Next Stop, Greenwich Village

REVIEW
Mazursky's excellent semiautobiographical account of his early adulthood in 1950s Greenwich Village is one of the first American films in which a writer-director looks back at his youth. Baker gives a rich characterization as an aspiring actor who leaves his Brooklyn home for the unknown wilds of the Village. There, he befriends an eccentric group while waiting for his big break. Mazursky sees the era as a magical time, and his affection shows. The director's evocation of an almost mythical period is first-rate; it's as if Marty McFly grabbed a camera and took the DeLorean for another ride. There's a strong supporting cast, but the acting honors go to Winters for her hilarious turn as Baker's quintessential overprotective mom (wait till you see her tap dance!). Though not as well known as some of his other films, Next Stop, Greenwich Village is possibly Mazursky's best.