I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009)

Unfortunately this one here was fairly short just like Cazale's life. Actually, in terms of minutes, it's almost than the age that he had in years when he succumbed to his cancer. The director is Richard Shepard and he won an Emmy and DGA award for directing the pilot episode of "Ugly Betty". Right now, he is mostly working on "Girls". So with female central characters in these two, this documentary is exactly the opposite. It tells us about the great late actor John Cazale, who would have turned 80 this year. I like that there is no real narration in this documentary, but that we get basically all the information from interviewees. And there is a healthy mix too. Some of these are people who worked with Cazale in his films, such as De Niro, Pacino, Hackman, Coppola... and of course Meryl Streep who was his girlfriend back in the 1970s. Others are actors who did not, but who were greatly inspired by his talent, such as Steve Buscemi, who always reminded me a bit of Cazale, and Sam Rockwell. Some people say Cazale has the most perfect body of work in film history and that's certainly a possibility. There is no real flaw in everything he acted. Another thing that is very good in this documentary is that it is not a problem if you haven't seen all his classics. There are no real spoilers in here, so you can enjoy this documentary nonetheless. And I hope you will enjoy it was much as I did. Highly recommended.

This is a must-see for any fan of 70s movies, or anyone who, like me, grew up in 70s and saw Cazale's films when they first opened. The walk down memory lane provided by the footage of the Godfather films, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and Deer Hunter alone make it worthwhile. But the real treasure, of course, is the chance to revisit Cazale's performances. It sounds clichéd, but there really is no actor like him. It's also marvelous to see the host of the mega-talented actors and directors, including every luminary he worked with, participate & pay tribute to this singular talent. It's a shame there isn't more footage of him, and that he apparently never did a recorded interview. We only see Cazale through the lens of his characters - we never get to see him as just himself.

John Cazale was a lanky and sad-faced character actor who specialized in portraying weak guys and wasn't afraid to dig deep into the pain, anguish, darkness, and vulnerability that defined these guys. He only acted in five movies, but they are all uniformly superb pictures that are now correctly regarded as classics: The first two "The Godfather" films (in which Cazale is simply astounding as the hapless and pathetic Fredo), "The Conversation," "Dog Day Afternoon" (he's both funny and scary as the volatile Sal), and, his cinematic swan song, "The Deer Hunter." The middle of three children born to a wholesale coal salesman and a homemaker, Cazale made his debut debut in the amusing comedy short "The American Way" and acted in various Off-Broadway plays prior to securing the choice role of Fredo in "The Godfather." His peers Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, John Savage, and Robert De Niro remember him as an intense and diligent actor who was a great inspiration, asked a lot of questions, and gave a good give and take. Playwright Israel Horovitz notes that John was one of those rare individuals with absolute integrity and reads a beautifully poignant and eloquent eulogy about his untimely passing from lung cancer at age 42. Meryl Streep relates some especially touching stories about Cazale and stuck right by him to the very end (Cazale was terminally ill when he acted in "The Deer Hunter" and died prior to the movie being completed). Admirors Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman are all quite warm and generous in their appraisal of Cazale's extraordinary work. First and foremost, John was the sort of remarkable transformational thespian who elevated the quality of all those fortunate enough to work with him. Moreover, we also learn that John had beautiful girlfriends, chainsmoked cigarettes excessively, and had a really raunchy sense of humor. An excellent, affecting, and illuminating tribute to a consummate actor's actor.

John Cazale only made five films - but all classics. The Godfather, The Godfather II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, The Deer Hunter. A superb actor, he died early and has largely been forgotten.However this touching and incisive tribute goes some way to addressing that. Showing footage from his films interspersed with talking heads of film critics, colleagues (Coppola, Pacino), former fiancée (Meryl Streep, who is gracious in her praise), this profile is excellent, highlighting his theatre career and his influence on those who worked with him or saw his performances.There is little doubt that Cazale had the makings of greatness, despite being unconventionally good-looking. He's always been an actor I've noticed, particularly as Fredo in The Godfather and Sal in Dog Day Afternoon. This film hints at what could have been had he lived.A short but sweet documentary, 'I Knew It Was You' is well worth a look if you are a fan of classic cinema, whether you're aware of Cazale's work or not.