Shadows is a 1958 movie directed by John Cassavetes.
WHAT HAPPENS?
Young Lelia navigates love and interracial relationships, while her brother Hugh struggles with a fledgling singing career. Their brother, Benny, is a hipster that finds himself between cultures.
ONE LINE REVIEW
Shadows is a lyrical interpretation of race set in 1950’s beat New York City.
THE ACTORS
Cassavetes’ cast features largely novice actors, who deliver raw energy that’s fitting with the movie’s DIY style. They can struggle with the weight of the rich dialogue but still convey honest emotion. Lelia Goldoni’s Lelia is the best example. She expresses the confusion and hurt of sexual relations, then later learns how to manipulate men. It’s a delicate, interesting performance.
The rest of the featured actors play one-note characters. Hugh Hurd’s Hugh is a volatile singer who refuses to acknowledge his outdated style. Anthony Ray’s Tony is a pseudo-intellectual who doesn’t grasp the impact his actions have on Lelia. Rupert Crosse is the most impressive actor of the group – he easily handles the nuance of Cassavetes’ dialogue.
THE DIRECTOR
Shadows is a simple but ambitious movie. Cassavetes attempts to explore weighty racial and interpersonal issues within a meandering, jazz-inspired structure. At times, the movie resembles a documentary or at the least, a set of narrative sketches. Within the framework of the Beat Generation, Cassavetes offers a less romanticized, in the moment view of the movement – one more in touch with the reality of America’s racial dynamics.
THE BEST – That Beat Generation Crap
Lelia’s professorial boyfriend talks about a reading he’s giving, which doesn’t interest anyone in the group. Ben gives the best retort: “It’s not that Beat Generation crap again, is it?” The rebuke is intriguing given that the characters are living one year removed from the publication of On the Road. The question needs to be asked: are these characters living authentic lives or fitting into Kerouac’s archetypes?
THE BEST Part 2 – Rupert’s Voice
There’s something idiosyncratic but oddly appealing about Crosse’s voice. It lends to his character’s stature as the adult in the room – particularly when he delivers a commanding diatribe regarding Hugh’s flailing career.
THE WORST – Rapey Tony
Tony is both romantically idealistic and a predator – which reflects the intellectual spirit of the time but also its stubborn, male-dominated hierarchy.
THE WORST Part 2 – Ben the Jazz Musician
For a supposed jazz musician, we never actually see Ben play an instrument.
FOX FORCE FIVE RATING- 4/5
Shadows is both completely in the moment and ahead of its time. Cassavetes delivers an honest movie about race that profiles a unique time in American culture. A must watch.
