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Harry and Tonto (1974)
Director: Paul Mazursky
Writers: Paul Mazursky, Josh Greenfeld
Cast: Art Carney, Tonto the cat, Ellen Burstyn, René Enríquez
Genre: Drama, Adventure, Comedy
The more I think about this movie, the more I like it. Often movie watchers get 'programmed' to respond to highly dramatic events in the movies they watch. There's nothing extra dramatic happening in Harry and Tonto. What it offers is something more substantial, an introspective look at an old man with no job and no place to go. Harry is intelligent, he's learned...he's a retired teacher who reads voraciously and has a lot to say. Sure he's stubborn but he's earned the right to be so. Harry knows who he is, but the world doesn't care.
When his old apartment building is torn down, he begins to shuffle from point to point, much like a ship a drift. Until he reaches a point where he takes charge of his journey. This movie is about that personal journey, it's a life journey that starts for Harry at age 70.
The director/writer Paul Marzusky told Art Careny (Harry) that if he took the role, he'd win an oscar...and he did. Art Careny is best known from that famous 1950's TV sitcom The Honeymooners. Here Art plays a vastly different character from the goofy Ed Norton.
Harry knows who he is, but life has put him a drift. It looks like he will plop himself down at his son's house and become part of the furniture. But Harry want's more than that. So he goes on a road trip with no particular destination but with the hopes of experiencing more of life.
You know, they just don't make films like this anymore. This was made in the earlier 1970's when film making often focused on humanity as opposed to latter films that just churned out entertainment for entertainment's sake. Harry and Tonto still has something important to say, if only we will open our ears and eyes.
Harry and Tonto (1974)
Writers: Paul Mazursky, Josh Greenfeld
Cast: Art Carney, Tonto the cat, Ellen Burstyn, René Enríquez
Genre: Drama, Adventure, Comedy
The more I think about this movie, the more I like it. Often movie watchers get 'programmed' to respond to highly dramatic events in the movies they watch. There's nothing extra dramatic happening in Harry and Tonto. What it offers is something more substantial, an introspective look at an old man with no job and no place to go. Harry is intelligent, he's learned...he's a retired teacher who reads voraciously and has a lot to say. Sure he's stubborn but he's earned the right to be so. Harry knows who he is, but the world doesn't care.
When his old apartment building is torn down, he begins to shuffle from point to point, much like a ship a drift. Until he reaches a point where he takes charge of his journey. This movie is about that personal journey, it's a life journey that starts for Harry at age 70.
The director/writer Paul Marzusky told Art Careny (Harry) that if he took the role, he'd win an oscar...and he did. Art Careny is best known from that famous 1950's TV sitcom The Honeymooners. Here Art plays a vastly different character from the goofy Ed Norton.
Harry knows who he is, but life has put him a drift. It looks like he will plop himself down at his son's house and become part of the furniture. But Harry want's more than that. So he goes on a road trip with no particular destination but with the hopes of experiencing more of life.
You know, they just don't make films like this anymore. This was made in the earlier 1970's when film making often focused on humanity as opposed to latter films that just churned out entertainment for entertainment's sake. Harry and Tonto still has something important to say, if only we will open our ears and eyes.