Elia Kazan dies at 94 (1 Viewer)

[Paul Drake]

2003 is turning into a major year for celebrity deaths. Guess we can't stop the passages of time.




Breaking News: www.hollywoodreporter.com

Sep. 28, 2003

Director Elia Kazan, Oscar winner, HUAC witness, dies at 94

By staff reporters

Director Elia Kazan, who was honored with best director Academy Awards for
"Gentleman's Agreement" and "On the Waterfront," but also vilified in some
quarters for "naming names" of alleged Communists in the 1950s during the House
Un-American Activities Committee probe, has died at his home in New York. He
was 94.

In 1999, the Motion Picture Academy presented him with an honorary Oscar for
his body of work, which revived the controversy among living actors, writers,
directors and producers who were blacklisted in Hollywood as a result of the
HUAC investigation.

[More information to follow]

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Update: full obit

http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/sto...MPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Spineless though he may or may not have been in the face of the HUAAC, I don't think anyone can doubt his genius. Another one of the great filmmakers has passed.

 

[ReggieW]

Now this REALLY sends chills up my spine. TCM just had an evening of showing Elia Kazan classics and I finally watched "Baby Doll" for the first time ever. I was thinking while watching this 1956 film that all of the major cast (Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach, Karl Malden) are still alive...... including the director. "Baby Doll" went off at 7pm Pacific time and I got on the computer to check e-mail and guess what the top story at Yahoo is? coincidence aside, film has indeed lost a towering giant, and regardless of his political convictions, his influence certainly can never be denied.

R.I.P:frowning:

Reg

 

[Henry Gale]

As I'm sure many other members did, I just saw On The Waterfront this afternoon.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Don't you almost feel like saying "Enough already". How many more classic talents can die this year, sheesh.

I do think it was very wrong to name names, but it was much worse to put people in that position to begin with. He should have taken a moral stand like many other people did, but I think we can understand why he gave in to the pressure. It had to be a scary time.

Either way, he did some fantastic work.

 

[BarryS]

Hmmm... I watched On The Waterfront only two weeks ago and was reminded just how fabulous it is. He was a great filmmaker indeed.

 

[Eric Peterson]

I too noted the coincidence of TCM airing "On The Waterfront" & "BabyDoll". I was watched most of both movies and have yet to see a Kazan movie that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.

I have yet to see "East of Eden", "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", and his later films following "Splendor in the Grass"

What a great director. I also have trouble with the way he handled the HUAC, but yet another great talent has left us.

How many greats of his era are still around?

R.I.P.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A great director who made some great films.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Okay, the HUAC issue has been recognized and some posts have been edited out that talked about a subject matter not appropriate for this forum. So let's leave any further political statements out of this thread and concentrate our comments on the great filmwork this late filmmaker accomplished in his lifetime which shouldn't be hard to do considering the number of fine films he gave us to enjoy over the last 55 years or so.

I don't want to close this thread because I think we should recognize the work and the passing of one of America's great stage and film directors. Therefore, I hope we can refrain from any further political comments and allow this discussion to focus on his great work. Thank you.





Crawdaddy

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

A great director who made some great films.

I would agree with this statement. As an artist, Kazan made some very relevant contributions to the art of filmmaking, live theater and to the acting community that will always be remembered despite that political misstep.

~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

I remembered the first time I took notice of Kazan was as an actor not a director. While growing up I was a big James Cagney fan and I used to watch many of his movies on television. In one of those films, "City for Conquest" I remembered a character that was a boyhood pal of Cagney's in that film. Cagney was a boxer, but this boyhood pal of his became a gangster and was played by this little actor named Elia Kazan. I like the way Kazan played that character and it always stayed with me even after I realized later on that I admired his work as a director of several films, particularly "Boomerang" which was based on an actual murder in my hometown in Connecticut. Another Brando film that he directed in which a lot of people have underrated over the years is "Viva Zapata" and hopefully one day, both of those films will be released on dvd.






Crawdaddy

 

[Walter Kittel]

PBS recently reran the episode of American Masters that dealt with the friendship and working relationship of Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan. If it reappears on the PBS schedule, I recommend a viewing.

While it may seem obvious in hindsight, my perception of On The Waterfront was altered when viewed within the context of their friendship and the events of their lives in the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

Elia Kazan was a great talent. R.I.P. Mr. Kazan.

- Walter.

 

[Cees Alons]

A great actor, who excelled in the fields he was good at. At 94 happily one cannot say he was smothered in the craddle, but it's sad we have to lose so many great film artists this year.
May he rest in peace.

..but this boyhood pal of his became a gangster and was played by this little actor named Elia Kazan.

Saw that movie long ago. Never realized that was Kazan. Thanks Robert.

Cees

 

[Michael Reuben]

Everyone please review Robert Crawford's post #9 above, and proceed accordingly. The thread has now been edited a second time, solely to remove the debate about the previous edit.

If anyone has questions about Mr. Crawford's post #9, please feel free to contact him by private message or email. DO NOT POST YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE THREAD. Thank you for your cooperation.

M.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I posted a few comments on On the Waterfront in the S&S Club thread and some different ones in the AFI thread.