‘Directed By … Sidney Lumet’ Vol. 2: ‘The Wiz’ And ‘Daniel’ Reviewed

Director Sidney Lumet‘s later films might not be as revered as 12 Angry Men or Dog Day Afternoon, but Imprint’s Directed By … Sidney Lumet Vol. 2 box set makes a case for why they shouldn’t be ignored.

The Wiz (1978)

One of the things I really appreciate about The Wiz, having watched it now for the first time, and that I don’t know is fully realized by those who’ve never seen the musical before, is that The Wiz isn’t The Wizard of Oz with an all-Black cast. It’s its own movie. That should be obvious and yet, while I knew the songs were different, there’s so much about The Wiz that doesn’t have a 1-to-1 correlation with The Wizard of Oz. Glinda’s role in The Wiz is completely different from Billie Burke‘s in the 1939 movie, for example, which is only a shame in that it means less screentime for Lena Horne. The two films make some completely different choices, and while the impulse for comparison is always going to be there, I love that The Wiz stands alone and apart from its predecessor.

Starring Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale, it’s also fascinating to learn about the larger conversation that seemed to exist around her casting, because today a star like Ross getting the role is a huge selling point, but it seems Ross’ age (compared to Stephanie Mills, who originated the role on Broadway) was a major sticking point. Also, too much talk about Ross’ appearance not being as glamorous as she was known to dress in real life.

When this box set was announced, the reason I hoped to cover it wasn’t because of Lumet (even though I’m a huge fan), but because I knew it would include the last commentary by film critic Lee Gambin. His championing of musicals like The Wiz was only matched by what a wonderful person he was. Here he’s joined by author Dr. Alfred L. Martin Jr. (who’s working on a book on The Wiz) to discuss everything from the film’s urban setting (a change from the Dust Bowl setting of the ’39 movie), to Dorothy’s role as a liberator in The Wiz. They also cover song changes, like Michael Jackson’s scarecrow singing “You Can’t Win” instead of “I Was Born the Day Before Yesterday,” the accusations that Lumet was the wrong choice to direct (which they push back against), The Wiz as another of Lumet’s New York movies, and the amazing costumes by Tony Walton. Imprint’s Blu-ray includes a lengthy Interview with Walton (who was also the film’s production designer) that was conducted in 2018.

Gambin and Martin’s conversation is interrupted by two interviews: one with Mike Hayes, who played one of the residents of Oz, and one with assistant director Lewis Gold. While I’m glad they were included (especially since they draw attention to the disparity between the Black cast and the predominantly white crew), I wish they could’ve been separate extras so Gambin and Martin would’ve been free to talk the whole time.

Imprint’s Blu-ray also includes an archival featurette with interview clips from Lumet and producer Rob Cohen and a video essay by film critic Michelle Kisner, where she touches on the lasting impression the subway sequence left on kids.

Daniel (1983)

Inspired by (but not based on) the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg case, Daniel follows the children of Paul and Rochelle Isaacson (Mandy Patinkin and Lindsay Crouse), communist political activists who are arrested and later executed for allegedly passing nuclear secrets on to the Soviets. Instead of playing out in chronological order, the film jumps around in time between young Daniel (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) and adult Daniel (Timothy Hutton) as they try to make sense of their childhood and find closure.

Moving between timelines is no easy feat, and Lumet pulls it off impressively. Outside of its complicated structure, Daniel can be a dry and lengthy affair. In mirroring the confusion and vagueness of the case, there’s a distance created between the film and viewers. That being said, since listening to film critic Adrian Martin‘s commentary, while I’m not completely convinced I’d feel differently after a second viewing (rather I think I’d remember the parts of the movie I wasn’t keen on the first time), Martin’s appreciation for the film has made me realize there are a lot of things to admire about Daniel if the affect of the whole isn’t quite as successful. Topics covered in Martin’s commentary include Paul Robeson’s songs, comments made by the Rosenbergs’ real son, Robert, Lumet and cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak‘s use of colored lens to convey the time periods, a Wheeties box that may be an allusion to the Jello boxes from the Rosenberg case, and Lumet’s habit of including a Black witness character in his movies.

Directed By … Sidney Lumet Vol. 2 is available on region-free Blu-ray now from Imprint Films. Keep an eye out for a separate review covering A Stranger Among Us, Critical Care, and Gloria.