NEW YORK, NEW YORK

US, 1977, 156 minutes, Colour.
Robert de Niro, Liza Minnelli, Lionel Stander, Mary Kay Place, Barry Primus.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.

When the film was first released in 1977, about 25 minutes had been eliminated from the original print. These sections were incorporated into the film again for its 1981 release. The sequences do not seem to alter the film substantially. However, they give considerably more credibility to the break-up between Francine and Jimmy, focusing on the clash, especially with their visit to the nightclub and Francine's performance. What they add in credibility to character, they seem to detract from the pace of the film and tend to prolong it. However, the longer version is valuable in indicating Martin Scorsese's original intentions for his film.

1. The impact of the film? Entertainment value? Its purpose: nostalgia, evocation of the traditional film and Hollywood film and musical. showcase for the stars? The genres and conventions used? The styles of the '40s, the music of the period, the world of showbiz., careers and success and failure, relationships? How well did they blend? The proportion given to the conventions and the set sequences?

3. The impact of the stars and their working together? Liza Minnelli and her singing, verve? Robert de Niro and his intensity?

4. The contribution of the music? the title song, Liza Minnelli's rendition of her songs, the staging., the cinema choreography and presentation? The special effects? The combination with the jazz section of the score?

5. The importance of jazz? the type played in the film, Jimmy Doyle and his devotion to jazz, his skill as a musician? The bands, the tours of the United States, the audience response to jazz? The combination with traditions of American popular songs and musicals?

6. The film is a portrait of relationships? serious, comic, tender? Immature, mature? The intensity of relationship, breakdown of relationships? suffering? Reconciliation, the impossibility of reconciliation? The relationship of Francine and Jimmy illustrating this? The baby?

7. The long opening sequence with V.J. Day? the crowds, Jimmy and his going to the dance, the long presentation of the dance and its atmosphere? The mod of the film, the musical structure?

8. Fran and her presence at the dance? Her situation? Jimmy and his lines and approach? Her rejecting of them?

9. The accidental date, the hotel, the lack of payment? The irony of the auditions and their meting? Their mutual help, relating? How did the film build their characters? in themselves, in relation to one another, the collage effect of their success? Incidental incidents highlighting their character?

10. Fran as a Judy Garland type? singer of the '40s? Background of the war, the kinds of songs she liked and was successful with, her relationship with her agent? Her irritation with Jimmy? How selfish was she? The bond with Jimmy, love?

11. The comparison with Jimmy, how selfish, his arrogance? His irresponsibility, clowning e.g. in the lane? His good qualities? His realisation of his attachment to Francine? His hitching to see her?

12. Frankie Hart and the band, success? The fans? Paul's presence and the success of the band? The complications for Jimmy?

13. Jimmy and his place in the band, rehearsals, success, severing relationships, his failure. return? The effect on his personality, ego?

14. The pregnancy, communication, leaving? The importance of the pregnancy for each of them? The background of the marriage and the humour of the ceremony itself, the witnesses? The accident before it happened?

15. Francine and her records, her success? The use of the cliches for the typical success story?

16. The contrast with Jimmy and the jobs, his friends? Club work? The distancing from Francine?

17. The importance of the sequence in the car? the scathing aspect of their talk together, the tenderness, the whispering, the separation? The highly charged emotional atmosphere of this sequence? A climax and the end of a movement?

18. How successful was the time transition, the picture of mutual success, Francine and Hollywood, happy endings and the lavish production?

19. Francine and her being feted in the club? A celebrity and the effect on her?

20. Jimmy and his own personal style of success? His reaction to Francine's film, the club?

21. Francine's decision? Jimmy's plea? Their incompatibility? The child? Francine seeming to lead Jimmy on? The visual presentation of Francine's failure to arrive?

22. A portrait of persons, relationships, success, failure? Career and personal life? The significance of the title of the film, the songs illustrating the themes? A satisfying musical drama?