Back Film (Film) German Film (película) Spanish فیلم (فیلم) Persian Film (film, 1965) French Film (film 1964) Italian Film (filme) Portuguese Фильм (фильм) Russian Film (film) Turkish
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Wiki_letter_w.svg){kind=small}
| Film | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Film_(film)_POSTER.jpg) Poster | |
| Directed by | Alan Schneider |
| Written by | Samuel Beckett |
| Starring | Buster Keaton |
| Cinematography | Boris Kaufman |
| Edited by | Sidney Meyers |
| Distributed by | Milestone Film & Video, Inc. |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 24 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Film is a 1965 short film written by Samuel Beckett, his only screenplay. It was commissioned by Barney Rosset of Grove Press. Writing began on 5 April 1963 with a first draft completed within four days. A second draft was produced by 22 May and a 40-leaf shooting script followed thereafter. It was filmed in New York City in July 1964. Beckett and Alan Schneider originally wanted Charlie Chaplin, Zero Mostel and Jack MacGowran; however, they eventually did not get involved.[1] Beckett then suggested Buster Keaton.[2] James Karen, who was to have a small part in the film, also supported having Keaton.[3] The filmed version differs from Beckett's original script but with his approval since he was on set all the time, this being his only visit to the United States, as stated in the script printed in Collected Shorter Plays of Samuel Beckett (Faber and Faber, 1984).[4]
It was remade by the British Film Institute (1979, 16 mm, 26 minutes) without Beckett's supervision, as Film: a screenplay by Samuel Beckett. David Rayner Clark directed Max Wall.[5]
It first appeared in print in Eh Joe and Other Writings (Faber and Faber, 1967).
- ^ Cited in Alan Schneider's essay, "On Directing Film" in Film by Samuel Beckett (New York: Grove Press, 1969), 66.
- ^ Schneider, A., On Directing Samuel Beckett's Film Explains Schneider: "During a transatlantic call one day (as I remember) he shattered our desperation over the sudden casting crisis by calmly suggesting Buster Keaton." In print: Schneider, "On Directing Film" (Grove, 1969), 67.
- ^ According to Karen, he had urged Schneider to consider the 68-year-old Keaton when MacGowran's schedule changed, making him unavailable. Brownlow, K., 'Brownlow on Beckett (on Keaton)' in FilmWest 22 Archived 2008-03-07 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Beckett, S., Collected Shorter Plays of Samuel Beckett (London: Faber and Faber, 1984), p 162
- ^ Beckett did not approve of the finished product: "It was awful. I was there when they were setting it all up and then I had to go with the director – what was his name? – and I was very embarrassed. It was supposed to be silent with just the sound of feet and the one word "ssh" and he had every kind of noise going on." – Brownlow, K., 'Brownlow on Beckett (on Keaton)' in FilmWest 22 Archived 2008-03-07 at the Wayback Machine. A full review can be read at Journal of Beckett Studies Vol. 7 Archived 2007-07-26 at the Wayback Machine