The film does confirm that Julian wasn't the killer, Leon admits to helping the victim's husband in framing Julian for the murder, it was actually Leon's lover who killed her.
It’s true, yet it’s interesting how Paul Schrader plays on the ambiguity in order to reveal great depths and incites into Julian’s personality - his self serving and amoral nature.
@@MovieBirthdays yeah that's one of the things that make the film great. I just don't think he's playing Michelle, maybe he was in the beginning but by the end I believe he had been truly humbled by the whole ordeal and now he's able to appreciate her sacrifice for him, as if she shows him it is possible to act selflessly. Great video btw, I discovered your channel a couple of days ago and I'm really enjoying the content!
@@camcabbas that’s a great insight. Glad you’re enjoying the channel, I release a new video every week so please stick around, I’m featuring some great movies this year and would love to hear your thoughts.
Wrong ! There’s still ambiguity. The blonde boy is never shown at the scene of the crime. Julian was there when she died . It’s possible he killed her by accident or was forced to choke her or something. The alibis that Julian spent a long time seeking in the film were all fake including the final one he gets with Michelle . Of course we never see the actual act so it’s still left in very skilful ambiguity.
I think you are doing such truly engaging and intelligent work with these video essays on these films. I love it. Rarely has an actor been so perfectly cast in a role as Richard Gere is here. His physical beauty and his screen persona are perfect, as they are in his other great role 10 years later, as the truly corrupt and satyric police officer Dennis Peck in Mike Figgis' underrated Internal Affairs.
Thank you so much I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Great mention of Internal Affairs as well, there’s something about Richard Gere that makes him great at playing conflicted characters. With American Gigolo, Internal Affairs, Unfaithful and even Pretty Woman he plays characters with a respectable surface who is ultimately hiding dark desires and corruption. Perhaps that’s the secret to his appeal.
@@adamcollins915 I think you’re right, he shouldn’t have turned it down. He had a rough time in the 80s. Although Blow Out and Perfect are great movies.
@@MovieBirthdays Travolta said he had just done a film with an older woman - Lily Tomlin. Which bombed. So didn't want to do another. Travolta also turned down 'An officer & a gentleman'.
Joey was actually Leon James "Boy" who specialized in Clients who were into more of an S & M genre. Julian had so much going for him. Miss Ann "Made" him into the Man he became. When I saw the beginning of An Officer & A Gentleman or even Breathless and I look at the Fashions that Zack Mayo and Jesse wore it kind of reminds me of the Fashions that Julian wore when he was starting out. He could have been an interpreter, a Interior Designer, he could have helped men Makeover their lives like a Spin Doctor. He's deep down very lonely. You don't hear of any Family, and the Friends he has are folks who "pay" for his Company. He also finds out the hard way what alot of folks find out when you are down and out, you find out who your real friends are.
It’s a great modern tragedy - its the lack of loyalty and everyone’s self interest that fuels Julian’s downfall, but he too is the same way, maybe because of the company he keeps.
@@MovieBirthdays He's also very arrogant. Remember when he and Leon were at that Cafe/Restaurant on Rodeo Drive, and Leon warned him if those "Ladies" turn on him he's through. Food for thought. Also Rodeo Drive is synonymous in Beverly Hills. When Dick Clark had The Jackson Five on American Bandstand for the first time in 1970, he talked about how Diana Ross introduced them at The Daisy. She even briefly dated Richard Gere apparently.
A brilliant review. Revisiting the scenes and clues amidst the cinematography was most enlightening. American Gigolo defined that epoch. You can't help but feel that Julian, for all of his relentless pursuit of material wealth and success, never really attained fulfillment or a sense of happiness. Perhaps by way of an erroneous murder allegation he met a lovely empathetic woman who could perhaps enable him to feel human.
Julian does not get arrested for Leon's murder; ironically, eye witnesses believe Julian was trying to save him and that Leon's fall was an accident. Found at the scene, Julian gets arrested for the previous murder (committed by Leon's "boy,") but is ultimately exonerated because of the alibi furnished by Michelle. Unless I have completely misunderstood the ending.
I find it interesting when you look at Schrader’s films how they all have an element of spirituality to it. He seems obsessed with a pure figure (usually the main woman) sacrificing something and saving the man out of the depths of some depraved world that has placed them behind bars (Giglio, Light Sleeper, and Card Counter all have nearly the same ending). This is a very Calvinist idea of Christ saving sinful men who reject him at first. There’s also other themes tied to Calvinism such as a sense that things were predestined to happen (Taxi Driver), being slaves to a lifestyle we need saving from, the idea that what man means for evil God can use for good, and the overall sense of loneliness and wandering which is an idea that can come with believing everything is predestined but waiting for anything to happen (he talks about this a lot in interviews). Even First Reformed is a reformed church which tends to be Calvinistic.
Great comment. Your insight into the Calvinist ideas and the concept of predestination unites all of Schrader’s work. His characters are seeking purpose but also seem resigned to fulfil their tragic fates as some sort of punishment for sin, a way of them being cleansed for their transgressions. His next film The Master Gardener also seems to follow in this tradition.
Out of the 5 lonely man movies by Paul Schrader, American Gigolo sits right around the middle for me, but that’s only because Raging Bull and Taxi Driver are 2 of my all time favorite movies. That being said I really do love this movie, so much so that I even paid homage to it of sorts by filming a recreation video of his Palm Springs driving montage in the film. It’s posted on my account/channel if anyone’s interested.
@@MovieBirthdays 41 years ago the studio sell was good looking guy gets paid for sex. This must of pissed Schrader off. I know it took multiple views years later for me to see how layered the story is.
@@johnnash297 it’s a hard film to market and I guess the fashion and star power was the best bet. Luckily the quality of the film speaks for itself and has ensured that it has endured. I think a lot Paul Schrader’s work is a bit neglected and needs more appreciation.
@@johnnash297 definitely a film noir, Schrader always channels aspects of noir both thematically with morally grey characters and corrupted worlds. In the case of Gigolo we have a world weary character who has to investigate a mystery in order to clear his name after potentially being set up which is a very typical noir plot. To be more specific, American Gigolo falls into the category of neo-noir which started in the 70s and channeled the paranoia of the era in movies like Schrader’s own Taxi Driver to name a few, in the 80s the neo-noir evolved visually with movies like Manhunter, 8 million ways To die and to live and die in LA, the shadows of noir were heightened with neon and the slick 80s look. My Get Carter video and my upcoming video this week explores this genre in a bit more depth too. Hope that’s helpful.
I don’t think Julian committed the murder, and that scene with Anne was just put in there to leave doubt for the viewer. When he confronted Leon his behaviour clearly demonstrated to me he was actually innocent. Love this movie !
Excelent insights and solid, illuminating background details. When I first saw the movie in '80 I liked it but came to discount it as superficial. I missed the whole point. It was a profound work about superficiality. I must have matured a bit since then 'cause here I am 43 years later still thinking about its meaning. Bill Duke must be mentioned for the inspiring human beig he is. When "Boogie Nights" came out in '97 I understood Paul Thomas Anderson's intent immediately. The characters were striving to make it, to boldly grasp the glitter but as you point out Julian was already where he wanted to be and desperately trying to hang on to the image because there wasn't anything else. "American Gigolo" was more subtle. That's why it went over my head just a tad.
The authorial intention of the script exonerates Julian of any foul play-- but the moral ambiguity throughout, demonstrates that it's essentially irrelevant to Julian's character development, either way.
Excellent analysis mate. Im 49 and i saw this 1st when i was 16 and even at that tender age i knew id stumbled upon something. Youre spot on about Shrader's isolated protagonists and their mirror reflections, 1st begun by John Huston when he directed Brando in Reflections of a Golden Eye. Funny thing is that Gere never tried to do something as out of the box as Gigolo.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, it’s a film that I keep going back to, definitely something special. To my shame I haven’t seen Reflections of a Golden Eye, I need to delve deeper into Huston’s work. Thanks for the great comment.
@MovieBirthdays Reflections is dark. Very dark. Even more so than Gigolo. Although its a diff subject matter. Scorsese himself is on record saying he took the Travis Bickle mirror scene from Brando's mirror scene. Anyway. Straying from the point. I do think Gigolo actually has a happy ending and Julian learns what it means to love someone and to be loved. It's a great neo noir and gritty and real.
Ok your theory seems plausible at points, maybe the “decor” client was telling the truth after all, but then why does Leon ADMIT UNAMBIGUOUSLY that he’s framing him? Is he framing him even though he actually is the killer?
Thanks a lot. Gere is iconic in the role. I love Sorcerer, it’s on the list for this year as it’s the 45th anniversary, will do my best to get the video done.
Richard Gere was the shit. "American Gigolo" was refreshing because you know movies, hyper good looking people pretending to be regular Joe's going through whatever. This movie tosses out that pretense a nd lays it out there realistically. This godamn bastard is so good-looking it makes you want to cry. Of course he's gonna be sleeping with women for money. What else is gonna do? So Hollywood tells the truth for once. If people are gonna watch a movie for two hours okay or kinda cute don't cut it. That goes for both men and women. So don't pretend that sex appeal ain't 99% of the equation. Siscel and Ebert may have known every trick in the book in film making, but nobody was ever gonna put them in one.
That’s a great point, Paul Schrader uses Gere’s good looks as a weapon not only is it about the sex appeal but also the vanity. Now I think it’s less acceptable to discuss or mention actors looks, but appearance is so clearly part of what makes a character as you said, as well as the authenticity and believability. Thanks again for your comment.
Thanks a lot, I try to find new insights in all the films that I look at, there are usually aspects that I’ve not noticed before or with great movies there are so many layers at work beyond the script or directors intent - some films magically evolve over time.
@@MovieBirthdays I totaly agree, i read over 200 scripts, it's never a 100% translation once the movie is done. For example, (way too many exemple out there to give) but the Fifth Element, I read script, the book, the movie making of book, and none explains many plot holes or "intent of" that intrigued me for so many year. Movie like: Dawn of the dead 1978, Angel Heart, all the Kubricks , of course and so many others! Please continue your facinating work, I'm sure your channel will grow very fast sir! PS: love your theory that Julian is the killer, not the husband.
@@tankndg26 thanks so much for the encouragement. It’s not a textbook approach that I have (there are textbooks for that kind of analysis) but I try to make each video a unique experience. Also, I’m glad you mentioned Angel Heart, I’m planning to do it next year for its 35th anniversary.
@@hushmoney2058 I imagine his paranoia was getting the better of him and assuming that everyone was working against him in order to pin him to the crime.
A noteable film for its (creatively) unflinching portrayal of the selling of sex from the male perpetrator/perspective. As usual, a very "illuminating" Movie Birthdays review! I feel that this somewhat bleak and evocative film inflicts upon us a hollowed out emotional/empathetic environment inhabitated by our anti hero in which the objective of mixing money and intimacy is emblematic of this superficial world with its inherent risks for potential unedifying consequencies.
It has all the iconic 80s naked greed and lust for material gain in it. Every item in it was a status symbol except that ugly yellow rented car after he took his Mercedes SL apart . I can identify a bit . I worked in fashion in the eighties and my first car was an open topped 911 Carrera at age of 20 and had a swanky flat in the best part of London at the age of 19. To early , to high to fast to soon ...shoot for the whole of the moon ....and all that
What scene was the Journal writing from? Another "Lonely" Man was Don Draper on Mad Men. He was powerful, successful, charming, and a true Ladies Man despite all of that he knows that everything he got was under "questionable" circumstances. He committed identity fraud when he took the name "Don Draper", he faked his Death, he broke his Brother's Heart when he gave him Money to pay him off to not to associate with him that resulted in a suicide. He created a Job that initially didn't exist with Roger Sterling, and even spends Thanksgiving alone where he writes the Essay "A Man Walks Into A Room" that was one of the best Episodes not only in the History of Mad Men but of all time in terms of TV.
The scene was from Taxi Driver, a lot of the visual references are from his films and collaborations. I never finished watching Mad Men, I’ll have to revisit it. Thanks for your comment.
I love Julian's Typewriter. I said this on another channel but so many books were written on a Typewriter. Alot of Chick Lit Novelists wrote their classic bestellers on Typewriters. Did any of you see The documentary that Tom Hanks did about Typewriters. Truly inspiring but heartbreaking to know that a Shop Owner still owns his shop selling a product that's obsolete.
In The Movie Version, if it were up to me, he'd get acquitted for killing Leon James, The Bank would see the "transactions" that they did. Also wouldn't they have known the Car License Plate Number.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. I’m really keen to watch the series, it looked pretty decent - it’s a shame to hear you didn’t like it, I’m still curious to check it out.
@@um7asooni I’m two episodes in and so far I think it’s very good. I like the approach and it’s opened up the character of Julian in a really compelling way. Can’t wait to finish it.
@@MovieBirthdaysIt's a totally different take of the character which got more in depth to what led him to becoming a male escort. I loved the original movie since it first came out & you can't redo a classic. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 2022 series didn't try to do that at all
Fantastic video, so fantastic that IMO you made this film interesting. Watched it earlier this year and found it a beautifully designed film, with the talents of Giorgio Armani fashions and Ferdinando Scarfiotti as the unofficial production designer, how can it not be. But ultimately I found the film dull and slow.
Thanks so much. It definitely takes its time unfolding, but for some reason it’s a film I always go back to. Watching it again I think I finally got past it’s surface the ending felt different. Glad you liked the video.
That’s why that love scene with Michelle was so disjointed and void of emotion! When I saw it I was like what am I even looking at?? Random arm, legs shots, weird embrace 😂 That’s how disconnected he is when not being paid.
It’s a very stylised moment, it could easily be written off as typical love scene montage set to music that we saw a lot of in 80s movies in particular. But as you said it is put together with such precision that in brings out the subtext of the scene. Thanks for the comment.
I literally just saw this movie for the first time yesterday and was so taken by it. So good. I totally get how this is the one that catapulted Gere into sex symbol status because GO*DAMN, complete embodiment of the character. I saw they are remaking American Gigolo into a 10 episode series and The Punisher is playing Kay?? I don’t know about all that but I guess we’ll have to see.
@@JessimusPrime I’m really interested to see how the TV series works out, it’s such a great concept and a modern take will be interesting. I always found American Gigolo to be such a mesmerising film, I was always drawn to it and was never sure why, the more I watched it the more layers reveal led themselves. Here’s performance is incredible, so bold and so much charisma but at the same time he changes gears (no pun intended) to show the vulnerability so well - yet we’re never sure who the real Julian is.
@@MovieBirthdays That’s so true! He never confirms or denies anything about the murder, but you also feel like he sees his job like a true profession and I wondered, does he truly feels so strongly about his profession, his clientele and their privacy so much that he’s willing to die on that sword and not say anything to save himself? The night of the murder is not the night he went there as Leon told him they liked him so much they want him back. I think the reason the movie works so well is because of Gere. He’s appearance is attractive, appealing but not intimidating. He plays the “heart on his sleeves lover boy” part well, which makes the women feel secure and wrapped up in the fantasy, but his moves are precise and calculated. I think the women understand that which leads to a great working relationship. Michelle just didn’t get the memo and now is in this mess, that benefits Kay. I just love how it almost feels like he thinks he’s a gift to society when he explained how this woman didn’t have an orgasm for 10 years and he worked 3 hours on her to make it happen. And he asks, who else would have taken the time to do this for her? 😂😂😂 In the most genuine way possible, like he truly cares. When he’s with the women, you never get the impression that he’s sleazy. He’s focused on them, gives his best and it’s a job well done. That’s why I have a hard time picturing The Punisher pulling this off because he looks intimidating. I can’t see him with older women to make them feel good and special. I’m more than ready to be surprised by him but I have reservations.
@@JessimusPrime nice breakdown of the character, so many great dimensions beautifully played. The combination of ego and delusion. It will be interesting to see how Jon Bernthal steps into the role, he’s a very skilled and versatile actor, maybe it’s a chance for him to get away from the tough roles he’s been playing.
Wonder what there lives would be in the aftermath. Providing he got released. Julian couldn't go back to being a gigolo. The woman had disgraced herself by publically saying she had been with a gigolo. She would get a good divorce pay out from her husband. So Julian best to keep her onside.
The film does confirm that Julian wasn't the killer, Leon admits to helping the victim's husband in framing Julian for the murder, it was actually Leon's lover who killed her.
It’s true, yet it’s interesting how Paul Schrader plays on the ambiguity in order to reveal great depths and incites into Julian’s personality - his self serving and amoral nature.
@@MovieBirthdays yeah that's one of the things that make the film great. I just don't think he's playing Michelle, maybe he was in the beginning but by the end I believe he had been truly humbled by the whole ordeal and now he's able to appreciate her sacrifice for him, as if she shows him it is possible to act selflessly.
Great video btw, I discovered your channel a couple of days ago and I'm really enjoying the content!
@@camcabbas that’s a great insight. Glad you’re enjoying the channel, I release a new video every week so please stick around, I’m featuring some great movies this year and would love to hear your thoughts.
It’s still ambiguous. Julian never really denies it , he just chases people for an alibi who don’t want to give it to him .
Wrong ! There’s still ambiguity. The blonde boy is never shown at the scene of the crime. Julian was there when she died . It’s possible he killed her by accident or was forced to choke her or something. The alibis that Julian spent a long time seeking in the film were all fake including the final one he gets with Michelle . Of course we never see the actual act so it’s still left in very skilful ambiguity.
I'm jealous of Richard Gere's hair!
Same lol! It’s perfect.
Who isn't?!
Me too !! Genetics man
Richard gere was born for this role !
I lived in this LA scene many years! American Gigolo. Right on spot for that time! Richard Gere perfect for the role!
Top 25 films ever. Change from 70s world to 80s. Love Det. Sunday. Bought a convertible a week later in 1985.
An influential and iconic classic if ever there was one.
great movie. Great breakdown. Lauren Hutton is gorgeous and Gere is perfect for this.
Thanks a lot glad you enjoyed the video.
The saddest moment of AG is when Julian has to rent a Pinto.
Yeah, not his most stylish moment lol.
Pinto model had mechanical problems....was on fire!!!
He hit Rock bottom
@@MovieBirthdays I my opinion no other filmmaker deals with human nature, and the dark side better than Paul.
@@kennethrussell1158 I agree and his latest work seemed to be going even deeper into the darkness.
I think you are doing such truly engaging and intelligent work with these video essays on these films. I love it. Rarely has an actor been so perfectly cast in a role as Richard Gere is here. His physical beauty and his screen persona are perfect, as they are in his other great role 10 years later, as the truly corrupt and satyric police officer Dennis Peck in Mike Figgis' underrated Internal Affairs.
Thank you so much I’m glad you’re enjoying the videos. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Great mention of Internal Affairs as well, there’s something about Richard Gere that makes him great at playing conflicted characters. With American Gigolo, Internal Affairs, Unfaithful and even Pretty Woman he plays characters with a respectable surface who is ultimately hiding dark desires and corruption. Perhaps that’s the secret to his appeal.
@@MovieBirthdays Believe John Travolta turned it down.
@@adamcollins915 I think you’re right, he shouldn’t have turned it down. He had a rough time in the 80s. Although Blow Out and Perfect are great movies.
@@MovieBirthdays Travolta said he had just done a film with an older woman - Lily Tomlin. Which bombed. So didn't want to do another.
Travolta also turned down 'An officer & a gentleman'.
@@adamcollins915 It seems like Gere was there to pick up the pieces.
Joey was actually Leon James "Boy" who specialized in Clients who were into more of an S & M genre. Julian had so much going for him. Miss Ann "Made" him into the Man he became. When I saw the beginning of An Officer & A Gentleman or even Breathless and I look at the Fashions that Zack Mayo and Jesse wore it kind of reminds me of the Fashions that Julian wore when he was starting out. He could have been an interpreter, a Interior Designer, he could have helped men Makeover their lives like a Spin Doctor. He's deep down very lonely. You don't hear of any Family, and the Friends he has are folks who "pay" for his Company. He also finds out the hard way what alot of folks find out when you are down and out, you find out who your real friends are.
It’s a great modern tragedy - its the lack of loyalty and everyone’s self interest that fuels Julian’s downfall, but he too is the same way, maybe because of the company he keeps.
@@MovieBirthdays He's also very arrogant. Remember when he and Leon were at that Cafe/Restaurant on Rodeo Drive, and Leon warned him if those "Ladies" turn on him he's through. Food for thought. Also Rodeo Drive is synonymous in Beverly Hills. When Dick Clark had The Jackson Five on American Bandstand for the first time in 1970, he talked about how Diana Ross introduced them at The Daisy. She even briefly dated Richard Gere apparently.
@@laminage it definitely demonstrates his self-destructive streak but also how he is too arrogant to care about the consequences of his actions.
A brilliant review. Revisiting the scenes and clues amidst the cinematography was most enlightening. American Gigolo defined that epoch. You can't help but feel that Julian, for all of his relentless pursuit of material wealth and success, never really attained fulfillment or a sense of happiness. Perhaps by way of an erroneous murder allegation he met a lovely empathetic woman who could perhaps enable him to feel human.
Julian does not get arrested for Leon's murder; ironically, eye witnesses believe Julian was trying to save him and that Leon's fall was an accident. Found at the scene, Julian gets arrested for the previous murder (committed by Leon's "boy,") but is ultimately exonerated because of the alibi furnished by Michelle. Unless I have completely misunderstood the ending.
You got it. 👍
Michelle gave an alibi. The audience have to decide if that was enough.
I find it interesting when you look at Schrader’s films how they all have an element of spirituality to it. He seems obsessed with a pure figure (usually the main woman) sacrificing something and saving the man out of the depths of some depraved world that has placed them behind bars (Giglio, Light Sleeper, and Card Counter all have nearly the same ending). This is a very Calvinist idea of Christ saving sinful men who reject him at first. There’s also other themes tied to Calvinism such as a sense that things were predestined to happen (Taxi Driver), being slaves to a lifestyle we need saving from, the idea that what man means for evil God can use for good, and the overall sense of loneliness and wandering which is an idea that can come with believing everything is predestined but waiting for anything to happen (he talks about this a lot in interviews). Even First Reformed is a reformed church which tends to be Calvinistic.
Great comment. Your insight into the Calvinist ideas and the concept of predestination unites all of Schrader’s work. His characters are seeking purpose but also seem resigned to fulfil their tragic fates as some sort of punishment for sin, a way of them being cleansed for their transgressions. His next film The Master Gardener also seems to follow in this tradition.
Interesting take on this ,great channel here
Fantastico a distanza di 43 anni. Un film eterno. Grazie anche a Ferdinando Scarfiotti
Out of the 5 lonely man movies by Paul Schrader, American Gigolo sits right around the middle for me, but that’s only because Raging Bull and Taxi Driver are 2 of my all time favorite movies. That being said I really do love this movie, so much so that I even paid homage to it of sorts by filming a recreation video of his Palm Springs driving montage in the film. It’s posted on my account/channel if anyone’s interested.
I’ll check out your video. 👍
Schrader's latest masterpiece is First Reformed. A 70's movie made in 2019. Amazing!
It was a great return to form and a reminder of how vital Schrader’s work can be.
@@MovieBirthdays 41 years ago the studio sell was good looking guy gets paid for sex. This must of pissed Schrader off. I know it took multiple views years later for me to see how layered the story is.
@@johnnash297 it’s a hard film to market and I guess the fashion and star power was the best bet. Luckily the quality of the film speaks for itself and has ensured that it has endured. I think a lot Paul Schrader’s work is a bit neglected and needs more appreciation.
@@MovieBirthdays I've suggested AG to people as a film noir. Is it? I guess that's my sell with the movie.
@@johnnash297 definitely a film noir, Schrader always channels aspects of noir both thematically with morally grey characters and corrupted worlds. In the case of Gigolo we have a world weary character who has to investigate a mystery in order to clear his name after potentially being set up which is a very typical noir plot. To be more specific, American Gigolo falls into the category of neo-noir which started in the 70s and channeled the paranoia of the era in movies like Schrader’s own Taxi Driver to name a few, in the 80s the neo-noir evolved visually with movies like Manhunter, 8 million ways To die and to live and die in LA, the shadows of noir were heightened with neon and the slick 80s look. My Get Carter video and my upcoming video this week explores this genre in a bit more depth too. Hope that’s helpful.
The Giorgio Moroder soundtrack is also integral to the film's success.
I don’t think Julian committed the murder, and that scene with Anne was just put in there to leave doubt for the viewer. When he confronted Leon his behaviour clearly demonstrated to me he was actually innocent. Love this movie !
This is so inspiring. Thanks so much. Love the film :)
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Excelent insights and solid, illuminating background details. When I first saw the movie in '80 I liked it but came to discount it as superficial. I missed the whole point. It was a profound work about superficiality. I must have matured a bit since then 'cause here I am 43 years later still thinking about its meaning. Bill Duke must be mentioned for the inspiring human beig he is. When "Boogie Nights" came out in '97 I understood Paul Thomas Anderson's intent immediately. The characters were striving to make it, to boldly grasp the glitter but as you point out Julian was already where he wanted to be and desperately trying to hang on to the image because there wasn't anything else. "American Gigolo" was more subtle. That's why it went over my head just a tad.
Great analysis.
Thanks a lot.
The authorial intention of the script exonerates Julian of any foul play-- but the moral ambiguity throughout, demonstrates that it's essentially irrelevant to Julian's character development, either way.
Excellent analysis mate. Im 49 and i saw this 1st when i was 16 and even at that tender age i knew id stumbled upon something. Youre spot on about Shrader's isolated protagonists and their mirror reflections, 1st begun by John Huston when he directed Brando in Reflections of a Golden Eye. Funny thing is that Gere never tried to do something as out of the box as Gigolo.
I’m glad you enjoyed the video, it’s a film that I keep going back to, definitely something special. To my shame I haven’t seen Reflections of a Golden Eye, I need to delve deeper into Huston’s work. Thanks for the great comment.
@MovieBirthdays Reflections is dark. Very dark. Even more so than Gigolo. Although its a diff subject matter. Scorsese himself is on record saying he took the Travis Bickle mirror scene from Brando's mirror scene. Anyway. Straying from the point. I do think Gigolo actually has a happy ending and Julian learns what it means to love someone and to be loved. It's a great neo noir and gritty and real.
@@ImYourHuckleberry_29 I didn’t know that about the mirror scene, even more keen to watch it now.
I just watched this movie on a wim while scrolling through HBO Max. I really enjoyed hearig your take. Thanks!!!
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it. What was the movie?
Ok your theory seems plausible at points, maybe the “decor” client was telling the truth after all, but then why does Leon ADMIT UNAMBIGUOUSLY that he’s framing him? Is he framing him even though he actually is the killer?
I think it’s possible that Julian is the fall guy in that everyone seems to turn their back on him. It could be that he was set up from the start.
Very good comments and background information: thanks
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.
Great job man. I love the atmosphere of his movies. Gere was sure a good looking lead back then. Do you like Sorcerer??
Thanks a lot. Gere is iconic in the role. I love Sorcerer, it’s on the list for this year as it’s the 45th anniversary, will do my best to get the video done.
Richard Gere was the shit. "American Gigolo" was refreshing because you know movies, hyper good looking people pretending to be regular Joe's going through whatever. This movie tosses out that pretense a nd lays it out there realistically. This godamn bastard is so good-looking it makes you want to cry. Of course he's gonna be sleeping with women for money. What else is gonna do? So Hollywood tells the truth for once. If people are gonna watch a movie for two hours okay or kinda cute don't cut it. That goes for both men and women. So don't pretend that sex appeal ain't 99% of the equation. Siscel and Ebert may have known every trick in the book in film making, but nobody was ever gonna put them in one.
That’s a great point, Paul Schrader uses Gere’s good looks as a weapon not only is it about the sex appeal but also the vanity. Now I think it’s less acceptable to discuss or mention actors looks, but appearance is so clearly part of what makes a character as you said, as well as the authenticity and believability. Thanks again for your comment.
Thank you for the compliment. It means everything.
@@brianmallen8887 no problem, thanks for checking out my videos.
As a writer, love your insight that’s not on the page, good job sir! Very entertaining.
Thanks a lot, I try to find new insights in all the films that I look at, there are usually aspects that I’ve not noticed before or with great movies there are so many layers at work beyond the script or directors intent - some films magically evolve over time.
@@MovieBirthdays I totaly agree, i read over 200 scripts, it's never a 100% translation once the movie is done. For example, (way too many exemple out there to give) but the Fifth Element, I read script, the book, the movie making of book, and none explains many plot holes or "intent of" that intrigued me for so many year. Movie like: Dawn of the dead 1978, Angel Heart, all the Kubricks , of course and so many others! Please continue your facinating work, I'm sure your channel will grow very fast sir! PS: love your theory that Julian is the killer, not the husband.
@@tankndg26 thanks so much for the encouragement. It’s not a textbook approach that I have (there are textbooks for that kind of analysis) but I try to make each video a unique experience. Also, I’m glad you mentioned Angel Heart, I’m planning to do it next year for its 35th anniversary.
I was disappointed at the end of your narrative. I thought they were both in love with each other at last.
They were!
Very interesting analysis.
Thanks.
Excellent analysis. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Ann dropping Julian is similar to a Recording Artist being dropped by their label.
Glory¡...... Lux and Thank you sirs
Great channel
Thanks a lot, please subscribe if you haven’t already, I have lots of new videos on the way.
At 7.24....funny how two of these actors meet again many years later in "pretty woman'....
You’re right, didn’t even think of that. Great spot. 👍
I always though it was Leon setting Julian up to save his Blonde Boy because he did the Murder and Leon made more off the Blonde ...
It’s possible.
@@MovieBirthdays Also if Julian did why would look up under his car and find the what was planted ? Just a Thought ...
@@hushmoney2058 I imagine his paranoia was getting the better of him and assuming that everyone was working against him in order to pin him to the crime.
@@MovieBirthdays I concur ...Leon Planted that in his Head ...Hell it could have been Congressmen ...
Correction: Lauren Hutton does NOT play a client. She does not pay Julian for taking her to bed.
I assumed there was a transaction between them just based on the way Julian approaches her. I’ll have to watch it again.
A noteable film for its (creatively) unflinching portrayal of the selling of sex from the male perpetrator/perspective. As usual, a very "illuminating" Movie Birthdays review! I feel that this somewhat bleak and evocative film inflicts upon us a hollowed out emotional/empathetic environment inhabitated by our anti hero in which the objective of mixing money and intimacy is emblematic of this superficial world with its inherent risks for potential unedifying consequencies.
It has all the iconic 80s naked greed and lust for material gain in it. Every item in it was a status symbol except that ugly yellow rented car after he took his Mercedes SL apart . I can identify a bit . I worked in fashion in the eighties and my first car was an open topped 911 Carrera at age of 20 and had a swanky flat in the best part of London at the age of 19. To early , to high to fast to soon ...shoot for the whole of the moon ....and all that
Sounds like a crazy time, you were at the glamorous coal face by the sounds of it.
Magnifico film lleno de erotismo e intriga .Bello Gere!!
What scene was the Journal writing from? Another "Lonely" Man was Don Draper on Mad Men. He was powerful, successful, charming, and a true Ladies Man despite all of that he knows that everything he got was under "questionable" circumstances. He committed identity fraud when he took the name "Don Draper", he faked his Death, he broke his Brother's Heart when he gave him Money to pay him off to not to associate with him that resulted in a suicide. He created a Job that initially didn't exist with Roger Sterling, and even spends Thanksgiving alone where he writes the Essay "A Man Walks Into A Room" that was one of the best Episodes not only in the History of Mad Men but of all time in terms of TV.
The scene was from Taxi Driver, a lot of the visual references are from his films and collaborations.
I never finished watching Mad Men, I’ll have to revisit it. Thanks for your comment.
I love Julian's Typewriter. I said this on another channel but so many books were written on a Typewriter. Alot of Chick Lit Novelists wrote their classic bestellers on Typewriters. Did any of you see The documentary that Tom Hanks did about Typewriters. Truly inspiring but heartbreaking to know that a Shop Owner still owns his shop selling a product that's obsolete.
In The Movie Version, if it were up to me, he'd get acquitted for killing Leon James, The Bank would see the "transactions" that they did. Also wouldn't they have known the Car License Plate Number.
Hardcore disturbing and underrated
im in bad economic situation, how do i get clients as a gig, to put food on table and bills. im not really attractive tho
Use your charisma I guess.
No reason to commit the Ryman murders. He went there for a job & to get paid.
Interesting take. Would love your breakdown of 2022 American Gigolo Showtime series-which I think is terrible.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. I’m really keen to watch the series, it looked pretty decent - it’s a shame to hear you didn’t like it, I’m still curious to check it out.
@@MovieBirthdays i came here to ask the same question. Did you get a chance to watch the series?
@@um7asooni I’m two episodes in and so far I think it’s very good. I like the approach and it’s opened up the character of Julian in a really compelling way. Can’t wait to finish it.
@@MovieBirthdaysIt's a totally different take of the character which got more in depth to what led him to becoming a male escort. I loved the original movie since it first came out & you can't redo a classic. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the 2022 series didn't try to do that at all
@@nancyglem It was a very well thought out approach. It’s a shame as I think the series has been cancelled.
no goal
What is the piano piece played at the beginning here?
it's called Luster by Gavin Luke, here's the link on Spotify. open.spotify.com/track/1cukpNLzhpPWBEyoxsWvF9
@@MovieBirthdays Thank you very much for your answer! :) It's beautiful!
@@nschuehly you’re welcome.
Fantastic video, so fantastic that IMO you made this film interesting. Watched it earlier this year and found it a beautifully designed film, with the talents of Giorgio Armani fashions and Ferdinando Scarfiotti as the unofficial production designer, how can it not be. But ultimately I found the film dull and slow.
Thanks so much. It definitely takes its time unfolding, but for some reason it’s a film I always go back to. Watching it again I think I finally got past it’s surface the ending felt different. Glad you liked the video.
Its dated but still stylish as is the camera work.
The fact that it’s dated makes it even more iconic of its era. It marks the beginning of the decade of surface and materialism.
That’s why that love scene with Michelle was so disjointed and void of emotion! When I saw it I was like what am I even looking at?? Random arm, legs shots, weird embrace 😂
That’s how disconnected he is when not being paid.
It’s a very stylised moment, it could easily be written off as typical love scene montage set to music that we saw a lot of in 80s movies in particular. But as you said it is put together with such precision that in brings out the subtext of the scene.
Thanks for the comment.
I literally just saw this movie for the first time yesterday and was so taken by it. So good. I totally get how this is the one that catapulted Gere into sex symbol status because GO*DAMN, complete embodiment of the character. I saw they are remaking American Gigolo into a 10 episode series and The Punisher is playing Kay?? I don’t know about all that but I guess we’ll have to see.
@@JessimusPrime I’m really interested to see how the TV series works out, it’s such a great concept and a modern take will be interesting.
I always found American Gigolo to be such a mesmerising film, I was always drawn to it and was never sure why, the more I watched it the more layers reveal led themselves. Here’s performance is incredible, so bold and so much charisma but at the same time he changes gears (no pun intended) to show the vulnerability so well - yet we’re never sure who the real Julian is.
@@MovieBirthdays That’s so true! He never confirms or denies anything about the murder, but you also feel like he sees his job like a true profession and I wondered, does he truly feels so strongly about his profession, his clientele and their privacy so much that he’s willing to die on that sword and not say anything to save himself? The night of the murder is not the night he went there as Leon told him they liked him so much they want him back.
I think the reason the movie works so well is because of Gere. He’s appearance is attractive, appealing but not intimidating. He plays the “heart on his sleeves lover boy” part well, which makes the women feel secure and wrapped up in the fantasy, but his moves are precise and calculated. I think the women understand that which leads to a great working relationship. Michelle just didn’t get the memo and now is in this mess, that benefits Kay. I just love how it almost feels like he thinks he’s a gift to society when he explained how this woman didn’t have an orgasm for 10 years and he worked 3 hours on her to make it happen. And he asks, who else would have taken the time to do this for her? 😂😂😂 In the most genuine way possible, like he truly cares. When he’s with the women, you never get the impression that he’s sleazy. He’s focused on them, gives his best and it’s a job well done.
That’s why I have a hard time picturing The Punisher pulling this off because he looks intimidating. I can’t see him with older women to make them feel good and special. I’m more than ready to be surprised by him but I have reservations.
@@JessimusPrime nice breakdown of the character, so many great dimensions beautifully played. The combination of ego and delusion.
It will be interesting to see how Jon Bernthal steps into the role, he’s a very skilled and versatile actor, maybe it’s a chance for him to get away from the tough roles he’s been playing.
monotone 😢
Wonder what there lives would be in the aftermath. Providing he got released.
Julian couldn't go back to being a gigolo.
The woman had disgraced herself by publically saying she had been with a gigolo. She would get a good divorce pay out from her husband. So Julian best to keep her onside.
AMP1.TEC1.YEAH.