Zoot Suit (1981)
Part fact and part fiction, Zoot Suit is the film version of Luis Valdez's critically acclaimed play, based on the actual Sleepy Lagoon murder case and the zoot suit riots of 1940s Los Angeles. Henry Reyna is the leader of a group of Mexican-Americans being sent to San Quentin without substantial evidence for the death of a man at Sleepy Lagoon. As part of the defense committee, Alice Bloomfield and George Shearer fight the blatant miscarriage of justice for the freedom of Henry and his friends.
Watch Trailer
Free Trial Channels
Cast
Similar titles
Reviews
It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.
Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.
Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.
One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.
this movie was a great look at Chicano culture in the 40's.. i feel that it relevant now as well... i think it's more moving if you are Chicano and have grown up in that culture...it might be hard to feel towards the characters if you have not experienced the type of racism that Chicanos go through..i myself have and maybe i am biased and see this movie very inspirational...but what can i do about it, i'm brown. i recommend this movie even if your are not Latino.. you can see what people of other races went through...experiences that were not put in the history books by white America...see what was done to Chicanos of that time.
Zoot Suit seriously is the WORST MOVIE EVER!!!! Don't dare attempt to watch it. Seriously! It was dreadful. The only positive element was how the movie portrayed the treatment of young Mexican/Latino/Chicano Americans in LA back when World War II was going on. Prejudice is defiantly made known in this movie. Beyond that, everything was terribly done. All the characters were extremely flat, and even if they did have some elements of being round, they were far from being well developed. They had a lot going for them, but I believe the director did not go far enough or went in a completely wrong direction. I, at first, thought it was going to be a satire. It was nothing like I was expecting. I was expecting comedy, and instead I found myself watching a movie/play, which I have nothing against. In fact, I love the those kinds of films (i.e. Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Singing in the Rain, Guys and Dolls, etc.) I am all for movies that are mockeries but this one was not one of those films. It was a bad movie. The storyline was good. The set was great. I believe the actors and the director though needed assistance. It could have been so much more. However, comparing it to Mexican soap operas I suppose it was better but really it could have been so much more. I was very disappointed. I am interested in seeing the Broadway version however. I really would like to see the play at it's absolute best. It has potential. It just has not been used yet.
This film is a work of art. Of the finest quality. I first saw it at the Sunset Theater in downtown Los Angeles over 20 years ago. I was impressed with it then. Now that I have my own copy, I continue to be impressed by the quality of the performances, the screen writing, the sets, the music and dancing, and the feeling. I gave it a "10" which puts me in the same category as the "under 18 age females", OK, I guess I don't mind being in a group with some under 18 age females, sounds pretty good, eh, ese? Kudos for Luis Valdez, Daniel Valdez, Edward James Olmos, Tyne Daly and muchos otros. Great work, can't say enough good things about it.
I saw this on the Independent Film last year, very good film, revolves around Gangs but gangs in the 1940's.Also a film about Latinos (my people) and the problems they face in the inner city.It's much better than those terrible soap opera's in Mexico, this film is a musical but it's also a drama focusing on different Hispanic characters.