THE COTTON CLUB
US, 1984, 125 minutes, Colour.
Richard Gere, Diane Lane, James Remar, Bob Hoskins, Lonnette Mc Kee, Gregory Hines, Nicolas Cage, Fred Gwynne, John C.Ryan, Laurence Fishburne, Alan Garfield, Jennifer Grey, Gwen Verdon, Mario van Peebles, James Russo, Joe Dallessandro.
Directed by Francis Coppola.
The Cotton Club was an ambitious film for Francis Ford Coppola. He had achieved fame with the Godfather films as well as Apocalypse Now. During the 1980s he made more stylised films, like The Outsiders, Rumble Fish as well as the stylised musical, One from the Heart. The Cotton Club is in this vein.
The film is set in New York City in the late 1920s, early 1930s, focusing on the Cotton Club in Harlem. Central to the film is Dutch Schultz, a starring role for character actor, James Remar. He portrays the gangster as arrogant, as well as cruel. Diane Lane portrays his mistress, also an ambitious woman who wants to have her own club and achieves it. Richard Gere portrays a young man from an Irish Catholic family (with Nicolas Cage portraying his younger brother, and dancer Gwen Verdon playing their mother). Richard Gere’s character has to act, reluctantly, as a bodyguard for the mistress, while falling in love with her. There is also acknowledgement of the movies, with Gere becoming a matinee idol.
The film is filled with many character actors, re-creations of gangster sequences, punctuated by song and dance routines, with Gregory Hines and his brother showing their tap dancing skills. There is also Cab Calloway and his song, Minnie the Moocher.
The film seems better in retrospect and it is always interesting to see young talent at the beginning of their careers and in the light of the subsequent careers.
1. Francis Ford Coppola and his career? This film and the continuity of his career? Style, his studio, his interest in New York gangsters?
2. The title, the club in Harlem, the other clubs in New York City, 1928 to 1934, the owners of the clubs, their connections with gangsters, the audiences: white audiences, black performers? The world of jazz, the range of songs, dance, choreography, Cab Calloway and Minnie the Moocher? American history? New York history?
3. The range of the cast, careers, stars of the future making their initial mark? The singers, the dancers?
4. The musical score, the songs, the range, many still popular, echoing the 1920s, the 1930s? Their insertion throughout the film? Action then music, intercutting, Coppola style of intercutting action with music? The songs giving the audience space to reflect on what was happening? The end?
5. The gangsters and New York City, the numbers rackets, the violence, fighting, the Italians, the Irish, the Jews? The fights for power? Sudden murders? The world of crime in New York, the police? Prohibition, the work of the government?
6. James Remar as Dutch Schultz, his power in New York, his retinue accompanying him all the time, their personalities and characters? Owney, the deals with Schultz? Yet the antagonism? Schultz and his wife, taking her to the shows, the trophy wife? His relationship with Vera, his mistress, commanding her? The explosion, Dixie saving him? His appointing Dixie as Vera’s protector, Dixie and his life, service to Schultz, in the motion pictures? Vincent, his wanting to work for Schultz, his offsider, succeeding, brutality? The vision the vicious murdering of the Irish gang leader, his taunts against Schultz, Schultz breaking out violently? Schultz and his many enemies? Owney and his arranging discussions with Lucky Luciano? The build-up to the execution of Schultz? Death in the toilets?
7. Dixie and Vera, Vera and her background, singer, mistress to Schultz, in the club, accompanying him, the explosion, Dixie and his action, Dixie appointed to be Vera’s protector, taking her home, the sexual attraction? Vera and the life depending on Schultz, obeying his commands, her ambition in getting the club? Her success? Singing there? her interactions with Dixie? His being a musician, playing the cornet, action for Schultz, his not wanting to be dependent on Schultz? His relationship with Vincent? Vincent and his choosing to be a gangster? His wife? Dixie trying to protect him? The meal at the club, the family, his mother, her musical background? Dixie and his continuing to play?
8. Dixie, Gloria Swanson, motion pictures, the casting agent, acknowledging that he could not act, but was photogenic? The screen test? His career, the film Mob Boss, his becoming a celebrity? Owney and his help? Schultz and his dependence but also his disdain?
9. And a beer at the end, I am a career, the club, the threats, shorts being stupid again death, they’re leaving for Los Angeles question? Are
10. Vincent story, relationship with his brother, with the family, his wife, his associate, the issue of money, the abduction of Frenchy, let him go, the dealer, his death?
11. Sandman Williams, his brother, their ambitions, at home, dancing the club, audition, is attraction towards Lila, flirting, the bouncer and his continued antagonism? Sandman’s brother, the separation, separate careers, Sandman making progress, the up and downs of his career, the reconciliation with his brother? The quality of the tap dancing and what it brought to the film of the atmosphere of the Cotton Club?
12. Lila, passing for white, singing of the club, the attraction towards Sandman, the ups and downs of their relationship, the marriage, separation, the criticisms? A living, are singing from Vera? The reconciliation with Sandman?
13. Only, his character, only the Cotton club, Association of gangsters, his friendship with Frenchy? The range of deals, with shorts? Why not liking him? Is finally meeting Lucky Luciano, Luciano and the plan against Schultz? His being ready to go to jail? And being prepared for a short sentence?
14. The abduction of Frenchy, the way that he was treated, the clash with Vincent, the wound to his ear, his continued faithful work for only? The loyal gangster?
15. The re-creation of this world, have glamourised? A deadly and wilful world? The importance of money? Sex? Violence? As seen in the papers? In the developing movies? The audience treated to a glimpse of this world and making up its own mind?
