The Landlord (1970)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Hal Ashby

Writers:

Kristin Hunter (novel)
Bill Gunn (writer)

Release Date:

20 May 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Watch the landlord get his.

Plot:

At the age of twenty-nine, Elgar Enders "runs away" from home. This running away consists of buying...

Plot Keywords:

Tenant | Mulatto | Brooklyn | Love | Satire

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Beau Bridges	...	Elgar Winthrop Julius Enders
Lee Grant	...	Joyce Enders
Diana Sands	...	Francine MarieJohnson
Pearl Bailey	...	Marge, Tenant
Walter Brooke	...	William Enders Sr.
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Copee Johnson (as Lou Gossett)
Marki Bey	...	Lanie
Mel Stewart	...	Professor Duboise (as Melvin Stewart)
Susan Anspach	...	Susan Enders
Robert Klein	...	Peter Coots (as Bob Klein)
Will Mackenzie	...	William Enders Jr.
Gretchen Walther	...	Mrs. Doris Enders
Douglas Grant	...	Walter Gee Copee
Stanley Greene	...	Heywood the Butler
Oliver Clark	...	Mr. Farcus

Runtime:

112 min | 110 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG (1972) | Sweden:11 | USA:R (original rating) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating)

Company:

Cartier Productions

Movie Connections:

References The Littlest Rebel (1935)

Soundtrack:

God Bless The Children

Surprising

I was pleasantly surprised with the complexity of "The Landlord". It was brilliantly directed. The cutting between different scenes was effortless and added depth to the storyline. There was plenty of symbolism, which is one of the things I always look for and enjoy in a film. For instance, when Elgar (Bridges) and his father are having an argument in the bathroom during a costume party, there is a quick cutaway to another man in the bathroom who has on a gun holster, which I thought was symbolic of the 'shootout' that was going on between Elgar and his father. In addition, the Enders family is constantly seen wearing white, and their home is decorated in white.

I thought the acting was top notch. Beau Bridges was very convincing as a naive, sheltered man learning to appreciate and embrace a different culture. But the movie is so much deeper than that... It dealt with people trying to break free from stereotypes, people struggling to be proud of who they are and be accepted for who they are, and some people not even knowing who they are, trying to find their niche.

I love the scene at the party that was supposedly in honor of Elgar, where more than one person tells him what it feels like to go from being an outcast to being the envy of everyone. If I remember correctly, they likened it to you having a mole in the middle of your forehead, and people are basically disgusted by it. But, then one day, that becomes the thing to have, and people begin to draw moles on their faces, but you have a real mole right there on your forehead, prominent for everyone to see, and suddenly you are "it", and your self esteem is taken to new heights. It seems like everything would be fine for you now, but I also interpreted that speech as saying that, at the time, blacks felt like they were a fad that might eventually fade out. I thought the words were very powerful, as well as the way the scene was carried out.

I don't think a film such as this could be pulled off properly now, because there is the constant threat of backlash if things aren't completely "PC", not to mention the fact that things are so different now. I think this film was made at the right time, but it still rings true 31 years later. And, thank goodness for the satisfying and realistic ending.