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Accidental Genius: How John Cassavetes Invented the Independent Film
A renowned film critic critically analyzes the influence of actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes on the evolution of American independent film, drawing on interviews with his wife, Gena Rowlands, as well as other colleagues and industry insiders, who shed new light on his seminal career. 15,000 first printing.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published January 25, 2006
About the author
Marshall Fine
8 books19 followersMarshall Fine is an author, journalist, critic, historian, and filmmaker.
His first novel, "The Autumn of Ruth Winters," will be published by Lake Union Press in November 2024.
His second novel, "Clara’s Girl," was recently purchased by Lake Union Press, to be published in the fall of 2025.
Fine is the author of three biographies: "Bloody Sam: The Life and Films of Sam Peckinpah" (1991); "Harvey Keitel: The Art of Darkness" (1998); and "Accidental Genius: How John Cassavetes Invented the American Independent Film" (2006).
Fine started writing rock criticism for the Minneapolis Star at the age of 18, beginning a journalism career that covered a half-century. He spent 25 years as film critic and entertainment writer for Gannett Newspapers and another 10 as film/TV critic for Star magazine. He wrote the website Hollywood & Fine.com from 2008-16.
His writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, USA Today, New York Observer, Variety, Premiere, Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated, Penthouse, Indiewire.com and Entertainment Weekly. He conducted the Playboy Interview with both Howard Stern and Tim Robbins, and wrote more than two dozen cover stories for Cigar Aficionado as contributing editor.
Fine is a four-time former chairman (1992, 2002, 2006, 2015) and member emeritus of the New York Film Critics Circle. He was named general manager of the NYFCC in 2016 and retired from the position in 2021. He received a special award from the group in 2022 for "service to the group and his many decades on the New York film scene."
After 20 years of programming and hosting subscription film clubs at four different venues in the New York area, he retired in May 2021 as critic-in-residence at The Picture House in Pelham, NY, where he created its sold-out film club. He received the Harold Lloyd Lifetime Achievement Award from The Picture House in 2021.
Fine spent the 2020-21 academic year as an adjunct journalism professor at Purchase College-SUNY.
He directed and produced the documentary features "Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg" and "Do You Sleep in the Nude?", and the short documentary, "Flo Fox’s Dicthology."
His photography show, “Natural & Unnatural,” was exhibited in the Ossining Public Library Gallery in January 2023.
His first novel, "The Autumn of Ruth Winters," will be published by Lake Union Press in November 2024.
His second novel, "Clara’s Girl," was recently purchased by Lake Union Press, to be published in the fall of 2025.
Fine is the author of three biographies: "Bloody Sam: The Life and Films of Sam Peckinpah" (1991); "Harvey Keitel: The Art of Darkness" (1998); and "Accidental Genius: How John Cassavetes Invented the American Independent Film" (2006).
Fine started writing rock criticism for the Minneapolis Star at the age of 18, beginning a journalism career that covered a half-century. He spent 25 years as film critic and entertainment writer for Gannett Newspapers and another 10 as film/TV critic for Star magazine. He wrote the website Hollywood & Fine.com from 2008-16.
His writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, USA Today, New York Observer, Variety, Premiere, Cosmopolitan, Sports Illustrated, Penthouse, Indiewire.com and Entertainment Weekly. He conducted the Playboy Interview with both Howard Stern and Tim Robbins, and wrote more than two dozen cover stories for Cigar Aficionado as contributing editor.
Fine is a four-time former chairman (1992, 2002, 2006, 2015) and member emeritus of the New York Film Critics Circle. He was named general manager of the NYFCC in 2016 and retired from the position in 2021. He received a special award from the group in 2022 for "service to the group and his many decades on the New York film scene."
After 20 years of programming and hosting subscription film clubs at four different venues in the New York area, he retired in May 2021 as critic-in-residence at The Picture House in Pelham, NY, where he created its sold-out film club. He received the Harold Lloyd Lifetime Achievement Award from The Picture House in 2021.
Fine spent the 2020-21 academic year as an adjunct journalism professor at Purchase College-SUNY.
He directed and produced the documentary features "Robert Klein Still Can’t Stop His Leg" and "Do You Sleep in the Nude?", and the short documentary, "Flo Fox’s Dicthology."
His photography show, “Natural & Unnatural,” was exhibited in the Ossining Public Library Gallery in January 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 19, 2022
Lovely straight forward biography that includes some choice stories, interviews and quotes. Cassavetes is such an intoxicating figure to read about – you just want to know him and work with him and strangle him all at the same time.
But man, when the author doesn't like something he sure gets obnoxiously dismissive about it. His ire towards 'Chinese Bookie' paired with his constant use of an outdated slur to refer to a character in the film turned me real cold towards his writing – which honestly never quite recovers afterward because it's clear Fine doesn't much care for the rest of Cassavetes later work... (which yeah, sure, vary in quality, but c'mon... big disappointment after all the time spent waxing poetic about previous films.)
But man, when the author doesn't like something he sure gets obnoxiously dismissive about it. His ire towards 'Chinese Bookie' paired with his constant use of an outdated slur to refer to a character in the film turned me real cold towards his writing – which honestly never quite recovers afterward because it's clear Fine doesn't much care for the rest of Cassavetes later work... (which yeah, sure, vary in quality, but c'mon... big disappointment after all the time spent waxing poetic about previous films.)
February 6, 2009
Very readable biography of a dynamic but secretive individual. For the most part, Mr. Fine shows respect for his subject except for a couple of digressions in his reviews of some of Mr. Cassavetes films. However, the love of those who knew and worked with him outshines any negative commentary the author feels necessary to indulge.
February 24, 2021
“I just like to make movies.”
Read
April 9, 2024Marshall Fine lo advierte: la mayor fuente sobre Cassavettes, su esposa Gena Rowlands, respeta sus deseos de privacidad y sus fuentes serán otras. Empieza su biografía directo, sin apenas antecedentes familiares, y la estructura de presentar tres capítulos por película (argumento; preproducción y/o rodaje; recibimiento) se repite a lo largo del libro.
No me gusta nada, por ejemplo, lo infatuado que está Fine con Cassavettes. Es comprensivo con ciertas cosas (el altercado con Kael) pero además, considera el input de Cassavettes el más interesante y presta menos atención al talento individual que rodeaba a Cassavettes (Elaine May) en las pelis que no dirigió. Es más generoso con Rowlands, eso sí. Y los análisis de las películas deberían sustituir al mero recapitular del guión.
La parte final del libro es apresurada pero es interesantísima. La información está bien estructurada y las fuentes testimoniales consultadas son excelentes. Sin embargo, hay deficiencia en fuentes textuales o en su análisis (¿por qué no tratar de analizar las obras de teatro que Cassavettes usó para su última etapa u explorar por qué su cine se vuelca en el teatro, como espacio y como inicio creativo?).
En cualquier caso, una gran intro al maestor, claro.
No me gusta nada, por ejemplo, lo infatuado que está Fine con Cassavettes. Es comprensivo con ciertas cosas (el altercado con Kael) pero además, considera el input de Cassavettes el más interesante y presta menos atención al talento individual que rodeaba a Cassavettes (Elaine May) en las pelis que no dirigió. Es más generoso con Rowlands, eso sí. Y los análisis de las películas deberían sustituir al mero recapitular del guión.
La parte final del libro es apresurada pero es interesantísima. La información está bien estructurada y las fuentes testimoniales consultadas son excelentes. Sin embargo, hay deficiencia en fuentes textuales o en su análisis (¿por qué no tratar de analizar las obras de teatro que Cassavettes usó para su última etapa u explorar por qué su cine se vuelca en el teatro, como espacio y como inicio creativo?).
En cualquier caso, una gran intro al maestor, claro.
November 22, 2011
The writing is nothing special, but not distracting. Fine tells the story--of course not detailing Cassavettes's writing process as much as I wish he would or could have--of a filmmaker I admire more than I can say. I can't critique a life, so I'll just say I'm happy to know more about Cassavettes's. I usually cry at the end of a biography or a memoir when the protagonist dies. Fine's writing doesn't really invite this, but also there seemed to be no major injustice in Cassavettes's life. You might say he was at a disadvantage being so totally original and firm in his convictions. This means he suffered, yes--but look what he created. Look at the results he got through the fight he knew was right. From the outside, it looks like he had it all and earned everything he had. I admire him so much.
November 8, 2007
The third biography I've read of John Cassavetes. Nothing too different or new then the others, but the author is slightly more critcal of him and at least touches upon the topics of his alcholism and possible infidelities that the other biographies skirted arround. Still new info or not the story of Johns life is an inspiring story that I keep coming back to in various times of my life. It gives me fuel.
July 22, 2021
great anecdotes and a solid production history of the man’s films. simple, it gets the job done. the writing won’t win any awards but it doesn’t need to reach for that. this book serves as great historical and conceptual contextualization (leaning more towards historical) for Cassavetes’ films; don’t read this before seeing them all. this book will spoil the plot in a disappointing way, i promise you.
one of the great American artists. his films mean more to me with each day.
one of the great American artists. his films mean more to me with each day.
October 12, 2008
If I could have met Cassavetes, I would have offered to work for free just to be part of whatever he was doing.
January 24, 2012
I so clearly remember the circumstances around which I bought & read this book: fall 2008, strep throat, five days off from work, scenic strolls through Central Park, purchasing tulips to stick in recycled Kombucha bottles adorning my apartment, snuggling to bed with this. I read it in less than a week, even though it wasn't a super compelling Cassavetes biography (how is that possible). For THAT kind of book, check out "Cassavetes on Cassavetes" by Ray Carney, which is my favorite type of biography: an oral one! Still, I guess it was super helpful to have a narrative, Wikipedia-ish approach to the life of this man, one of my heroes, if only because I like referencing the facts! The best parts are the bits about the creative ways he would finance his films and his pro-active involvement of his family in making them, of course. The pictures included in the middle are also really beautiful: he seemed really tender and athletic, what majesty. And it goes without saying he had the most gorgeous and brilliant wife on the scene: "got the hottest chick in the game wearing my chain."
October 5, 2023
I'm torn. I want to reward Cassavetes with five stars for his life lived entirely without ambition but for the desire to make a world where he can be surrounded by creative people and make theater happen, but i want to punish Marshall Fine with two stars for the crappy writing. It actually works, though, the chapters are so predictable that it lets the cold hard facts shine through.
Something that really stood out to me in this book is learning that the first cut of Husbands was hilarious and very watchable, which pissed off Cassavetes so he cut it to be difficult to sit through. This made my watching of it change.
Something that really stood out to me in this book is learning that the first cut of Husbands was hilarious and very watchable, which pissed off Cassavetes so he cut it to be difficult to sit through. This made my watching of it change.
September 28, 2007
I love the works of John Cassavetes and really appreciated his acting as well as his films alot more after reading this book. My wife got me this as a gift. Honestly, one of my favorite informative reads of past years. But thats because I like John Cassavetes alot.
March 24, 2008
I had to read this because I love the guy's movies so much, but there's not a lot of info here that you couldn't get off of Wikipedia or something. Worth it if you're a fan...if not, I do believe some netflix queuing is in order.
March 30, 2023
This goes into great detail on some of Cassavetes' best work, featuring archival and contemporary interviews from those closest to him, and the man himself, for further insight into the artist at home and at work.
January 18, 2015
The sub-title may be arguable, but the importance of Cassavetes' life and work isn't and this biography captures the passion that went into both.
February 14, 2021
Middle of the road. Readable.
December 23, 2021
Fantastic biography of a pioneering filmmaker. A must-read for anyone with a fire in their belly to create.
August 25, 2022
Fantastic detail about a maverick producer/editor/writer/actor ... written extremely well
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews