Husbands (film)
| Husbands | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | John Cassavetes |
| Produced by | Al Ruban |
| Written by | John Cassavetes |
| Starring |
Ben Gazzara Peter Falk John Cassavetes Jenny Runacre Jenny Lee-Wright Noelle Kao |
| Cinematography | Victor Kemper |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
|
Release date
|
December 8, 1970 |
|
Running time
|
138 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Husbands is a 1970 film written and directed by John Cassavetes. This ensemble film, which describes three middle class men in the throes of a midlife crisis following the death of a close friend, stars Ben Gazzara, Peter Falk and Cassavetes.
The film, in cinéma vérité style, was described by Time magazine as Cassavetes' finest work while condemned by other prominent critics. One recent critic described it as a "devastatingly bleak view of the emptiness of suburban life."
Gus, Harry, and Archie (Cassavetes, Gazzara and Falk, respectively) are three nominally happy husbands with families in suburban New York. All are professional men, driven and successful. They have known each, one another, since their collegiate youths'. They have grown up together and have now had enough time to discover that their youth is disappearing from around them and there is nothing which they can do to preserve it. As the film begins, they are shaken into confronting this reality when their best friend Stuart—the first friend from their fast disappearing youth—dies suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack.
They have difficulty coping with the death and everywhere they turn or flee in the city they can't seem to run from it. They spend two days hanging out, playing basketball, sleeping in the subways, and drinking, including one lengthy scene at a bar in which they have an impromptu singing contest. Harry goes home, has a vicious argument with his wife, and decides to fly to London. The other two decide to go with him.
They check into an expensive hotel, dress in formal clothing, and meet three young women at a gambling casino. They go back to their rooms with the women. Gus pairs off with Mary Tynan (Jenny Runacre), Archie with Julie (Noelle Kao), a young Asian woman who seems not to speak English, and Harry with Pearl Billingham (Jenny Lee-Wright). However, their efforts to hook up with these women are awkward and unsuccessful. Flight (even to another continent), has not saved them from the disappearance of their youth. They discover it has gone, never to return.
Gus and Archie decide to go back to New York, but Harry stays behind. As the film ends, Gus and Archie express concern about Harry and what he will do without them.
...
Wikipedia