Roseland **** (1977, Teresa Wright, Lou Jacobi, Don De Natale, Christopher Walken, Joan Copeland, Lilia Skala, Geraldine Chaplin) – Classic Movie Review 9685

Merchant-Ivory’s 1977 three-part drama film Roseland is a subtle, poignant, slow-burning charmer, set in the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. It stars Teresa Wright, Lou Jacobi, Geraldine Chaplin, Christopher Walken, Joan Copeland, and Lilia Skala.

Director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant’s 1977 three-part anthology drama film Roseland is a subtle, quiet, poignant, slow-burning charmer.

The story and screenplay are by their regular writing partner Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. The tales are The Waltz with Teresa Wright, Lou Jacobi, and Don De Natale; The Hustle with Geraldine Chaplin, Helen Gallagher, Christopher Walken and Joan Copeland; and The Peabody with Lilia Skala and David Thomas.

Merchant-Ivory’s perhaps over-reverential treatment of three separate but sometimes connecting stories set around the ageing characters looking for refuge, love or just nostalgia, or even just the right dance partner, in the tatty New York dance palais the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, leads to a sweet if rather sedate film.

But some of the relationships and performers strike right through to the heart. Lilia Skala is wonderful as Rosa, the old German lady who has to clean and cook to make ends meet, but to win the dance prize with her older partner, Arthur (David Thomas), while Christopher Walken and Joan Copeland make the most of the middle tale of the young gigolo Russell and a dying faded beauty, Pauline.

Stay with it through the slow-running first tale of recently widowed, older May (Teresa Wright) dancing and reminiscing with new dance partner Stan (Lou Jacobi), and you will be rewarded with a moving film of very considerable quality.

Roseland is directed by James Ivory, runs 103 minutes, is made by Merchant Ivory Productions and Oregon Four, is released by Cinema Shares International Distribution (1977) (US) and Gala Film Distributors (1978) (UK), is written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, is shot by Ernest Vincze, is produced by Ismail Merchant, and is scored by Michael Gibson.

It is shot almost entirely in the Roseland Ballroom in a pseudo-documentary style to explore the lives of Roseland’s customers, based on true stories.

The cast are:

The Waltz: Teresa Wright (May), Lou Jacobi (Stan), Don De Natale (Master of Ceremonies), Louise Kirkland (Ruby), Hetty Galen (Red-Haired Lady), Carol Culver (Young May) , and Denny Shearer (Eddie).

The Hustle: Geraldine Chaplin (Marilyn), Helen Gallagher (Cleo), Joan Copeland (Pauline), Christopher Walken (Russell), Conrad Janis (George) ,Jayne Heller (Bella), Annette Rivera and Floyd Chisolm (Hustle Couple), and Jeanmarie Evans (Cloakroom Attendant).

The Peabody: Lilia Skala (Rosa), David Thomas (Arthur), Edward Kogan (Bartender), Madeline Lee (Camille), Stan Rubin (Bert), and Dortha Duckworth (Ladies’ Room Attendant).

The Roseland Ballroom, a multipurpose hall in a converted ice skating rink, closed on April 7, 2014, with Lady Gaga as the last performer.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9,685

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