Crossroads (1986 film)

Crossroads
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Mark Carliner (producer) Mae Woods (associate producer) Tim Zinnemann (executive producer)
Written by	John Fusco
Starring	Ralph Macchio Joe Seneca Jami Gertz Joe Morton
Music by	Ry Cooder Steve Vai
Cinematography	John Bailey
Editing by	Freeman A. Davies
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	March 14, 1986 (1986-03-14)
Running time	96 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$5,839,000 (United States)

Crossroads is a 1986 film starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson.

The film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai on the soundtrack's guitar, and harmonica by Sonny Terry. Vai also appears in the film as the devil's guitar player in the climactic guitar duel.

Fusco was a traveling blues musician prior to attending NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where he wrote "Crossroads" as a masterclass assignment under screenwriting legends Waldo Salt and Ring Lardner, Jr. The student screenplay won first place in the national FOCUS Awards (Films of College and University Students) and sold to Columbia Pictures while Fusco was still a student.

Plot

Eugene Martone (Macchio) has a fascination for the blues while he studies classical guitar at the Juilliard School for Performing Arts in New York City. Researching blues and guitar music brings famed Robert Johnson's mythically creative acclaim to his attention; especially intriguing are the legends surrounding exactly how Johnson became so talented, as well as a famed "missing song" that was lost, supposedly evermore, to the world.

In his quest to find this song, he discovers old newspaper archive clippings revealing that Johnson's longtime friend, musician Willie Brown, is alive and incarcerated in a nearby minimum security hospital. Eugene goes to see him. After Willie denies several times that he is that Willie Brown, he finally admits his identity after hearing Eugene play some blues (though Willie notes that Eugene "plays with no soul"). Willie then says he knows the missing Robert Johnson tune in question but refuses to give it to Eugene unless the boy breaks him out of the facility and gets him to Mississippi, where he has unfinished business to settle. Eugene agrees and they head south, but the boy soon realizes that Willie is constantly running minor scams such as claiming that he has more money than he actually has in order to cover their bus tickets. With no money, they end up “hoboing” from Memphis to rural Mississippi.

During their quest, Eugene and Willie experience the blues legacy of Robert Johnson first-hand, taking part in an impromptu jam session at a roadhouse (or "juke joint" as "Blind Dog" Willie puts it), where Eugene gets the nickname of "Lightning" because of his musical skill. Eugene is deeply impressed and his feelings of the authenticity of Willie being an old bluesman takes firm hold in his mind. A romantic interest surfaces in the guise of a hitchhiker, Frances (Jami Gertz), who follows them. She and Eugene end up sharing a tender moment in a hayloft. She soon thereafter becomes miffed at the mission at hand and abandons the two men, leaving Eugene saddened, but now with a true feeling for the blues, as he plays on an old Fender Telecaster guitar and a Pignose amplifier.

They ultimately reach their location in Mississippi: a rural crossroads in the middle of nowhere, where Willie reveals several secrets. There is no missing Johnson song for Eugene to learn, but Willie tells the boy that he has proven himself far beyond what learning any blues song could ever teach him. Willie also hints that his musical ability (specifically, the harmonica) and the musical ability of Robert Johnson came about because of deals with the devil made at this very location. The Devil himself (nicknamed "Scratch") shows up and says that the contract for Willie's soul is still valid, even if Willie is ultimately unsatisfied with how his life turned out.

Eugene, somewhat skeptical of the whole exchange and situation, steps into the conversation to help Willie. The Devil offers a challenge: If Eugene can come to a special concert and win a head-cutting guitar duel against his ringer guitarist (Steve Vai in the role of "Jack Butler"), then Willie gets his soul back. If Eugene loses, then Eugene's soul is now forfeit. Still skeptical of everything, Eugene unwisely agrees to the deal, despite Willie's protests. Willie and Eugene are transported to a music hall, where metal-blues guitar master Jack Butler, who also sold his soul for musical ability, is wowing the crowd with his prowess.

Eugene and Jack Butler begin their blistering guitar duel, and Eugene is eventually able to win the battle by falling back on his classical training and performing music that his opponent cannot match. Willie's soul is free, and he and Eugene are transported back to Mississippi, where they start walking again, uncertain of the life ahead of them.

Cast

• Ralph Macchio as Eugene Martone
• Joe Seneca as Willie Brown
• Jami Gertz as Frances
• Joe Morton as Scratch's Assistant
• Robert Judd as Scratch
• Steve Vai as Jack Butler
• Dennis Lipscomb as Lloyd
• Harry Carey, Jr. as Bartender
• John Hancock as Sheriff Tilford
• Allan Arbus as Dr. Santis
• Gretchen Palmer as Beautiful Girl / Dancer
• Al Fann as Pawnbroker
• Wally Taylor as O.Z
• Tim Russ as Robert Johnson
• Tex Donaldson as John McGraw
• Guy Killum as Willie at 17
• Akosua Busia as Woman at Boardinghouse
• Edward Walsh as Harley Tethune
• Allan Graf as Alvin

Music and guitar duel

Main article: Crossroads (1986 film, OST)

Reviews

The film was well reviewed by critics and has a 79% certified "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.^[1] Roger Ebert in his review stated that the movie "borrows so freely and is a reminder of so many other movies that it's a little startling, at the end, to realize how effective the movie is and how original it manages to feel despite all the plunderings." He praised the film's acting and music, giving the movie 3.5 stars out of 4.^[2]

References

1. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1004995-crossroads/
2. ^ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19860314/REVIEWS/603140301/1023

External links

• Crossroads at the Internet Movie Database
• Crossroads at AllRovi
• Crossroads at Rotten Tomatoes
• Crossroads - Arlen Roth's page about the shooting of the film