The Angel Levine

Any film starring Zero Mostel is worth watching, and The Angel Levine is no exception. Sadly the film has aged rather poorly, with Harry Belafonte's hipster jive clearly belonging in the New York City of 30 years ago. Whether the film should be viewed literally, as a tale of personal redemption and healing, or as the fable most reviewers assume it to be, is uncertain. There's enough good acting here--especially from Mostel and Ida Kaminska as his dying wife--to recommend this strange little art piece.

An intriguing exploration of life and death, guilt and redemption. Milo O'Shea, Ida Kaminska, and especially Zero Mostel are all expert with complicated (Bernard Malamud) material. But it is Harry Belafonte as the "angel" Levine that makes this must viewing. Truly fascinating to watch. An odd, but worthwhile film.

I absolutely hate it when a film completely falls apart near the end, after you've already invested an hour into it. and that's what happened with this film. i was intrigued by its actors and the fact that malamud wrote its source story. I haven't gone to read that story but I cannot imagine that it ends like this film ends.Fortunately i didn't pay good money to see or rent it because my library had it. ohhhh such a waste of excellent acting (the wife in particular was so perfect).but milo o'shea as a Jew?!!!! now THAT was funny. I haven't researched into its making but it played like the director lost his marbles or died 3/4 of the way through the film. Before that point, a story and characters were developing,there were a number of neat plot points and there wasn't too much time wasted. but ooh that last 1/2 hour- if that wasn't the screwiest, most worthless denouement I've ever witnessed, I don't know what is. I just hate it when one's faith is so destroyed like that; it feels like an act of violence.

Only viewers who are partial to stories that don't clearly differentiate between the real and the imaginary are likely to respond positively to this picture. But the fuzziness of that dividing line is one of the major themes, and as such is rendered effectively. Levine may be an angel from above, or merely a hoodlum with a snappy line of patter - along with a conscience. To its credit, the story works both ways. And if Mishkin has the same beneficial effect on Levine's spiritual life that Levine has on Mishkin's, then the story works on yet a third level of interpretation. The picture slows noticeably in a few spots: as an adaptation of a short story it cannot quite sustain a hour and forty minutes of running time without flagging a bit. Zero Mostel is outstanding, bringing the character to life with every gesture, inflection, movement and facial expression. Harry Belafonte's limited range is barely adequate, but the small supporting cast is a strong one. Those who savor the real/imaginary byplay are also likely to enjoy "Finding Graceland" and "Bronco Billy."

The Angel Levine is about multiple characters who have lost hope. Everyone of them deals with death in their own ways. The movie is a study on faith as much as it is a study on race. The film is flawed and worse, it is forgotten. To include two giants of the motion pictures, Zero Mostel and. Harry Belafonte, to have a limited audience is a crime. No matter what you believe, The Angel Levin talks bout the pains we all face as humans. A hidden gem of a story, I hope it continues to find an audience in years to come.