Alice's Restaurant (film)
- Arlo Guthrie: Arlo Guthrie
- Patricia Quinn: Alice Brock
- James Broderick: Ray Brock
- Pete Seeger: Pete Seeger
Alice 's Restaurant is an American feature film from 1969, based on the song Alice 's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie Massacree. Directed this serio-comic film music conducted by Arthur Penn, who also wrote the screenplay with Venable Herndon.
Action
In the late 1960s in the United States: In order to be exempted from military service for the time being, to Arlo Guthrie writes a for a college degree. Of course it keeps the sensitive, but also rebellious boy there, not very long. After his first warning for alleged damage to property (in reality, Arlo was provoked by a group of " rednecks " to a fight ) he packs his things and voluntarily returned to New York.
After a visit to his terminally ill father, Woody Guthrie, he hitchhikes on to Alice and Ray, hippies and friends of his who bought a church to simultaneously build a home there for himself and a meeting place for like-minded people. To be able to finance themselves, Alice opened with the help of her friends, a restaurant and is soon overwhelmed, because it does not have enough time to be there for her friends to pursue their own interests and at the same time to run a restaurant.
Another problem is Shelly, an ex- junkie who lives with Alice and Ray in order to stay clean with them, far from the big city. Between Alice and Shelly soon develops more, which in turn leads to tension in the community.
Arlo turn is patterned again, but then - because of his insubordination and because he has a criminal record - optional. Reason for the previous conviction was the illegal dumping of garbage on the roadside.
The end of film is relatively open; after Alice and Ray got married a second time, it is obvious that it is missing in their relationship of harmony and cohesion. The last scene shows Alice in wedding dress, with a doubtful face.
Reviews
Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun - Times on November 11, 1969, Alice 's Restaurant is not a great movie, but you never get the feeling that he wanted to be the ( It Is not a great movie, but you never get the feeling did it wanted to be).
The film magazine video week said that the film was a critical and largely melancholic hymn to the hippies and their communities.
Awards
Arthur Penn was nominated for the Academy Awards 1970 in the category of Best Director, but John Schlesinger ( Midnight Cowboy ) had to concede defeat. Arlo Guthrie was nominated for the British Film Award for Best Film Music.
The Laurel Awards 1970 Alice 's Restaurant placed at # 3 in the category of Best Comedy. The Writers Guild of America nominated Venable Herndon and Arthur Penn for Best Original Screenplay in a drama.