On the Bowery
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | On the Bowery |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1956 |
| length | 65 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Lionel Rogozin |
| script | Lionel Rogosin Richard Bagley Mark Sufrin |
| production | Lionel Rogozin |
| music | Charles Mills |
| cut | Carl Lerner |
On the Bowery is an American documentary from 1956 . The film describes the living conditions of the people in the Bowery , a district in the south of the New York borough of Manhattan . Men in poverty have given in to alcohol and wander the streets of the neighborhood in search of their next drink .
action
Railroad worker Ray Salyer arrives in the Bowery with his monthly wages and goes to a bar. He befriends the friendly Gorman Hendricks and starts drinking with him and others. When Ray has spent all his money, Gorman advises him to work as a day laborer the next day. However, both need a place to sleep for the night. Gorman suggests pawning some clothes from Ray's suitcase. When they search the suitcase for matching items, a watch comes to light, but Ray wants to keep it. Ray receives some money for a pair of pants. The money is spent on alcohol. Still with no money for a hotel room, Ray wanders the streets after Gorman stole the suitcase.
The next morning sleeping men lie in the streets. Ray wakes up and can secure work for a day. Gorman goes to the bar the night before, which is home to men who have big plans. He goes to a day care center where men play dominoes. Later he meets Ray and wants to take him to the bar. But Ray doesn't want to come. Gorman accompanies him on a Christian mission. The mission is led by the Reverend George Bolton, a former resident of the Bowery. Reverend Bolton is trying to evangelize the men who are here to get free food. Ray takes the opportunity to bathe. But when he is told that he must sleep on the floor and not drink alcohol, he leaves the mission and returns to the bar.
Because of a woman, Gorman and Ray have an argument in the bar. Ray leaves the bar after beating the woman in an argument and is mugged. The beaten up Ray is found and taken away so he won't be arrested by the police for loitering. In the meantime, Gorman pawns the rest of Ray's suitcase. He meets Ray again, who just wants to get home to Chicago and get away from alcohol. Gorman gives him some of the money. Ray, who doesn't know where the money came from, is delighted.
Gorman meets his friends in the bar and talks about his "generosity" towards Ray. He tells of Ray's golden future, but another man believes Ray will be back soon.
Reviews
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times criticized that the film was just a good montage of good photographs of drunkards who were scrutinized ad nauseam. Nicolas Rapold of the New York Sun , on the other hand, called the film astonishing, a milestone in urban realism and independent filmmaking, and called it one of the essential films about New York City. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described the film as disturbing and compelling, which has unnerved some critics with its sharp-edged rawness.
Awards
In 1957, the film won the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary . At the Academy Awards in 1958 , the film was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary . Admission to the National Film Registry of the National Film Preservation Board was in 2008.
background
The premiere took place on March 18, 1957 in New York. The producer Lionel Rogosin, who previously worked in the textile industry, began his filmmaking career with this film.
Web links
- On the Bowery in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Film's website (accessed March 16, 2012)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Review of the New York Times (English)
- ↑ Critique of the New York Sun (English)
- ↑ Critique of the Los Angeles Times (English)
- ↑ Rogozin's biography