STUDS LONIGAN

US, 1960, 95 minutes, Black and white.
Christopher Knight, Jack Nicholson, Frank Gorshin
Directed by Irving Lerner.

Studs Lonigan is an adaptation by producer-writer Philip Yordan of James T. Farrell's book about life in Chicago in the early '20s. The film is brief, small-budget, black and white photography, directed by Irving Lerner. However, in its brevity it highlights the atmosphere of the times, sketches the characters quite well and gives us an impression of Studs Lonigan's personal dilemmas. (It was done as a mini series during the '80s at greater length.)

Little-known actor Christopher Knight portrays Lonigan. In the supporting cast, as his friends, are Frank Gorshin and a very young Jack Nicholson (who was not to make his acting mark until Easy Rider in 1969).

1. Adaptation of a famous novel? Brief treatment? Key elements?

2. Small-budget film-making, black and white photography, the sketches during the credits, re-creation of Chicago and its period? Musical score? Songs?

3. The use of light and shadow, editing techniques (especially for the fantasy about Aunt Julie)? The use of close-ups for character study?

4. The adaptation of the novel: outline, characters and issues?

5. Studs and his age, school, experience? His family and the pressures of his mother, her wanting him to be a priest? His father and his disdain? The post-World War One family? The young, the pool-rooms, the streets, together, idle? Preoccupation with sex? Their violence? Getting jobs, clashes, the family?

6. Studs and his longing for Lucy, the New Year's dance, going back to his friends, the drinking, Lucy eluding him, the lyrical scene in the park, the picnic, her leaving without telling him? The devastating effect? His going to see his teacher, her sympathetic understanding, offering him help and advice, the sexual encounter? His going to the burlesque and going to see her, imagining her in the burlesque? His going to the gangsters and offering to be an assassin, their tricking him? Looking for work, interviews, going to the dentist? Playing the saxophone? The encounter with Katherine, dating her, her love for him, her baby? The futility of his life and future?

7. Studs and the group, his leadership, their hanging around, the pool-tables, Paulie and his character, the girl in love with him, the courtship, the marriage, the violence and his death, the funeral and her bitterness? Kenny and his clowning around, his performance in the club and Studs' reaction? The young Jack Nicholson as the tough type, cynical, about town, sexuality, the rape, his jail term?

8. Aunt Julie, her teaching of Studs, there for advice, the spinster who never married, loneliness? His imagining her in burlesque? The parallel with Katherine?

9. Studs going to Confession, going to see the priest, asking his advice, the priest reviewing his life and its purpose, futility and meaning? Where could he go?

10. A piece of '60s Americana? A memory of the '20s?