The Landlord
Dir: Hal Ashby
1970
*****
Hal Ashby's directional debut set the tone for the first half of his career. It's a very funny racial satire that is very much of its time and place. Like with most of Ashby's films, I was giggling to myself the whole way through. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Ashby is one of America's most underrated directors and yet he is one of the greatest of all time. The performances are great, Beau Bridges is very funny and believable, Diana Sands and Louis Gossett Jr play a great couple in early roles for the both of them and Pearl Bailey is just lovely. The scene with her and the show stealing Lee Grant is hilarious and worth watching the film for alone. A classic.