A bittersweet underdog story is that of character actor John Cazale, who passed away at the young age of 42 from lung cancer. On one hand, a loveable rising star never had the proper chance to lead a film, and the many years he still had left were cut short. On the other, Cazale is an icon of the New Hollywood movement, forever associated with the turn in American cinema for the better. He only starred in five feature films. If you don’t know the story already, every single one of those films was a Best Picture nominee and/or winner. All five films that Cazale was featured in are considered some of the greatest (if not the greatest in some cases) films ever made. It’s a wonderful attribute for a guy who deserved even more.

Usually, I would do a “five films for newcomers” segment when it’s someone’s birthday. Today would have been John Cazale’s eighty fifth birthday. However, there are two different elements to today’s celebratory approach. Firstly, Cazale only starred in five films. Secondly, every single one of those films is clearly worthwhile. So, instead of ranking films based on how much I like them (stay tuned for our Best 100 Films of the 1970’s list in October), I’m ranking these solely on what films feature the late actor the best. Again, these are not ranking the films in order of how good the films are (they’re all exceptional), but on how effectively Cazale was used in these features. Here’s to John Cazale: one of the only performers in history with a perfect track record (and of such a magnitude too).

5. The Conversation
Cazale’s small part in The Conversation is a bit part as a surveillance partner to lead character Harry Caul, so you really don’t get to see him too much (which makes sense, since most of the film is centred around Caul’s project and subsequent breakdown). From the little we see, Cazale is purposefully unlikeable: a contrast from the more sympathetic Caul. Still, Cazale nails the small part, especially when he becomes the foil of sanity (somehow) for Caul’s character.

4. The Godfather
Fredo Corleone really isn’t featured much in the first Godfather film, as a practical metaphor for how his family tried to dismiss him as the next-in-like usurper of Vito Corleone. We see Fredo dismissed to Las Vegas (we can’t forget his undying support for Moe Greene, can we?), and he mostly works as a yardstick for where Michael currently is as the very man Fredo was meant to be. Don’t worry. We’ll get to see Cazale shine a little bit more in this part.

3. The Deer Hunter
Cazale’s final role was released after his death, as he was battling cancer while shooting The Deer Hunter. Even still, his role as friend Stanley was an interesting one, given how much he compared to the other friends in his group, particularly during the wedding celebration hunting trip. Sadly, there are clear moments in The Deer Hunter where you can tell that Cazale was coming close to the end; given the context of these scenes, it’s even more difficult to watch, as every cast member clearly knew this would be their final chance to act with him.

2. Dog Day Afternoon
His second last gig was evidence of where Cazale’s career was heading: up. One of his largest roles was Salvatore Naturale in the heist film gone wrong Dog Day Afternoon, and he acted alongside his best friend Al Pacino for the majority of the feature. Embodying the more anxious side of this disastrous robbery, it’s easy to side with his character when Pacino’s Sonny is trying to run the show on the fly. It’s the only time we got to see Cazale in a role of this size, and it’s an opportunity I’m grateful for.

1. The Godfather Part II
So, Fredo’s importance in the second part of this trilogy is much greater, and we get to see Cazale really get into the crux of this character’s insecurities. A few of the film’s greatest moments surround Fredo, especially given the complexities of this role. Cazale nails every moment, either with his worrisome naivety or his emotional outbursts. You can easily see why he has been granted his fate in the Corleone family, and you try to understand his rationale throughout. As difficult as the latter is to see, you can’t help but feel so empathetically for Fredo, because Cazale steals your heart in this role (even considering his actions and nature). It’s the role Cazale will be most remembered for, and these were big shoes to fill given the success of The Godfather; he succeeded with flying colours.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

John Cazale: A Perfect Filmography