The Day of the Locust1975
The Day of the Locust (1975)
The Day of the Locust Photos
Movie Info
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Cast
as Homer
as Faye Greener
as Harry Greener
as Tod Hackett
as Big Sister
as Claude Estee
as Earle Shoop
as Miguel
as Mary Dove
as Abe
as Adore
as Mrs. Loomis
as Mrs. Odlesh
as Mr. Odlesh
as Mrs. Johnson
as Lee Sister
as Lee Sister
as The Gingo
as The Gingo
as Audrey Jennings
as Alice Estee
as Joan
as Projectionist
as Butler
as Girl
as Girl
as Helverston
as Ned Grote
as Director
as French Lieutenant
as Shoeshine Boy
as Major Domo
as Apprentice
as Apprentice
as Apprentice
as Apprentice
as Tour Guide
as Nightclub Entertainer
as Palsied Lady
as Choral Director
as Undertaker
as Boy in Chapel
as Theatre Manager
as Dick Powell
as Announcer at Premiere
as Guests at Audrey Jennings
as Assistant Director
Critic Reviews for The Day of the Locust
All Critics (14) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (5) | DVD (4)
Magnificent production, combined with excellent casting and direction, make The Day of the Locust as fine a film (in a professional sense) as the basic material lets it be.
The narrative is often confused and confusing.
Schlesinger has conceived his film as an epic, which was a daring thing to do with such slender material.
A painfully misconceived reduction and simplification.
Accurately captures the intent of West's dark masterpiece.
John (Midnight Cowboy) Schlesinger's version of Nathanael Hawthorne's powerful novel about Hollywood and its dreamers and losers in the 1930s is not always effective, but it's ambitious, daring, and very well acted.
Audience Reviews for The Day of the Locust
Wow, what an ugly film. Presumably, this cynical tale of Hollywood wannabes was green-lit following the success of "Chinatown." Not one likable character in the cast -- even the lead Tod (William Atherton), with his shallow love for Faye (Karen Black), is hard to embrace. Donald Sutherland gives a remarkable performance as repressed neurotic Homer Simpson (now why does that name sound familiar?), but should have entered the story much earlier. Burgess Meredith? Wonderful, but wasted in a minor part. As if the other depravities weren't enough, there's even a repulsive cockfighting scene needlessly thrown into the mix. Meanwhile, the surreal climax is like an entirely different movie (shades of "The Wall"?) and goes way, way over the top. Interesting to see the often villainous Atherton as an innocent, William Castle in a cameo as a fictional director and the pubescent Jackie Earle Haley as an insufferable child-star brat.
Super Reviewer
Profoundly sad view of the lower rungs of Hollywood life in the 30's. Disturbing and unsettling. The climatic sequence is both horrifying and mesmerizing.
Super Reviewer
Allegorical film that depicts the moral decay of 1930's Hollywood. Donald Sutherland gave an unusual performance as Homer Simpson. The epic, horrifying climax is the true highlight of the picture, one of the best sequences of cinema ever filmed. Masterpiece.
Super Reviewer
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