The Day of the Locust (1975)

64% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
73% of users liked it
(2,006 ratings)

The Day of the Locust is anything but a cheerful, light look at Hollywood in the '30s. It recreates both the town as well as the filmmaking world around which much of the town revolved with devastating accuracy. The movie tells the twin tales of talentless wannabe actress Faye Greener (Karen Black)… More The Day of the Locust is anything but a cheerful, light look at Hollywood in the '30s. It recreates both the town as well as the filmmaking world around which much of the town revolved with devastating accuracy. The movie tells the twin tales of talentless wannabe actress Faye Greener (Karen Black) and Homer Simpson (Donald Sutherland), a lovelorn accountant who couldn't care less about movies. Around this framework, a huge and intricate social network is tellingly revealed, until the film's gruesome and tragic ending. Not for those who prefer to hang onto their illusions about the glory days of Hollywood, The Day of the Locust, based on the novel by Nathanael West, is a must-see for serious film buffs. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: John Schlesinger
Written By: Waldo Salt
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1975 Wide
On DVD: Jun 8, 2004
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Magnificent production, combined with excellent casting and direction, make The Day of the Locust as fine a film (in a professional sense) as the basic material lets it be.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Schlesinger has conceived his film as an epic, which was a daring thing to do with such slender material.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A painfully misconceived reduction and simplification.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Accurately captures the intent of West's dark masterpiece.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
John (Midnight Cowboy) Schlesinger's version of Nathanael Hawthorne's powerful novel about Hollywood and its dreamers and losers in the 1930s is not always effective, but it's ambitious, daring, and very well acted.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
The narrative is often confused and confusing.
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide
The Paramount DVD features a good 1.85:1 aspect ratio anamorphic widescreen transfer.
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide
The casting choices are brilliant but the production is let down by a haphazard screenplay that misses the novel's point, and weak direction.
James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk
A fascinating, but frustratingly uneven film, it lays bare the sordidness that eventually follows any broken dream.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Much has been made of the climactic riot scene, which may have seemed novel when Nathanael West first wrote it back in the '30s, but it's just plain goofy when viewed today
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Blistering film version of the novel. One of Schlesinger's best works.
, Film4
A fascinating, if flawed, example of the film industry turning the lights on itself and finding nothing there but darkness.

Read all 12 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Profoundly sad view of the lower rungs of Hollywood life in the 30's. Disturbing and unsettling. The climatic sequence is both horrifying and mesmerizing.
Robert C

An often surreal but always intriguing morality tale. This film has it's sights set mostly on "Hollywood", with a few "pop shots" at organized religion (which if you think about it is not so different from Hollywood). Sure the characters are "over the… More
An often surreal but always intriguing morality tale. This film has it's sights set mostly on "Hollywood", with a few "pop shots" at organized religion (which if you think about it is not so different from Hollywood). Sure the characters are "over the top" and "steretypical", a virtual cornucopia of Hollywood has beens and hopefuls. But that's kind of the point. It's meant to be a sort of snap-shot of 1930's-40's Hollywood and all that it entailed. The acting is solid with the casting spot on. Especially Donald Sutherlands performance as Homer Simpson and the seemingly under appreciated William Atherton as Todd Hackett. The cinematography is brilliant, ranging from glorious to bleak but always captivating. The last 15-20 minutes are genius!
Eric B

Wow, what an ugly film. Presumably, this cynical tale of Hollywood wannabes was green-lit following the success of "Chinatown." Not one likable character in the cast -- even the lead Tod (William Atherton), with his shallow love for Faye (Karen Black), is hard to embrace.… More
Wow, what an ugly film. Presumably, this cynical tale of Hollywood wannabes was green-lit following the success of "Chinatown." Not one likable character in the cast -- even the lead Tod (William Atherton), with his shallow love for Faye (Karen Black), is hard to embrace. Donald Sutherland gives a remarkable performance as repressed neurotic Homer Simpson (now why does that name sound familiar?), but should have entered the story much earlier. Burgess Meredith? Wonderful, but wasted in a minor part. As if the other depravities weren't enough, there's even a repulsive cockfighting scene needlessly thrown into the mix. Meanwhile, the surreal climax is like an entirely different movie (shades of "The Wall"?) and goes way, way over the top. Interesting to see the often villainous Atherton as an innocent, William Castle in a cameo as a fictional director and the pubescent Jackie Earle Haley as an insufferable child-star brat.
Ivan D

Allegorical film that depicts the moral decay of 1930's Hollywood. Donald Sutherland gave an unusual performance as Homer Simpson. The epic, horrifying climax is the true highlight of the picture, one of the best sequences of cinema ever filmed. Masterpiece.
Quinto W

Best.Ending.Ever.
Wu C

Fantastic film. I was really blown away the first time I saw this one.

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Donald Sutherland as Homer

            Karen Black as Faye Greener

            Burgess Meredith as Harry Greener

            William Atherton as Tod Hackett

            Geraldine Page as Big Sister

            Richard Dysart as Claude Estee

            Bo Hopkins as Earle Shoop

            Pepe Serna as Miguel

            Lelia Goldoni as Mary Dove

            Billy Barty as Abe

            Gloria Le Roy as Mrs. Loomis

            John Hillerman as Ned Grote

            Dick Powell Jr. as Dick Powell

            Bill Baldwin as Announcer at Premiere

            Wally K. Berns as Theatre Manager

            Morgan Brittany
            
            Alvin Childress as Butler

            Nicholas Cortland as Projectionist

            DeForest Covan as Shoeshine Boy

            John War Eagle as The Gingos

            Jerry Fogel
            
            Angela Greene
            
            Jackie Earle Haley as Adore

            Grainger Hines as French Lieutenant

            Jane Hoffman as Mrs. Odlesh

            Bob Holt as Tour Guide

            Paul Jabara as Nightclub Entertainer

            Jonathan Kidd as Undertaker

            Florence Lake as Lee Sister

            Norman Leavitt as Mr. Odlesh

            Robert Pine
            
            Roger Price
            
            Gyl Roland as Girl

            Natalie Schafer as Audrey Jennings

            Queenie Smith as Palsied Lady

            Gloria Stroock as Alice Estee

            Nita Talbot as Joan

            William Castle as Director

            Dennis Dugan
            
            David Ladd as Apprentice

            Byron Paul
            
            Robert O. Ragland as Guests at Audrey Jennings

            Paul Stewart as Helverston

            Ina Gould
            
            Wally Rose as Assistant Director

            Kenny Solms as Boy in Chapel

            Virginia Baker
            
            Fred Scheiwiller
            
            Richard A. Dysart
            
See full cast