The Huston Family: 75 Years on Film

The Hustons occupy a unique position in moviemaking history: a family of actors, writers and directors whose careers jointly span over 75 years at the forefront of an industry that they both challenge and embody. Patriarch Walter (1884–1950), a prolific character actor with roots on the stage, excelled at portraying the sinful and saintly sides of humanity in films by D. W. Griffith, William Wyler, Josef von Sternberg, and Jean Renoir, and gave his signature performance in his son John’s Treasure of the Sierra Madre. John (1906–1987) defined the spirit of independent filmmaking on both sides of the camera, zigzagging between studio-financed projects (The Maltese Falcon, The Kremlin Letter) and labors of love (Beat the Devil, Wise Blood). His daughter Anjelica (born 1951) and son Danny (born 1962) have made acting and directing choices that exhibit the same strength of character and literary inspiration that distinguish their father’s work. Regal and poised on screen, Anjelica has succeeded as a director, evoking the wrenching as well as celebratory elements in strident stories of family life (Bastard Out of Carolina, Agnes Browne). Beginning his career with colorful adaptations of classics (Mr. North), Danny has given bravura performances fueled by a rich voice and towering presence. This retrospective demonstrates the intertwined nature of the Hustons’ careers and highlights their range and influence throughout virtually every genre of narrative cinema.

Organized by Mary Lea Bandy, Chief Curator Emerita; Ron Magliozzi, Assistant Curator, Research and Collections; and Leigh Goldstein, Executive Assistant, Department of Film and Media.

Special thanks to Anjelica and Danny Huston for their invaluable help and participation in this series. With grateful thanks to Snowden Becker, Michael Pogorzelski (Academy Film Archive); Fleur Buckley ( bfi National Film and Television Archive); Sue Jones (bfi Distribution); Claude Bertemes (Cinematheque Municipale de Luxembourg); Barnard Rose and Lisa Enos (Enos Rose Productions); Barnaby Thompson, Tabitha Jenkins (Fragile Films); Neil Moryson (First Look Pictures); Michael Fitzgerald; Donna Dickman, Sonia Pachmayer (Focus Features); Caroline Yeager (George Eastman House); Eric Grayson; Steven Haft; Gary Hoffman; Gary Kaskel; Gary Palmucci (Kino Pictures International); Mike Mashon (Library of Congress); Clark Woods (MGM); Paramount Pictures; Marlene Haegele (Showtime Networks); Michael Schlesinger, Susanne Jacobson (Sony Pictures Entertainment); Laura de Castro (Tartan Distribution); Schawn Belston (Twentieth Century Fox); Todd Wiener (UCLA Film and Television Archive); Paul Ginsburg (Universal); Linda Evans-Smith, Marilee Womack (Warner Brothers).