Greaser's Palace
Encyclopedia
Greaser's Palace is a 1972
American cult film
directed by underground filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. A parable based on the life of Christ, it is full of references about the destruction of the world.
), a Christ-like figure in a zoot-suit, on his way to Jerusalem to find work as a singer-dancer-actor. In a run-down Western town, he runs afoul of the local boss, Seeweedhead Greaser (Albert Henderson
), until he brings Greaser's son Lamy (Michael Sullivan
) back from the dead.
Cast notes:
, was produced by Cyma Rubin, a neophyte Broadway
producer who gave Downey a million dollars to make the film. Rubin would later run into legal problems, unrelated to this film, for which she would serve jail time. Downey had previously made the cult hit Putney Swope
(1969) as well as lesser-known films such as Pound (1970), Babo 73 (1964) and Chafed Elbows (1966).
's Jay Cocks
said it was Downey's "funniest, most accomplished and most audacious film yet," adding that it was "the most adventurous American movie so far this year", in general, Greaser's Palace did not receive good critical reviews. Thomas Meehan
, writing in the Saturday Review said "Robert Downey seems to have absolutely everything it takes to be a successful movie director except talent," and thought that this film was "even worse than his earlier pictures – an absurdist, incomprehensible Western that mixes in scatology, William Morris agents and the second coming of Christ." Kevin Thomas, the critic for the Los Angeles Times
wrote of it "...the film is so utterly devoid of wit and imagination that the unremitting gross behavior and language it wallows in is quickly revolting." Kathleen Carroll, critic for the New York Daily News
asked "Does this weird concoction of Harvard Lampoon
parody, half-serious symbolism and silly slapstick really work?"
The film, which was presented at the Telluride Film Festival
in 1976, was not a commercial success.
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
American cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
directed by underground filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. A parable based on the life of Christ, it is full of references about the destruction of the world.
Plot
Greaser's Palace follows Jesse (Allan ArbusAllan Arbus
Allan Arbus is an American actor notable for his role as psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Freedman on the television series M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
), a Christ-like figure in a zoot-suit, on his way to Jerusalem to find work as a singer-dancer-actor. In a run-down Western town, he runs afoul of the local boss, Seeweedhead Greaser (Albert Henderson
Albert Henderson
Albert Percy Henderson was a Canadian amateur football player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.He was born in Galt, Ontario and died in Los Angeles....
), until he brings Greaser's son Lamy (Michael Sullivan
Michael Sullivan
-Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan , Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan , Australian rugby league footballer*Michael Sullivan -Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan (art historian) (born 1916), Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan...
) back from the dead.
Cast
- Luana AndersLuana AndersLuana Anders was an American film and television actress.-Career:Anders, born Luana Margo Anderson, began her career appearing in several supporting roles in low budget B-movies for American International Pictures, quite a few of them directed by Roger Corman. She was part of a group of well known...
as Cholera Greaser - James AntonioJames AntonioJames F. Antonio served as state auditor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A Republican from Cole County, he served from 1978 until his resignation in mid-1984.-References:...
as Vernon - Allan ArbusAllan ArbusAllan Arbus is an American actor notable for his role as psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Freedman on the television series M*A*S*H.-Early life:...
as Jesse - Toni BasilToni BasilAntonia Christina Basilotta , better known by her stage name Toni Basil, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, filmmaker, film director, choreographer, and dancer, best known for her multi-million-selling worldwide #1 hit "Mickey" from 1982.-Early life:Basil was born Antonia Christina...
as Indian Girl - Don Calfa as Morris
- Woody Chambliss as Father
- Pablo FerroPablo FerroPablo Ferro is a graphic designer and film titles designer.Born in Antilla, Oriente Province, Cuba, he was raised on a remote farm until emigrating to New York with his family as a teen.- Education :...
as Indian - Stanley Gottlieb as Spitunia
- Albert HendersonAlbert HendersonAlbert Percy Henderson was a Canadian amateur football player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.He was born in Galt, Ontario and died in Los Angeles....
as Seaweedhead Greaser - Joe Madden as Man With Painting
- George MorganGeorge MorganGeorge Morgan may refer to:*George Morgan , American actor and author*George Morgan , American merchant and representative to Native Americans*George Morgan , American screenwriter...
as Coo Coo
- Ron Nealy as Card Man / Ghost
- Michael SullivanMichael Sullivan-Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan , Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan , Australian rugby league footballer*Michael Sullivan -Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan (art historian) (born 1916), Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan...
as Lamy "Homo" Greaser - Herve VillechaizeHervé VillechaizeHervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize was a French actor who achieved worldwide recognition for his role as Mr. Roarke's assistant, Tattoo, in the television series Fantasy Island...
as Mr. Spitunia - Lawrence Wolf as French Padre
- Elsie Downey as The Woman
- Jackson Haynes as Rope Man
- Alex Hitchcock as Nun
- John Paul Hudson as Smiley
- Larry Moyer as Captain Good
- Don Smolen as Gip
- Rex King as Turquoise Skies
Cast notes:
- Robert Downey, Jr., the son of the writer-director of the film, has an uncredited role as a QuasimodoQuasimodoQuasimodo is a fictional character in the novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo. Quasimodo was born with a hunchback and feared by the townspeople as a sort of monster but he finds sanctuary in an unlikely love that is fulfilled only in death. The role of Quasimodo has been played by...
-like child. Elsie Downey who played "the Woman" was Robert Downey Sr.'s wife. Also in the cast were Allyson Downey and Stacy Sheehan, Downey Sr.'s daughter and nephew.
Production
Greaser's Palace, which was shot on location in New MexicoNew Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, was produced by Cyma Rubin, a neophyte Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
producer who gave Downey a million dollars to make the film. Rubin would later run into legal problems, unrelated to this film, for which she would serve jail time. Downey had previously made the cult hit Putney Swope
Putney Swope
Putney Swope, a 1969 film written and directed by Robert Downey Sr. and starring Arnold Johnson as Swope, is a comedy satirizing the advertising world, the portrayal of race in Hollywood films, the white power structure, and nature of corporate corruption....
(1969) as well as lesser-known films such as Pound (1970), Babo 73 (1964) and Chafed Elbows (1966).
Reception
Although TimeTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
's Jay Cocks
Jay Cocks
Jay Cocks is a film critic and motion picture screenwriter.He is a graduate of Kenyon College. He was a critic for Time, Newsweek, and Rolling Stone, among other magazines, before moving into film writing....
said it was Downey's "funniest, most accomplished and most audacious film yet," adding that it was "the most adventurous American movie so far this year", in general, Greaser's Palace did not receive good critical reviews. Thomas Meehan
Thomas Meehan
Thomas Meehan , was a noted British-born nurseryman, botanist and author. He worked as a Kew gardener in 1846–1848, and thereafter he moved to Germantown in Philadelphia...
, writing in the Saturday Review said "Robert Downey seems to have absolutely everything it takes to be a successful movie director except talent," and thought that this film was "even worse than his earlier pictures – an absurdist, incomprehensible Western that mixes in scatology, William Morris agents and the second coming of Christ." Kevin Thomas, the critic for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
wrote of it "...the film is so utterly devoid of wit and imagination that the unremitting gross behavior and language it wallows in is quickly revolting." Kathleen Carroll, critic for the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
asked "Does this weird concoction of Harvard Lampoon
Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-Overview:Published since 1876, The Harvard Lampoon is the world's longest continually published humor magazine. It is also the second longest-running English-language humor...
parody, half-serious symbolism and silly slapstick really work?"
The film, which was presented at the Telluride Film Festival
Telluride Film Festival
The Telluride Film Festival was started in 1974 by Bill and Stella Pence, Tom Luddy and Jim Card in the town of Telluride, Colorado, United States. It is operated by the National Film Preserve....
in 1976, was not a commercial success.