Husbands (1970)

Three buddies going way back adjust to the sudden death, by heart attack, of a fourth, and it ain't pretty. "People die of tensions -- that's all they die of," opines the earthy character played by Peter Falk, and we wish to hear more of his speaking from the heart. However, members of this macho, posturing triumverate hardly mention their departed friend at all. Instead, we observe all manner of acting out, from drinking too much, yelling at each other and at women, acting impulsively, throwing money around, and being unpredictable. "At 27, men realize they are not going to be a professional athlete," one of the buddies says along the way. "You reach 30 and realize it's over." Er, OK. For the rest of the movie, we watch these boy-men try to forget that time stops for no tide. Many of the principals and tangential characters giggle uncontrollably -- not that anything is very funny here -- and one wonders if usually creative director John Cassavetes, famous for his cinema-verite style of filmmaking, is stalling for time, trying to figure out what should come next. The three main characters, played by Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, and Falk, look a lot alike, especially at the beginning, and it's hard for a while to keep the characters straight. One thing is clear, though, and that is that the men are lost, lost, lost. On the outside they look like professionally successful family men. At a closer glance, we see that they are deeply alienated, and completely incapable of having an authentic interaction with another human being. The unseen tragedy of their friend's passing causes them to question everything -- to the point of going to bed with none-too-appealing strangers in London -- and when the shock subsides, things go back almost to the way they were before. A pretty sorry picture of American domesticity.

The chances are that, if or whenever you hear the name 'Peter Falk', you instantly associate it with the excellent award winning TV detective series, 'Columbo'. If you stretch your mind a bit, you may even recall that he appeared in a couple of films such as 'The Great Race' or 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'. If that's the extent of your knowledge of this actor, then you are missing out on a number of excellent performances, one of which appears in this film. Essentially 'Husbands' covers the unravelling self-confidence of three close friends, who suffer the loss of their close fourth friend, and the plot effectively deals with the subsequent fallout. It is, by turns, humorous, black and difficult to watch at times, but for me, it was a brave attempt to capture this subject on film. John Cassavetes, who not only stars in the film but also directs, was known as a pioneer of American cinema - particularly for using the POV genre - and with films such as this, it's easy to see why. In terms of the main three actors, each brings a depth, but not only that, a true tragi-comedic element, to their characters, which are highly believable. It would be difficult to single one of the main three actors out for particular praise, such is the balance and interplay. Highly recommended, not only for men of a certain age but also for women seeking insight on the mind of men.

You can tell what Harry's like just by the way he enters the basketball court. He ain't one for playing. "Where is the warmth?" defines Harry's quest. Archie is the same man in 'Woman Under The Influence'. Literally, like kissing a wet fish. Gus is elusive, always acting, hiding. Harry is open. He is the only one who comes close to being emotionally honest and Archie calls him a "phoney". Perhaps, because he sees how scared Harry is of life. However, London is his triumph. Unlike his two friends Harry is able to let go completely. Gus and Archie become mere courtesans as Harry holds court in his hotel suite...'and the women came to him like horses'. Dancing in the dark...

One of Cassavetes 3 best (along with FACES and A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE). Middle-class successful husbands turning 40 are frightened after the death of another good buddy. They carouse, drink, swear, pick up women, fly to London, and basically show their camaraderie while inside they're dying a slow death (especially B. Gazzara). All performances are phenomenal, especially Gazzara, and Jenny Runacre in London gives a lovely nuanced characterization as the woman Cass hooks up with for a night of fun.Cassavetes was one of our best and sorely underappreciated by most Americans. A real crime! It may seem long (especially the bar scene), but he didn't make ENTERTAINMENT as he so often said. He cared about people and relationships and their frustrations and disappointments. Don't miss this one!