The Day of the Locust

Fifty years after its release, The Day of the Locust returns to the screen—a biting satire that lays bare the decay of the American dream machine, with a resonance that endures today. Adapted from Nathanael West’s novel of the same name, the film is set in 1930s Los Angeles and follows painter Tod Hackett as he falls for Faye Greener, an aspiring actress in a Hollywood fueled by violence, frustration, and collective delusion. In this bizarre tragicomedy starring Donald Sutherland and Karen Black, director John Schlesinger blends searing critique with spectacle, crafting a bitter allegory of a world where everyone wants to be a star—no matter the cost.