 Cassavetes
first film after the success of Faces
documents the journey of self-discovery undertaken by three
middle-aged suburban husbands (Ben Gazarra, Peter Falk, and
Cassavetes) after the death of a friend. While filming Husbands
, Cassavetes spoke of his
committment to the project: "Only one thing makes it exciting.
That Peter and Ben and I can express something that's intimate,
personal, and clean."
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REVIEWS
 Despite negative reviews,
this is an excellent, memorable film that is carried by the distinctive
performances by the three leads. One negative review described the
film as sexist [Dave Kehr?]; that is a very simplistic and superficial
criticism, and in light of his other work, simply untrue. Husbands,
simply put, says that all the effort put into acting like a "real
man" is all bullshit; it leaves you emotionally stunted, and spiritually
poor. A great film. - C.M. Velazquez
Complex Comedy (a review of the videotape release of Husbands)
In Ray Carney's new book about Cassavetes he talks about how the
director spent a year re-editing this movie because he thought
it was too "entertaining" and too "funny" in
its first version. Ray Carney's Cassavetes on Cassavetes has
hundreds of similar anecdotes by the filmmaker. It's a perfect
introduction to Husbands. It's anything but a simple comedy.
The characters are as unpredictable as real people and the situations
as hard to figure out as stuff in real life. Husbands gets you
all mixed up. Are these guys idiots or inspired? Are they jerks
or pursuing a dream? Cassavetes doesn't want it to be too clear
or too easy to understand. He doesn't want us to laugh off the
serious questions. He talks about that in Carney's book, but
it's obvious from the film itself. This film should be required
viewing for all men, so maybe they can begin to understand themselves,
and it should be required viewing for all women so that they
can begin to understand the men in their lives. It's not an easy
thing to understand, which is why Cassavetes doesn't make the
movie easy for us to understand, but the more times you see it,
the more you will see. Read the Carney book too, for more of
Cassavetes' amazing insights into men and women and what he was
trying to do in his films."
misogynist, genius? alcoholic,
Messiah?
I was fortunate to catch
this film on Bravo a few years ago when they had a Cassavetes festival
one month. It's a very difficult film to watch because of the cruelty
to women in the film. But there are some great scenes like the singing
in the bar, and a few others. The acting is great, of course.
A really wonderful film,I
found it to be an emotionally harrowing picture. All of the acting
is amazing! The film really defines me. I felt so close to what was
going on in this movie. One of the truest films about friendship,
marriage and how the death of someone close to a person makes them
rethink their whole life. - che
One of the best films of
all time. Thanks a lot, John.
 Cassavetes,
una vez más, se rodea de amiguetes, Gazzara y Falk, y con ellos se
emborracha como un lemur. Y el resultado es espléndido. Las improvisaciones,
tan peligrosas, son una exhibición de desparpajo y naturalidad, y
el mensaje es tan patético como certero. Tan turbia e inquietante
como divertida, aunque a mi gusto peque de una cierta irregularidad.
Pese a todo, gracias, Mr.C. -Prepu
I am not an authority on
John Cassavettes at all. Woody Allen, Hitchcock, Wilder, and Willy
Wyler are my specialty to name a few. I've seen Husbands, Gloria,
and I think it was Shadows, also. Gloria is film-making
at its most beautiful. Why Lumet would remake that film, I would be
curious to know. Husbands has so much life in it or life has
so much Husbands in it. Cassavettes has so much genius in him,
by that I mean he's able take on soul searches that are so vital to
understanding one's feelings and actions. Bendy, right on! Loved your
comments. Cassavettes' films can be described only by two words John
Cassavettes.-Stu
laughter, Faces
was the same way. I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. Excellent.
This film is one of the
seminal films that symbolized the independent film movement. The
sleek
but definitively low-budget camera movement. The dialogue is unlike
any I've ever heard, you don't know what's gonna' happen next. This
and Mean Streets (Scorsese) are the two greatest Independent films
ever made!-5$
 The commaradery which Cassavettes,
Falk and Gazzara share in real life comes through on screen.A beautifully
honest insight into the lives of these three men as they take a detour
from routine in order to relive a memory. Cassavettes seems to treat
his characters with no judgement, almost trying to understand them,consequently
making them very human ,which allows you to not always agree but at
least empathise...
Husbands is by far,
my favourite piece of Cassavetes cinema. It captures brilliantly the
joys and pains of the man child. I found myself laughing hysterically
at times, at other times I found myself uncomfortable, or sad, or
confused. Now, are there many films, which take you on this sort of
emotional rollercoaster? Not many, as far as I'm concearned. Cassavetes
myopic direction delves deep into the masculine wounds, loves, insecurities,
and joys. Three men going on a regressing journey to their past exploits.
Trying to find a tangible scrap to give meaning to their banal existence,
only to find that the homes they left were the reasons they exist.
The wives and children, have never seemed more poignet in the end.
A very beautiful film. The capturing of pure unadulterated masculine
emotion, to perfection by Cassavetes, Falk, & Gazzara. Why this film
is so underated completely escapes me. I've actually had the displeasure
of reading bad reviews. Is the world completely stupid? It's a work
of art. -Jarrod (jlabine@mediaplex.com)
a film that captures the
essense of growing middle-aged, the wily vitality of american ethnic
culture, the swaggering but futile effort of american men to perpetually
remain boys. a film, which for all its bravura energy and cantankerous
humor, beautifully portrays the desperation at the heart of american
middle-class experience. at the heart of life itself. a masterpiece
among masterpieces.
 This film was awesome.
Great Cinematography by following the improvising actor! This shows
true emotion in no way it has ever been seen before! It shows the
reactions of three mens lives coming apart at the seams. The sudden
breakout of shouts and physical and emotional violence remind me of
another great indie, Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets. Hands down, Husbands
is one of the greatest indie ever made.
In this movie more than
any of Cassavetes' others, I had this feeling of being right in the
floating of life. Things happen. The characters were there and I
was
there too with them. Why did i have this feeling? Maybe it's because
i'm like those three; I just need to be with my friends when something's
wrong. Get drunk and have a little shag. Forget about the time passing
through us and be sure that friendship never ends. - litst@multimania.com
This movie rocks. It showed
at the Paris theatre in New York last year, and the packed house laughed
their asses off. It is J.C.'s best work
Plus qu'un simple film
une évocation de la vie telle que l'on aimerait pouvoir la vivre,
surmonté la mort pour arriver au détachement totale de sa vie.A ceux
qui voudrait raccourcir le film , je ne leur répondrait meme pas.B.P.
I must agree with others
that the singing scene is what drew me into the movie. And when she
finaly came around to sing the songs lyrics, they made sense for the
scene. I love the way John would direct the camera to stay in close
up on the actors faces and capture the feelings dead on. My other
favorite scene was when Peter Falk's character tried picking up the
older woman at the casino.........the desperation she emoted was brilliance,
and sad. - Adam G
 I just recently watched
the film The Deerhunter and was struck how much it resembled
Husbands. Both great films, of course, but one more accesible
than the other for some God ridiculous reason. I was under the impression
that Husbands was unavailable to the public to buy on video
but I found a copy at Vidiots in L.A. and I wonder if it is now possible
to buy a copy somewhere. Please inform me how at yenner27@hotmail.com
because I would love a copy.
For me, this is the first
great Cassavetes film. The work he did before it is important, but
this is the first film that completely succeeds in capturing the realism
John was after. When this film finally came out on video I rented
it, made a copy, and over the last 2 months I've watched it 6 or 7
times. Come on !! Cassavetes, Falk, Gazarra ? What more do you want
?!! Great scenes, dialogue, great characters....probably my favorite
Cassavetes film, though I have not seen Minnie and Moskowitz.........that
should be out on video soon..... - Jon Holmes
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