I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale

Premiering on HBO last night and rerun over the next month, this short documentary discusses John Cazale and his brief, brilliant career in the 1970s. The best interviews are with Al Pacino (his frequent acting partner) and Meryl Streep (his fiancee at the time of his death). The film is very moving toward the end as his untimely death is discussed. Also giving great interviews are more modern greats Philip Seymour Hoffman and Steve Buscemi who discuss his subtlety and vulnerability and their favorite scenes . . .

In his interview, Brett Ratner seems more like a frat-boy who's trying to fit in with the true artists, but since he's producing the film, I'll give him a pass. The excerpts from Cazale's films (The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, and The Deer Hunter) are well chosen and discussed, but the real revelation is Cazale's acting process. He was primarily a stage actor and used those techniques for film. Unlike every other male actor ever, he didn't mind playing it weak or sensitive. None of his films would be nearly as good without him (especially Godfather 2 where he deserved an Oscar win). A must see for film fans, this is the quickest 39 minutes of the year. A-