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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1919 Vision of Howard Hickman
As a cultural artifact of the 1919s, Josselyn's Wife provides the global recognition that Howard Hickman garnered after the release of Josselyn's Wife. Elevating the source material through Howard Hickman's unique vision, it solidifies Howard Hickman's reputation as a master of the craft.
In Josselyn's Wife, Howard Hickman pushes the boundaries of conventional narrative. The film's unique approach to its subject matter has sparked endless debates and interpretations among cinephiles and critics alike.
To fully appreciate Josselyn's Wife, one must consider the cinematic climate of 1919. During this period, United States was undergoing significant artistic shifts, and Howard Hickman was at the forefront of this cult movement, often challenging established norms.
| Cinematography | Handheld |
| Soundtrack | Minimalist |
| Editing | Slow-Burn |
| Art Direction | Brutalist |
Visualizing the convergence of Howard Hickman's style and the core cult narrative.
Ellen Latimer meets artist Gibbs Josselyn at a party where she is snubbed. After they fall in love and marry, they move to Europe, where Gibbs finishes his art studies, because he resents the young, frivolous wife of his father Thomas, an architect. Five years later, after Gibbs has made a name for himself, they return, responding to Thomas' plea to see his grandson Tommy. At their Long Island home, Thomas and Tommy become fast friends, while Gibbs falls prey to his flirting stepmother Lillian, to Ellen's dismay. When Ellen and Thomas find Lillian in a negligee at Gibb's studio one morning after Gibbs supposedly was working and Lillian visiting a friend, Gibbs, innocent of any wrong-doing, leaves after quarreling with Thomas and threatening to kill him. The next day, when Thomas is found dead, Gibbs is imprisoned. After Tommy calmly confesses to shooting Thomas while playing soldier, Gibbs is released and reunited with the faithful Ellen.
Decades after its release, Josselyn's Wife remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Howard Hickman's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.