Sony Pictures | 1970 | 142 mins. | Rated PG-13
John Cassavetes was never interested in being a part of the Hollywood system. His first directorial effort, 1959’s Shadows, is considered by many to be an integral piece in the birth of American independent cinema. Shot with a handheld 16mm camera on the streets of New York City, much of the dialogue was improvised, and the crew was class members from his method acting class, or volunteers. His stated purpose was to make a film about little people, different from Hollywood studio productions. That goal was something Cassavetes seemed to strive for each time he stepped behind the camera; always in search of the human soul and emotional truth, there’s no denying that he always brought something original to the table.
Shot in cinema-vérité style, 1970’s Husbands is one of those films that was either hailed or dismissed by critics. Starring two actors Cassavetes greatly admired, Ben Gazzara and Peter Falk, the film has a minimal plot. Gus, Harry, and Archie (Cassavetes, Gazzara and Falk, respectively) are three husbands with families in suburban New York. All are respected professionals. As the film begins, they are shaken when their best friend suddenly dies of a heart attack. Though Cassavetes had written an entire script, he encouraged the actors to take scenes wherever the emotions led them. This directive left cinematographer Victor Kemper (Dog Day Afternoon), in a constant race to capture the unexpected turn of events for the camera but it gives the film a feeling of raw emotional energy, it would have otherwise lacked. Focus and lighting are amazingly well done throughout. Admittedly, it’s not unusual for a street shot of three leads to play out entirely in soft focus.
Husbands is the story of a mid-life crisis brought on by the unexpected death of a friend. Instead of going home to their families, Gus, Harry and Archie spend two days acting like boys; they play basketball, sleep in subways and drink copious amounts of alcohol. Confronted by his disapproving wife upon his return home, Harry grabs his passport and decides to fly to London. Feeling a sense a sense of solidarity after their two days together, Gus and Archie decide to go along. Once they arrive in London, the trio go gambling and pick up three unlikely women as companions for the evening. Gus pairs off with Mary Tynan (Jenny Runacre), Archie with Julie (Noelle Kao), a young Asian woman who cannot speak English, and Harry pairs with Pearl Billingham (Jenny Lee Wright). Each mans ‘relationship’ leads to a series of mixed emotions that reveals more about their emotional stability and family lives.
In true Cassavetes fashion, the director looks for the emotional core of the men in every scene; making it clear that these are people desperate to be understood. More surprisingly, Cassavetes gives the female characters a real depth, exploring who and what they are. At first glance, Harry’s wife may appear to be a shrew. Upon further exploration, it’s clear that she is terrified; terrified of losing her husband, perhaps her identity. Cassavetes shows the London hookers, carefully sizing up perspective clients.
Viewers disinterested in dissecting the emotional well being of middle-aged American men best stay away from Husbands. Cassavetes doesn’t strive to make the viewer feel better about his characters by the films end; instead, you may go away thinking they’re three rather infantile individuals who don’t deserve a lick of your sympathy. Whatever the case, Husbands is a powerful document of the male midlife crisis and the realization that man isn’t invincible.
Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, Husbands looks remarkably good for a fairly low budget film made back in 1970. While the colors occasionally looked washed out, graininess is rarely an issue.
The audio is presented in a solid Dolby Digital 2.0 mix and all the dialogue is clearly understandable. Presented in English, subtitles are available in English.
Husbands includes the following special features:
• A Commentary by Marshall Fine: The Cassavetes biographer discuses how the film was financed made and constructed. Fine knows a lot about the director and shares a treasure trove of information here. Though his occasionally fast delivery can seem overwhelming at times, anyone wanting to learn about Cassavetes style of filmmaking will want to give this a listen.
• The Story of Husbands: A Tribute to John Cassavetes: Star Ben Gazarra and cinematographer Victor Kemper give their thoughts on the director. Both clearly enjoyed working with Cassavetes and they discuss the challenges involved in completing the film.
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