Who's That Knocking at My Door?

Name: Who's That Knocking at My Door?
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: September 8, 1968
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Anne Collette, Bill Minkin, Harry Northup, Harvey Keitel, Lennard Kuras

1968

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Joseph Brenner Associates (JBA) | Release Date: September 8, 1968 | R

Starring: Anne Collette, Bill Minkin, Harry Northup, Harvey Keitel, Lennard Kuras, Michael Scala, Philip Carlson, Saskia Holleman, Tsuai Yu-Lan, Zina Bethune

Summary: J.R. (Harvey Keitel) is a typical Italian-American on the streets of New York. When he falls for a girl (Zina Bethune), he decides to get married and settle down, but when he learns that she was once raped, he cannot handle it. More explicitly linked with Catholic guilt than Scorsese's later work, we see what happens to J.R. when hisJ.R. (Harvey Keitel) is a typical Italian-American on the streets of New York. When he falls for a girl (Zina Bethune), he decides to get married and settle down, but when he learns that she was once raped, he cannot handle it. More explicitly linked with Catholic guilt than Scorsese's later work, we see what happens to J.R. when his religious guilt catches up with him.… Expand

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 90 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

I have no reservations in describing it as a great moment in American movies. Read full review

Roger Ebert

To be sure, Scorsese was occasionally too obvious, and the film has serious structural flaws, but nobody who loves movies believes a perfect one will ever be made. What we hope for instead are small gains on the fronts of hope, love, comedy and tragedy. It is possible that with more experience and maturity Scorsese will direct more polished, finished films--but this work, completed when he was 25, contains a frankness he may have diluted by then. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

In the aggressive self-confidence, the use of rock music, and the perceptive observation, Scorsese reveals an anthropological feel for street life and the attitudes of male adolescence, particularly how introversion and weakness are reserved for moments with the opposite sex, kept carefully apart from the mainstream of life. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

This is the ultimate student film.... The film is a creative, ultra-low-budget effort with a good sense of place and character. Scorsese presents a detailed look at the lives of these confused boys struggling to become men in an oppressive environment. Read full review

Vincent Canby

The director, who also wrote the original story and screenplay, hasn't succeeded in making a drama that is really much more aware than the characters themselves. The result is a movie that is as precise—and as small—as a contact print. Read full review

Scott Tobias

The film never jells, but it's the Rosetta Stone for Scorsese's later work. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Zina Bethune, as the girl, is believable but Harvey Keitel, as the anti-hero, is alternatively boorish or bewildered. Scorsese occasionally brings the film to life.... Generally, however, his script and direction lack any dramatic value and give far too much exposure to sexual fantasies on the part of the boy. Read full review

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User Reviews

Gamzguy17

Aug 21, 2021

Martin Scorsese's debut film has serious editing problems and it isn't exactly a showcase of his directing talents that he would later perfect, but 'Who's That Knocking at my Door?' is still a strong film that ditches a thorough plotline in favour of an artistic commentary regarding lateMartin Scorsese's debut film has serious editing problems and it isn't exactly a showcase of his directing talents that he would later perfect, but 'Who's That Knocking at my Door?' is still a strong film that ditches a thorough plotline in favour of an artistic commentary regarding late 1960's New York, youth culture, and exploitative sex. This film has some balls to exploit what was considered taboo and it does so with accompanying smart dialogue (Scorsese wrote this too) and some lovely landscapes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Gari23

Dec 31, 2020

Very good beginning from my favorite movie director. It has incredible performances and a story that's simple, but effective. 7.5/10

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AndrewBurge

Jan 9, 2019

Scorsese's debut film is one which lacks polish in pretty much any presentation category, but most obviously in editing and sound mixing. It can be a noisy mess at times, and its awkward editing offers a limp pace and can create confusion. The thing is, though, the man was never one toScorsese's debut film is one which lacks polish in pretty much any presentation category, but most obviously in editing and sound mixing. It can be a noisy mess at times, and its awkward editing offers a limp pace and can create confusion. The thing is, though, the man was never one to bother with smoke and mirrors, but always create an intimate connection between his characters, which were always his focus.

With its jagged look, this film also offers unfiltered, frank situations, and I feel like its lead character, J.R. (Harvey Keitel) might be an overall representation of Scorsese himself. When he first talks to the unnamed girl (Zina Bethune), we can relate to him. He makes small talk about movies. This is Scorsese showing his respect for the art in a way that, really, no director does. J.R. could have talked about literature, music, but no. He mentions Western Classics, mostly surrounding John Wayne, films like "The Searchers" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance". And he talks about these again and again, making me feel like he really loves them and not just fighting against the awkward silence.

While there is a lack of polish, there is also this purity and brutal expression that he does. In the very first scene, we see Scorsese's late mother making food and serving it to a couple of children. The scenes with J.R. and his do-nothing friends are of a raw mess and he almost stereotypes Italians. There is also a ravishing sexual scene in which J.R. fascinates over bedding multiple prostitutes one after the other. This is a bluntly expressive machismo sexual fantasy and its a perfect example of Scorsese's in-your-face approach which he has not came back to at such a level since then.

In his later works, Scorsese would continue to juggle with women, tough guys, his Italian upbringing, the art of cinema, but what I believe is his deepest and most complex emotion is religion. Its present in this film, although briefly. This is something which he has struggled to comprehend all his life, and in 1967 he was too young and, as we can see from the lack of academic proficiency, too inexperienced to feel confident in handling it.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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