Directed by Ján Kadár • 1970 • United States
Starring Zero Mostel, Harry Belafonte, Ida Kaminska
Ján Kadár, codirector of the Oscar-winning Czechoslovak New Wave touchstone THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET, made his Hollywood debut with this unique, long-overlooked adaptation of a Bernard Malamud story, coscripted by visionary independent filmmaker Bill Gunn and produced by star Harry Belafonte. The legendary Zero Mostel stars as Morris Mishkin, a poor New York City tailor struggling to support his ailing wife (Ida Kaminska), whose difficulties have caused him to turn against his Jewish faith. Enter Alexander Levine (Belafonte), a Black Jewish angel who makes it his mission to restore hope to Mishkin’s life. Gloria Foster, who would go on to achieve widespread fame as the Oracle in THE MATRIX, costars.
Up Next in Fun City: NYC Woos Hollywood, Flirts with Disaster
-
The Plot Against Harry
Directed by Michael Roemer • 1969 • United States
Starring Martin Priest, Ben Lang, Maxine WoodsA treasure of American independent filmmaking that was neglected for decades until its triumphant rediscovery, writer-director-producer Michael Roemer’s feature follow-up to his landmark NOTHING BUT ...
-
Bananas
Directed by Woody Allen • 1971 • United States
Starring Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carlos MontalbánWriter-director Woody Allen’s supremely silly third feature channels the absurdity of the Marx brothers for a side-splitting satire of Cold War politics and American imperialism. He stars as bumb...
-
Norman Mailer vs. Fun City
Directed by Dick Fontaine • 1970 • United States
Writer and firebrand provocateur Norman Mailer, accompanied by rabble-rousing journalist Jimmy Breslin, takes to the streets of New York City in his colorful and ultimately failed 1969 run for New York City mayor.
