Abstract
In his article in Film Culture, Jonas Mekas wrote about Shadows: "It doesn't prove anything, it doesn't even want to say anything, but really it tells more than ten or 110 other recent American films." Later, he wrote in Sight and Sound: "Since their most passionate obsession is to capture life in its more free and spontaneous flight, these films could be described as a spontaneous cinema." This quotes show how much Shadows enables us to understand the American society of the 50s. John Cassavetes chose indeed to represent the New York life in 1959 in a very spontaneous and realistic way. Moreover, he tackles serious social, cultural and racial themes.
Then, it is relevant to analyse the representation and the role of the main female character, Lelia. In the 50s, the feminist movement was just beginning to grow. But the pill invented by Pincus was for instance not commercialized until 1960. Thus, the 50s are an interesting transition period. Lelia represents the typical young woman of the 50s: on the one hand, she wants to become independent and emancipated; on the other hand, she is still seen and represented as frail and even quite superficial.
