The Landlord (1970)

100% of critics liked it
(12 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(680 ratings)

Wealthy, insensitive young Beau Bridges buys an inner-city tenement, planning to evict the present occupants and construct a luxury home for himself. But once he ventures into the tenement, he grows quite fond of the low-income ethnic types who dwell within. He even kicks over the traces of his WASP… More Wealthy, insensitive young Beau Bridges buys an inner-city tenement, planning to evict the present occupants and construct a luxury home for himself. But once he ventures into the tenement, he grows quite fond of the low-income ethnic types who dwell within. He even kicks over the traces of his WASP upbringing by romancing black tenants Diana Sands and Marki Bey. Though essentially a comedy, The Landlord offers several painful truths about ghetto existence. Essentially, Beau Bridges acts as the audience's "eyes:" we learn as he learns, we grow as he grows. The Landlord represents the first directorial effort of Oscar-winning film editor Hal Ashby. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 53 min.
Directed By: Hal Ashby
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1970 Wide
On DVD: Oct 25, 1995

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Beau Bridges heads the uniformly excellent cast as a bored rich youth who buys a black ghetto apartment building and learns something about life.
J. Hoberman, Village Voice
The Landlord remains one of the funniest social comedies of the period, as well as the most human.
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com
It's a compelling and adventurous spectacle, which feels simultaneously like a time capsule and a crucial influence on such recent films as The Royal Tenenbaums and Half Nelson.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It adds up to a more honest, if less optimistic, portrait of American race relations than we usually see in the movies.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Hal Ashby's feature directing debut is a poignant social satire about racial tensions in New York, extremely well acted by Beau Bridges and Lee Grant in an Oscar-nominated role.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An uneven comedy of manners that bears checking out for its on the money painfully poignant moments.
David Fear, Time Out New York
An elder spokesman of New Hollywood's vanguard, former editor Hal Ashby's debut film keeps veering away from expectations and easy answers.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
The script has a few uneven moments, none of which damage the overall quality of the film, and Willis captures the atmosphere of both rich and poor New York lifestyles with an impressive visual style.
, Time Out
Worth a look.

Read all 9 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

Pierluigi P

Hal Ashby's debut film is very honest, witty and funny. The dramatic twist is poignant, though for me it disembalances the perfect farcical tone it had at first.
AJ V

This comedy is very funny, but at the same time tries to get across the fact that people of different racial backgrounds can get along and live together. I really enjoyed this movie.
Mister C

One of the first early gigs featuring Louis Gossett,Jr,this movie was Hal Ashby's directorial debut and it became one of the top ten films of 1970 and for a very good reason. This was also produced by Norman Jewison who also served as executive producer. This was a film that… More
One of the first early gigs featuring Louis Gossett,Jr,this movie was Hal Ashby's directorial debut and it became one of the top ten films of 1970 and for a very good reason. This was also produced by Norman Jewison who also served as executive producer. This was a film that starred Beau Bridges in a excellent performance as a young man who buys a condemned building in a black ghetto in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. The fine cast includes Lee Grant,the great Diana Sands,and also the dramatic debut of the great Pearl Bailey. With some great music from The Staple Singers makes this a joy to watch.
Adam M

one of the most honest movies I've seen about the relationship between blacks and whites in America
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "The Landlord," 29-year old Elgar Enders(Beau Bridges), wanting to do something with his life, buys a tenament in Park Slope, Brooklyn. His intent is to evict all of the tenants, tear out all of the floors and hang a chandelier. When he first… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "The Landlord," 29-year old Elgar Enders(Beau Bridges), wanting to do something with his life, buys a tenament in Park Slope, Brooklyn. His intent is to evict all of the tenants, tear out all of the floors and hang a chandelier. When he first arrives in his Volkswagen convertible, he is chased away.(Concurrently finishing third in the New York City Marathon that year.) Upon his return, he is greeted by one of the tenants, Marge(Pearl Bailey), wielding a shotgun...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]Directed by Hal Ashby, "The Landlord" is an audaciously funny and provocative movie that throws a Molotov Cocktail into the debate about race relations, especially in the North.(Even while repeating the truism that it is harder to hate people that you are familiar with.) It is much more effective than the more polite offerings such as "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"(which is referenced here), especially in its portrayal of a burgeoning black consciousness. But what it is specifically concerned with is gentrification which leads to the destruction of communities through substantial raises in rents forcing families to move out.[/font]

Cast

            Beau Bridges as Elgar Enders

            Lee Grant as Mrs. Enders

            Diana Sands as Fanny

            Marki Bey as Lanie

            Pearl Bailey as Marge

            Louis Gossett Jr as Copee

            Douglas Grant as Walter Gee

            Mel Stewart as Prof. Duboise

            Walter Brooke as Mr. Enders

            Susan Anspach as Susan Enders

            Gretchen Walther as Doris

            Marlene Clark as Marlene

            Oliver Clark as Mr. Farcus

            Hector Elizondo as Hector

            Stanley Greene as Heywood

            Gloria Hendry as Gloria

            Robert Klein as Peter

            Joe Madden as Grandfather

            John McCurry as Big John

            Louise Stubbs as Louise

            Trish VanDevere as Sally

            Lionel Wilson
            
            Grover Dale as Oscar

            Michael Ferguson as Gene

            Carl Lee as Carl

            Will Mackenzie as William Jr.

            Florynce Kennedy as Enid

            Larry Cook
            
            Van Kirksey as Van

            Tony Major
            
See full cast