Cast

Warren Finnerty, William Redfield

Film description

An electrifying adaptation of Jack Gelber’s controversial play The Connection. An enthusiastic young director films a group of junkies as they talk, bicker and improvise jazz whilst waiting for their drug “connection”. Although theatrical, the performances, mainly by members of New York’s famous Living Theatre, cohere to achieve a perfect balance. Joining the ensemble cast in the latter stages is one Carl Lee, a powerful black actor who would become an important part of Clarke’s life. Also amongst the excellent cast are Blue Note legends Jackie McLean and Freddie Redd, reprising their roles from the stage version, where they developed the jazz  musical sketches that soon had grown into fully formed be-bop classics. Clarke’s  razor-sharp, effortlessly cool debut feature, the cinematic value of which is undoubtedly beyond measure.

Niall Grieg Fulton