Wednesday, May 25 will begin a screening series at Film Society of Lincoln Center that makes me count myself fortunate that this is where I currently call home in movieland. RELENTLESS RENEGADE: THE FILMS OF NORMAN JEWISON will bring not just a comprehensive look at that director’s very cool and wide-ranging filmography to the Walter Reade Theater, but it will bring the director himself with a handful of special guests to talk about the films. It’s what I preach about until I am blue in he face as to why I love, love, love film festivals: The opportunity to meet the filmmakers and talk to them and ask them about the filmmaking process, etc. And it’s something that FSLC is able to pull off quite a bit as well. In this case, it’s personally going to be great because I will moderate one of the Q&As, talking to Jewison and Lee Grant about one of the classic racial touchstone films, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.
Therefore, I thought it would be fun as a preview to the series to have Jewison play a little word association with the film titles that we will be screening. Following will be his immediate, off the top of his head responses to each title. I’ve also included the names of the special guests joining him at the various screenings for an FYI for those Film Threat readers that will be in New York from May 25-30.
And now, in Norman Jewison’s own words. Here we go…
40 POUNDS OF TROUBLE
“My first feature film. Tony Curtis gave me my first big break!”
Jane Fonda and Meg Tilly in AGNES OF GOD
“Struggle between Catholic faith and disbelief.”
(Meg Tilly will join Jewison to discuss AGNES OF GOD on Friday, May 27 at 8:45PM.)
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
“An examination of the American legal system – my truly cynical film!”
Steve McQueen in THE CINCINNATI KID
“My first dramatic film. Cards are the weapons. It’s a gunfight between the young star and the old star. The age old struggle between youth and age.”
(Jewison will attend the screening of THE CINCINNATI KID on Saturday, May 28 at 3:00PM.)
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
“A Jewish European fable about a man with five daughters. FIDDLER contains some of my best work. I was inspired in my search for my own Jewishness.”
(Lyricist Sheldon Harnick will be on hand to talk about FIDDLER ON THE ROOF with Jewison on Sunday, May 29 at 2:15PM.)
GAILY, GAILY
“I was so young and trying to explore the corruption of innocence.”
(Veteran casting director Lynn Stalmaster will be on hand to do a Q&A with Jewison following GAILY, GAILY on Wednesday, May 25 at 8:15PM.)
THE HURRICANE
“A true story of a black man who was wrongfully accused and lost his chance at the championship title.”
(Jewison will attend the screening of THE HURRICANE on Sunday, May 29 at 6:00PM.)
Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
“The timing was perfect – it was the first film in America where a black man slapped a white man back. Probably my most powerful film.”
(Lee Grant will attend the screening and participate in the Q&A following the screening of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT on Friday, May 27 at 6:00PM.)
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
“I always saw this is a contemporary rock opera dealing with the good, the bad, and the beautiful. I was never making a religious film.”
(André Previn will join Jewison to discuss JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR following the screening on Thursday, May 26 at 6:00PM.)
THE LANDLORD
“My opportunity to launch the career of Hal Ashby as a director. A strong statement of racial prejudice.”
(Lee Grant will attend the screening and participate in a Q&A on Monday, May 30 at 6:00PM.)
Olympia Dukakis in MOONSTRUCK
“A poetic screenplay about an Italian Brooklyn family. Some of my best casting.”
(Olympia Dukakis will join Jewison to discuss the film MOONSTRUCK on Saturday, May 28 at 5:45PM.)
ROLLERBALL
“Not too distant future. There will be no wars – no politic systems – but there will be Rollerball! Where we will live in a cynical organized corporate world. My only film dealing with the future.”
(Sony Pictures Classics Co-President and Co-Founder Michael Barker will attend the screening of ROLLERBALL on Saturday, May 28 at 8:30PM to discuss United Artists and Arthur Krim, who was Chairman of United Artists from 1951 to 1978.)
THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING
“The timing was right, a film about the absurdity of international conflict or an atomic war. My most politic film.”
(Turner Classic Movies’ Robert Osborne will take part in a pre-screening conversation with Jewison to introduce THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING on Thursday, May 26 at 8:45PM.)
A SOLDIER’S STORY
“An examination of the results of racial discrimination in the military.”
(Jewison will attend the screening of A SOLDIER’S STORY on Sunday, May 29 at 9:15PM.)
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR
“Style over content! A love story between two s***s.”
That is the most succinct and accurate description possible of “The Thomas Crown Affair”. Well put, Mr. Jewison!