Lechuguilla Writer/Director Paul Mazursky clearly aims to showcase that special place and time in his own life, in this semi-autobiographical story of a young, would-be actor who leaves his Brooklyn home and moves to Greenwich Village, to live among poets, writers, and other young actors. It's the early 1950s, and Mazursky's alter ego goes by the name of Larry (Lenny Baker), early twenties, earnest, fun loving, romantic, and plagued by an overbearing, intrusive mother named Faye (Shelley Winters).Larry's friends include several rather eccentric people. But they're all his age, and all have the usual growing-up problems. Talk turns to romance, sex, finding a job, future plans, and so on. The script is rather talky. But in a place like Greenwich Village, where life revolves around people, philosophy, and the arts, what else is there to do but talk?Though humor permeates the film, it's mostly dark comedy, which masks the underlying emotional pain of the various characters, as they all seem rather lost and forlorn amid such gloomy and dreary physical surroundings. But maybe the drabness of it all provides that sense of nostalgia for Mazursky, that sense of having moved beyond, to a broader, brighter, more expansive vision of life.The film's cinematography is conventional. Dark interiors match the film's dark, poignant themes. Background music features mostly light jazz, with a little opera thrown in. Casting and acting are fine. But Shelley Winters steals the show with her terrific performance.Nostalgic in tone and sentiment, "Next Stop, Greenwich Village" offers memories of another time, another place. It's a period-piece setting, a coming-of-age story. It's a film that will appeal to viewers who lived through the 1950s, or who can identify with the bohemian lifestyle that so defines that special place called Greenwich Village.

elPaorino I finally made time to see this movie, about 9 years after I told myself I would see it. This is a fine example of a movie that explores those feelings we have of failure, depression, angst, courage, hope, and contentment. I felt Paul Mazursky was spot on in capturing the feelings and scenery of what New York was like in the 1950's. Sure, I felt there was a little self-indulgence, ie. Larry Lapinsky's "award speech scene." This did not take away from experiencing the cast's emotional struggles to live love and succeed in Greenwich Village.Lessons they learned then are still highly applicable today. Lenny Baker, as Larry Lapinsky, was brilliant. He seems to be able to relate to his dad more than his mom, Faye (Shelley Winters), who effortlessly works to cause him guilt and high-blood pressure in her quest to be a loving mother. Personally I love the scenes where his parents show up at his apartment party and he is annoyed, and also later where he and his father remain silent while his mom flies off the handle in his apartment, Larry's face with a slight smile as if to be just taking in all of the emotions of the thing: anger, frustration, and comedy.The cast of aspiring artists and progressive thinkers beginning with Lenny Baker is awesome. Christopher Walken as Robert is very hip, suave, and smart. Do not think for a moment though that he steals the show. Dori Brenner as Connie, and Ellen Greene as Sara (Larry's girlfriend) are poised, beautiful, and compelling. They really convey what it is like to be young, in love, aspiring, poor, confused, depressed, and brave. See this movie.

blanche-2 Admittedly I come to this film with a deep prejudice. Though it's set in 1953, it was released in 1976, the same year I moved to Greenwich Village. In fact, much of the movie looks to have been filmed about two blocks west of where I lived for 30 years.For a young person moving to Greenwich Village, there's something timeless about the experience, as this film shows. Directed by Paul Mazursky, the film stars Lenny Baker, Shelley Winters, Ellen Greene, Christopher Walken, Lois Smith, and Dori Brenner. Baker is an aspiring young actor named Larry Lapinsky, who leaves his parents' apartment and his sobbing mother (Winters) to take a place in the Village. There, he gets a day job, a girlfriend (Greene), a group of bizarre friends, and starts acting class. He uses a liquor bottle he finds at the subway as an Oscar and thanks the Academy while he waits for a train; he does impressions of Brando for a cop; he does a scene from Golden Boy for class. Mazursky has left nothing out, not the overblown egomaniacal young actor (Jeff Goldblum) whom Larry meets at an audition, the bipolar young woman (Smith), the gay friend (Antonio Fargas), the poser who's a chick magnet (Walken), and everybody's friend destined to be unlucky in love (Brenner). It's a madcap, free, painful, and sobering existence.Baker is wonderful as Larry, anxious to get out and live. He's very likable. Shelley Winters is a riot as the Jussi Bjorling-loving Faye Lapinsky, who keeps dropping in and bringing food while she and her husband are in the neighborhood. At one point, she is so convincing telling Sarah (Greene) that she doesn't care if Sarah has been having sex with Larry, that Sarah admits to it, thus driving Faye into such a state that Sarah claims she lied. Lois Smith is very effective as the neurotic Anita. Dori Brenner does a great job as the caring friend, and Christopher Walken strikes the right balance as the enigmatic, distant Robert.Highly recommended, and if you've ever lived in Greenwich Village, or tried to be an actor in New York, don't miss it.What makes the film is the New York energy and the locations - many of which still exist, Village Cigars, Smiler's, the lamp store, Julius' bar, the whole Christopher Street area.

edwagreen The very essence of this wonderful 1976 film depicting life in the 1950s Village is fully realized by a wonderful cast.Lenny Baker, who died way too early, was simply wonderful as our Brooklyn College graduate, who leaves home to venture forth to Greenwich Village. It's the place of cafés, of wander and lust, the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg protest era, and all things associated with society at this time.Shelley Winters was fabulous as Baker's quintessential Jewish mother.The troupe that Larry (Baker) falls in with reminded me of a group by Hemingway in "The Sun Also Rises," as they leave for Mexico.There was also some wonderful support here by up and coming actors Chris Walken and Jeff Goldblum as well as Ellen Greene.This often comic film does have its moments when one of the group commits suicide. There is a truly magnificent supporting performance by Antonio Fargas, as the black Bernstein Chandler. He made up the story of his mother working as a maid for a Jewish family. Gay to the hilt, Fargas etched a believable, memorable character.The film turns quite poignant at the end when Larry wins a part in a Hollywood film and as he leaves, mama Winters reminds him never to forget who you are.A film to treasure for the ages.