Review #384: 'Minnie and Moskowitz' (1971)

Not known for his ability for comedy, pioneer of American Independent Cinema, John Cassavetes, is on romantic comedy grounds here, taking the traditional movie love-story and turning it very much on its head. Eccentric parking-lot attendant Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel) re-locates to California, working the same job and living in a small rented room. Museum curator Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands) is an emotionally damaged yet extremely attractive 40-something woman who is in an abusive relationship with her secretive partner Jim (Cassavetes himself). A chance encounter puts Minnie and Moskowitz together, and two fume at each other for the duration. Only Seymour falls in love with Minnie, who he feels looks down on people, and Minnie becomes reluctantly curious about this strange man.

While following the long tradition of the romantic comedy, anyone expecting a squeaky-clean Rock Hudson/Doris Day Technicolor screwball comedy will be sorely disappointed. Cassavetes sticks to his game using extreme close-ups, a hand-held camera, and semi-improvised performances to tell a story that feels real, but maintains the warmness and the satisfaction that the best of the genre have provided in the past. The film is very much about how movies mid-lead you, and as Minnie states 'they set you up for disappointment'. Minnie and her friend watch Casablanca (1942), and discuss how there are no Humphrey Bogart's or Clark Cable's out there, because they don't exist. Who does exist, however, is Seymour Moskowitz.

Cassel is absolutely exceptional in the role, playing his long-moustached, pony-tailed character as quirky and warm, as well as aggressive and often plain insane. He seems to win Minnie over by yelling at her, explaining how it isn't fair how a less-attractive and relatively poor man can't be with Minnie simply because she's richer and physically desirable, but Minnie finds his frankness fresh. With show-stealing cameos by Val Avery and Timothy Carey, as two strange men who the two leads meet over the course of the film, Minnie and Moskowitz is a strange and interesting look at love through the eyes of two sometimes unlikeable, yet utterly compelling people.


Directed by: John Cassavetes
Starring: Gena Rowlands, Seymour Cassel, Val Avery, Timothy Carey, John Cassavetes
Country: USA

Rating: ****

Tom Gillespie