ben
Lelia Goldoni	...	Lelia
Hugh Hurd	...	Hugh
Anthony Ray	...	Tony
Dennis Sallas	...	Dennis
Tom Reese	...	Tom (as Tom Allen)
David Pokitillow	...	David
Rupert Crosse	...	Rupert
David Jones	...	Davey (as Davey Jones)
Pir Marini	...	Pir the Piano Player
Victoria Vargas	...	Vickie
Jack Ackerman	...	Jack, Director of Dance Studio
Jacqueline Walcott	...	Jacqueline
Cliff Carnell
Jay Crecco

Runtime:

81 min | UK:87 min | USA:87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (re-rating) (1992) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:PG (1991)

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lion International

Trivia:

Iconoclastic radio personality Jean Shepherd helped John Cassavetes raise money to make the movie by having Cassavetes on his show as one of his rare guests in February 1957. Shepherd loaned Cassavetes his assistant Ellen Paulos to help with the film. The thankful Cassavetes expressed his thanks in the opening credits of the movie. A title reads: "Presented by Jean Shepherd's Night People." (The Night People were members of what the New York Times in the late 1950s called the "cult" of Shepherd listeners.) Shepherd also appears in a crowd sequence in the film, smoking a cigarette. Paulos also appears in the film.

Quotes:

Tony: I need the key for 042!
David: You can't get it, Elaine's not in.
Rupert: Where is she?
David: She's dealing with the raccoons, man.

Movie Connections:

References Et Dieu... créa la femme (1956)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful

When Improversation Works

In 1959, came two films named Breathless and Shadows that would have an impact on World Cinema. The former would begin a new era in French Cinema called the French New Wave. The latter would change the face of Independant movie making. Breathless was made by a man who was in love with the cinema and possessed quite a bit of knowledge about films. Shadows was done by a man whose origins lies in the theatre. Shadows(1959) came about because of John Cassavettes inability to find work as an actor during the 1950's. His anger and frustration due to not finding work led to his first film as a director. Shadows is about a couple of light black skin people who try to pass themselves as white in order to find acceptence. The main actors play themselves in this groundbreaking feature. The best scene of the film is when Lelia brings her boyfriend who is white to her brother's apartment and reveals to him that's she and her family are black. It would have a tremendous effect on future directors like Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers. The film's urban grittiness and the theme of guilt seems to be a predecessor to Martin Scorsese's breakthough classic Mean Streets(1973). Shadows(1959) is the grandfather of Dogma95 as well as The Blair Witch Project(1999) and Timecode(2000).