This weekend Film Society of Lincoln Center continues our celebration of the late-60s explosion of critically-acclaimed films written by, directed by, and starring Jewish people with our “Hollywood's 'Jew Wave'” series. Over the course of a decade Hollywood saw the emergence of new Jewish leading men and women including Dustin Hoffman, Elliott Gould, George Segal and Barbra Streisand, as well as a heightened presence of Jewish content.
This weekend two renowned screenwriters from the “Jew Wave” will be in person at the Walter Reade Theater to discuss their work. Following Saturday's 6:00pm screening of The Gambler, James Toback will field questions about the film and historical period as well as his prolific body of work as a writer and filmmaker. The Gambler is a semi-autobiographical Dostoevskyan detailing of Toback’s own gambling problems, driven by a dynamic performance from James Caan, fresh off his star-making turn in The Godfather.
Screenwriter Bucky Henry will participate in a Q&A following the Sunday, 6:00pm showing of The Owl and the Pussycat, a quick-witted follow-up to his first penned feature The Graduate. Starring Barbra Streisand in her first non-musical lead, The Owl and the Pussycat is a smart, screwball drama about New York joie de vivre that only Henry could capture. Part of a Barbra Streisand double bill, the film will be followed by a screening of Funny Girl at 8:30pm. Streisand won a much-deserved Academy Award for her stunning performance in director William Wyler’s lavish bio-pic.
To see all the other great films playing over the weekend—Bob Fosse's Lenny, Sidney Lumet's Bye Bye Braverman, Philip Roth adaptation Goodbye, Columbus, to name just a few)—check out the series page!
Image courtesy of the Kobal Collection.
