The Landlord

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The Landlord

PG,

1970,

1h 53m,

Comedy/

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

100%

13 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

As his 30th birthday nears, the aristocratic Elger Winthrop Enders (Beau Bridges) finally decides to leave his parents' home, and he purchases an apartment complex in the slums of New York. The cold-hearted Elger plans to boot out the current residents and refashion the crumbling dwelling into a luxurious bachelor pad. But after the spoiled young man befriends locals Francine (Diana Sands) and Margie (Pearl Bailey), he abandons his plans and instead focuses on charming his lovely neighbors.

Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Apr 7, 2016

Hal Ashby's dbut film as a director is one of his best.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

May 7, 2013

Liberal guilt, with a few good laughs, a lot of frantic activity, and the occasional backfire.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Oct 31, 2007

Beau Bridges heads the uniformly excellent cast as a bored rich youth who buys a black ghetto apartment building and learns something about life.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Aug 3, 2024

4/5

...gets into weeds of financial segregation and class-based racism.. a clear-eyed, satirical movie that really hits the spot, not just for Hal Ashby fans; it’s a tight, well-told expose of how racism works, with a genuine, if halting romance at its centre

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

Jul 18, 2022

3.5/4

Though Harold and Maude would secure his reputation the following year--once it caught on, that is--Ashby's first film proves he was a natural.

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Jas Keimig

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Dec 8, 2021

Anchored by Gunn's sharp, irreverent script, The Landlord does well because it focuses on the ridiculousness of wealthy white people.

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Theodore S

Apr 9, 2019

this is an OK film but not really the sort of thing i go crazy for

Feb 1, 2019

The best comedy movie ever made!

Draco W

Aug 31, 2017

Black Comedy with an Abstract 60's Painting of White Guilt. I adore Beau though.

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Hal Ashby

Director

Beau Bridges

Elgar Winthrop Julius Enders

Pearl Bailey

Marge

Diana Sands

Francine Marie Johnson

Louis Gossett Jr.

Copee Johnson

Lee Grant

Joyce Enders

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Synopsis

As his 30th birthday nears, the aristocratic Elger Winthrop Enders (Beau Bridges) finally decides to leave his parents' home, and he purchases an apartment complex in the slums of New York. The cold-hearted Elger plans to boot out the current residents and refashion the crumbling dwelling into a luxurious bachelor pad. But after the spoiled young man befriends locals Francine (Diana Sands) and Margie (Pearl Bailey), he abandons his plans and instead focuses on charming his lovely neighbors.

Director: Hal Ashby
Producer: Norman Jewison
Screenwriter: William Gunn
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Cartier Productions, Mirisch Corporation
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 1970, Original
Release Date (DVD): May 3, 2010
Runtime: 1h 53m

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