The Day of the Locust *** (1975, Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, William Atherton, Burgess Meredith) – Classic Movie Review 8308

Director John Schlesinger’s 1975 drama The Day of the Locust stars William Atherton as Tod Hackett, an art director in the Hollywood of the 1930s who is heading for a nervous breakdown because of all the lunacy taking place around him.

The Day of the Locust is a compelling, ambitious attempt at a grand movie work from Schlesinger, who had long wanted to film Nathanael West’s difficult, satirical short novel. He turns it into a long film. It depresses and digresses, relishing the eccentricity of the smallest roles or events, but it always catches the eye and stimulates the mind.

There are noteworthy performances from the five principals, particularly Karen Black as a pretty blonde bombshell extra called Faye Greener and Donald Sutherland as Homer Simpson, the hotel clerk she torments, but Burgess Meredith and Geraldine Page are essential and noteworthy too as Harry Greener and Big Sister. And, as a production, it is impeccable in all departments, with luxurious production designs. But somehow, good though it is, The Day of the Locust fails to achieve the level of a memorable major work that Schlesinger was obviously aiming at, and greatness evades it.

Also in the cast are Richard Dysart as Claude Estee, Bo Hopkins Earle Shoop, Lelia Goldoni, Billy Barty, Marge Kennedy, Pepe Serna, Florence Lake, Natalie Schafer, Nita Talbot, Paul Stewart, John Hillerman, Robert Pine, Denis Dugan, Jackie Earle Hailey, David Ladd, Dick Powell Jr, Nicholas Cortland, Angela Greene, Gloria LeRoy, Jane Hoffman, Madge Kennedy and Norman Leavitt.

The Day of the Locust is directed by John Schlesinger, runs 144 minutes, is made by Paramount Pictures, and Long Road Productions, is released by Paramount, is written by Waldo Salt, based on the novel by Nathanael West, is shot in Technicolor by Conrad Hall, is produced by Jerome Hellman and Sheldon Shrager, is scored by John Barry and is designed by Richard Macdonald.

It was costly to make, at $17,793,000.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8308

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