MovieChat Forums > The Night They Raided Minsky's (1969) Discussion > A disappointment

A disappointment

posted 10 years ago by Edward_de_Vere
3 replies | jump to latest

I watched this film with very high expectations, because it had one of the film directors I most respect (William Friedkin, of Exorcist and The French Connection fame) and it starred one of the greatest American actors of the mid/late 20th century, Jason Robards.

Neither Friedkin's filmmaking nor Robards' acting prevented The Night they Raided Minsky's from being a completely incoherent mess. A film doesn't have to have a conventional structure/plot to be worthwhile, but if you make a movie which is just a collection of bizarre episodes, those episodes had better be worthwhile and the acting had better be top-rate. Sadly, neither were true: most of the episodes were pointless, and some of the acting (such as the otherwise great Harry Andrews) was cringe-inducing.

I guess its main (only?) saving grace was allowing film audiences to see Bert Lahr for the last time.

[–] elena-28 10 years ago

I loved this movie from the very first time I saw it, ages ago on very-late-night tv. The structure is confusing at first, but I hung with it because I loved the introduction (old NYC coming to life for us). After a while, I caught on to its rhythm and time-frame. Each time I watch it, the structure gets more coherent, so I can relax and really sink into it now, looking forward to certain scenes - the confrontation between Louis Minsky and Rachel's father, ending with the lovely fingers monologue; the "I'm the man from principle!" scene; the seduction scene between Jason Robards and Rachel and the sweet scene between Chick and Rachel.

I also love the thread of sadness and loss that kind of weaves it way throughout and which is so personalized in Bert Lahr. Also the parallel father/child gaps between Minsky and his son and Rachel and her father, both of which impact Minsky's Theater.

[–] ksf-2 10 years ago

disappointing ending.

[–] heyteegs 10 years ago

If you believe Wikipedia (and in this case I see no reason for someone to make this up so I do) the article says Friedkin pretty much 'disavowed' this movie and the final cut was left to the editor. The editor decided on the old film clips and the black and white fade to color - which I thought were the most interesting parts of the movie.

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