The Moving Finger - Cast

The Moving Finger (1963)
Not Rated
81 min | Drama

The Moving Finger (1963)

Not Rated

81 min | Drama

A rare beatnik artifact of the early 1960s, one of only a few such films made before the hippies took over Hollywood. Low budget and in b&w, it's set in Greenwich Village, with what seems like a mostly improvised script. It begins as a ...See moreA rare beatnik artifact of the early 1960s, one of only a few such films made before the hippies took over Hollywood. Low budget and in b&w, it's set in Greenwich Village, with what seems like a mostly improvised script. It begins as a late film noir crime tale involving a bank robbery where only one of a group of thieves escapes with his life, as well as $90,000 in loot. Injured and on the run, he hides in a local tour bus and is soon taken in by a group of bohemians who shoot him full of morphine to ease his pain and let him sleep it off on a mattress. Mason is the head beatnik. There's also the owner of both an upstairs coffeehouse and garret, where these beatniks hang out. They, in turn, bring the tourist trade in. Although the robbery is supposed to be the main focus of the plot, it quickly turns into more of a character study featuring these rebellious bon vivants and their odd lifestyle, which includes smoking and selling dope, mooching at art galleries, long conversations about all sorts of things and a beat shindig, shot Cinema Verite style in the director's actual apartment. Along the way, they do things like shower together at the home of an heiress and mostly plot ways to get the bank heist money away from Mason, who's too clean-cut to be one of them, but wins us over with his naturally arrogant charisma. The whole thing climaxes at the Feast of San Gennaro, in a typically documentary style conclusion. Written by Richard Santoro See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
16 cast members

Name	Known for
Lionel Stander Anatole Anatole See fewer	The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Barbara London Bridget Bridget See fewer	Frankie and Johnny (1991)
Art Smith Jimmy Jimmy See fewer	In a Lonely Place (1950)
Wendy Barrie Angel Angel See fewer	Summer Holiday (1963)
Alan Ansara Police Officer Police Officer See fewer	Coronet Blue (1967)
Monroe Arnold Doc Doc See fewer	America (1986)
Barry Newman Mason Mason See fewer	Vanishing Point (1971)
Otto Mjaanes Actor Actor See fewer	The Moving Finger (1963)
Garry Goodrow Actor Actor See fewer	Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Cornelius Jones Actor Actor See fewer	The Moving Finger (1963)
Carol Fleming Actress Actress See fewer	Peter Loves Mary (1960)
Henry Howard Actor Actor See fewer	Mad Movies (1965)
Zelda R. Suplee Actress (as Zelda Suplee) Actress (as Zelda Suplee) See fewer	Diary of a Nudist (1961)
Mike Dana Actor Actor See fewer	Killer's Kiss (1955)
Moondog Self (uncredited) Self (uncredited) See fewer	Pineapple Express (2008)
Shel Silverstein Party Attendee (uncredited) Party Attendee (uncredited) See fewer	Almost Famous (2000)