On the Bowery (1956)

The Bowery is a neighborhood in New York City populated largely by the down and out, and largely by transients. Those that can work generally can only find short term employment on a day to... See full summary »

Director:

Lionel Rogosin

Stars:

Ray Salyer, Gorman Hendricks, Frank Matthews

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ray Salyer	...	Himself
Gorman Hendricks	...	Himself
Frank Matthews	...	Himself

Storyline

The Bowery is a neighborhood in New York City populated largely by the down and out, and largely by transients. Those that can work generally can only find short term employment on a day to day basis, their daily earnings which primarily go into booze. Those that can't or won't work generally sponge off whoever they can, especially for that next drink. New to the neighborhood is Ray, who most recently had been working the rails in New Jersey. He is one of those who can and still does work, but like the others spends what little money he has on booze, which means he usually sleeps on the streets in a drunken stupor. The only person he would probably consider a friend in the neighborhood is the elderly Gorman, who in turn takes advantage of his new friend at whatever opportunity. When he's sober, Ray understands that alcohol is ruining his life, and as such states that he will try to stop drinking. The questions become whether Ray has either the will or the support necessary to fulfill ...

---

Plot Keywords:

drink | drinking | alcohol | manhattan new york city | drunkenness | 

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 July 1962 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Az iszákosok utcája

Filming Locations:

Bowery, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$13,236 (USA) (17 September 2010)

Gross:

$13,236 (USA) (17 September 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rogosin Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Mr. Hoover and I (1989)

User Reviews

A Different Type of Doc

On the Bowery (1956)

*** (out of 4)

Lionel Rogosin's first film is part documentary and part scripted story as we visit the Bowery, which at the time was one of the worst sections of New York. The film centers on a man who enters a bar and becomes mixed up with various drunks. The "documentary' aspect of the film gives us a little trip around the Bowery where we get to see various portions of the people who live there. ON THE BOWERY was nominated for an Academy Award and even over fifty-years later you can't help but be blown away by some of the images. I must admit that the scripted stuff was probably my least favorite but at the same time it was fascinating seeing these men in their daily lives. If you caught this movie on Turner Classic Movies there was some interesting details told by the host about the fate of some of the men involved. It's clear that none of them wanted help or an acting career so what we get here really does seem real and authentic. The shots of the Bowery were certainly very interesting to see today simply because you get to see what the place used to look like. There were some shorts made about the Bowery and of course everyone knows The Bowery Boys but this here is just so much more. The best stuff is actually the editing of the picture, which is quite remarkable and among the best I've ever seen. The flawless way the film and characters just flow from one scene to the next is pretty amazing to watch. It certainly doesn't hurt that the cinematography is top-notch from start to finish and it really captures the mood of these men and the Bowery.