‘The American Way’: John Cazale’s first film
American cinema experienced one of its most important transformations in the 1970s, with the rise of younger auteurs who ushered in the glory days of the New Hollywood Movement. Alongside talented directors, the ’70s also saw the emergence of incredibly talented actors – especially icons such as Robert De Niro. However, even the greatest actors of that time were always the first to point out the genius of John Cazale.
From The Godfather to The Deer Hunter, Cazale had an unimaginably fantastic run in the ’70s, which included acclaimed performances in the most important films of a decade that was brimming with interesting movies. While collaborating with filmmakers like Francis Ford Coppola and Sidney Lumet – who brought out the best in Cazale – the actor created an immortal legacy and touched the hearts of thousands of fans as well as his co-stars.
During an interview with The New York Times, Al Pacino once said: “John Cazale, in general, was one of the great actors of our time — that time, any time. I learned so much from him. I had done a lot of theatre and three films with him. He was inspiring, he just was. And he didn’t get credit for any of it. He was in five films, all Oscar-nominated films, and he was great in all of them. He was particularly great in Godfather II, and I don’t think he got that kind of recognition.”
Although Cazale definitely gathered momentum in the ’70s, he actually started his career as an actor in the early ’60s. After graduating from university, where he studied drama, Cazale initially supported himself by working as a taxi driver before eventually entering the world of theatre. Even in those early days, people around him noticed that there was something special about his approach to acting, and he received local critical acclaim as well.
Cazale’s first performance on film came in one of the most bizarre pieces you’ll ever see – a 1962 short called The American Way by Marvin Starkman. It attacks some of the most prevalent symbolic institutions that have come to be associated with American identity, including the idea of the American mom, Yankee Stadium and apple pies. Within the context of the serious sociopolitical upheavals that were happening in that decade, Starkman’s focus definitely seems misplaced.
The American Way has several experimental segments and noteworthy edits, but the only reason most cinephiles are aware of it is because of John Cazale. He absolutely steals the show as the most casual terrorist captured on film, effortlessly strolling around New York City while trying to blow up random objects with an unlikely weapon. Despite the fact that the short is a mess, one thing is never in doubt – John Cazale was always meant to be a star.
Watch the film below.
