Zoot Suit (film)
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| Directed by | Luis Valdez |
| Produced by | Peter Burrell |
| Written by | Luis Valdez |
| Starring | Daniel Valdez Edward James Olmos |
| Music by | Lalo Guerrero Daniel Valdez |
| Cinematography | Michael Tronick |
| Editing by | Jacqueline Cambas |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 1981 |
| Running time | 103 min. |
| Country | U.S. |
| Language | English |
Zoot Suit is a 1981 filmed version of the Broadway play Zoot Suit. Both the play and film were written and directed by Luis Valdez. The film stars Daniel Valdez, Edward James Olmos — both reprising their roles from the stage production — and Tyne Daly. Many members of the cast of the Broadway production also appeared in the film. Like the play, the film features music from Daniel Valdez and Lalo Guerrero, the "father of Chicano music."
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[edit] Story
In Zoot Suit, Luis Valdez weaves a story involving the real-life events of the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial — when a group of young Mexican-Americans were wrongfully charged with murder — and the Zoot Suit Riots. In the play, Henry Reyna (inspired by real-life defendant Hank Leyvas) is a pachuco gangster and his gang, who were unfairly prosecuted, are thrown in jail for a murder they did not commit. The play is set in the barrios of Los Angeles in the early 1940s against the backdrop of the Zoot Suit Riots and World War II. As in the play, Edward James Olmos portrays El Pachuco, an idealized Zoot Suiter, who functions as narrator throughout the story and serves as Henry's conscience.
[edit] Awards
The film was nominated for the 1982 Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (won by Arthur).
[edit] Cast
The cast of the film (in credits order):
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[edit] Trivia
- Despite the film being in color, the original theatrical trailer was in black and white.
[edit] See also
- Zoot Suit, the play
- Zoot suit
- Zoot Suit Riots
