Well-made but inconsequential triangle drama

Well-made but inconsequential triangle drama, with Raymond Burr playing a brooding, resentful industrialist who may or may not be a terminal case -- resentments are directed primarily at wife Sara Shane, who was responsible for crippling him in a boating accident. (To correct another comment here, it is clearly a boating accident that crippled Burr, as revealed in a tense sequence on the water in which Burr nearly rams the boat carrying him, John Cassavettes, and Shane into some rocks.)

Cassavettes, a jazz pianist scraping out a living at a local watering hole, spends the bulk of the movie trying to untangle from Shane's web of sexual come-ons and neediness, something his character has difficulty with. Burr makes a complex villain/protagonist, filling in his angry cuckolded husband with numerous human qualities that earn audience sympathy. Unlike the claims of an earlier comment, the relationship between Shane and the loyal Cuban servant Valdes is not a mystery. Rather, unlike how current movies might handle such a plot device, the adultery of Shane is always implicit and not explicit. A suggestive and violent scene on the ocean beach reveals their relationship within the boundaries of 1957 censorship -- if this film were remade today, that scene would be excessively sexual and heavy.

The movie's ending is not atypical of programmer features of the era, as Cassavettes nods, returns to his piano -- as in "the show must go on" -- and soldiers on, finally shed of both Shane and the tawdriness that surrounded their relationship. The rushed finale suggests, for him, the best of all possible worlds.

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Songwriter falls in love with a crippled man's wife.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Raymond Burr and Sara Shane in Affair in Havana (1957)

Miguel Ángel Blanco and Lilia Lazo in Affair in Havana (1957)

John Cassavetes and Sara Shane in Affair in Havana (1957)

Affair in Havana

Photos10

Top Cast8

User reviews6

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed