The Balcony *** (1963, Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Grant) – Classic Movie Review 9209

Director Joseph Strick’s 1963 satirical drama The Balcony is a strongly cast low-budget movie of the Jean Genet theatre shocker, with Shelley Winters as Madame Irma, the madam of a brothel, Peter Falk as her old friend the chief of police and Lee Grant as her lesbian chum.

In the streets outside, a revolution is being waged, while in the bordello, business goes on as usual and three workers impersonate a general (Kent Smith), a bishop (Jeff Corey) and a judge (Peter Brocco).

The Balcony is funny, arresting and strikingly surreal, with startling looking black and white cinematography, though it is neither consistent in quality nor sharp in making its points.

Still, independent film-maker Strick is to be admired for adventurously putting together one of America’s first art movies. Ben Maddow adapts Jean Genet’s play.

Also in the cast are Leonard Nimoy, Ruby Dee, Joyce Jameson and Arnette Jens.

George J Folsey was Oscar nominated for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.

Joseph Strick had made The Savage Eye (1959), and went on to make Ulysses (1967), Tropic of Cancer and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9209

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