Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore – 1974
A picture for anyone who has ever dreamed of a second chance!
Director
Martin Scorsese
Writer
Robert Getchell
Producers
Audrey Maas
David Susskind
Sandra Weintraub
Cast
Ellen Burstyn – Alice Hyatt
Kris Kristofferson – David
Billy Green Bush – Donald Hyatt
Diane Ladd – Flo
Lelia Goldoni – Bea
Harvey Keitel – Ben Eberhart
Lane Bradbury – Rita Eberhart
Vic Tayback – Mel
Jodie Foster – Audrey
Valerie Curtin – Vera
Murray Moston – Jacobs
Harry Northup – Joe & Jim’s Bartender
Alfred Lutter III – Tommy Hyatt
Mia Bendixsen – Alice, Age 8
Martin Brinton – Lenny
Dean Casper – Chicken
Laura Dern – Girl Eating Ice Cream Cone
Review by Jack Gatanella
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
Scorsese evolves into a “Hollywood” director; Burstyn is fantastic,
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore at times might not look it to those who don’t check (or care to check) the director credit, but Martin Scorsese- in the interim between Mean Streets and Taxi Driver- took on a film where he could prove to his detractors wrong. Indeed, Scorsese can direct anyone well, man, woman, child (just look at Kundun if you don’t believe his knack for directing non-professional along with pros, besides the point). In this story, Ellen Burstyn plays the title character, left abandoned with her son after her husband dies. She has to make ends meet as a waitress in Phoenix in order to make her dream for her and her son come true- getting to Monterey. Enter in that cool presence that is Kris Kristofferson, and the film goes into not-so-conventional territory (some would argue up till the end).
For acting students, this is one of those kinds of films one has to check out- Burstyn, in her Oscar winning role, plays between kind, angry, frightened, scared, and strong in her role, trying to break past other female types that had been around in films at the time. There is also ample room for a small role for Harvey Keitel, as a smooth talker with a bad temper. Scenes between the two of them are like method acting staples of 70’s movie-making (not to downplay Kristofferson or Diane Ladd’s performances either). And then there’s Scorsese, injecting his style sometimes without much of a trace, and sometimes so forcefully that one who knows his work well can sit up and take notice. The improvisation he lets the actors have in scenes is so delicate and precise that it adds to the reality- or the illusions- of most scenes. There is also a very funny (in a weird way) beginning to the film as a parody of farm-girl good times goes on.
A recommended treat- those who are die-hards for the Scorsese crime films may be perplexed, but for the Lifetime TV crowd who usually wouldn’t go near a Scorsese film at the video store will likely be more pleased than I was (or maybe not- this seventies film has as much detractors as defenders for its feminist themes).
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