Shadows
“A film not to be missed.”
Synopsis
The relationship between Lelia, a light-skinned black woman, and Tony, a white man is put in jeopardy when Tony meets Lelia’s darker-skinned jazz singer brother, Hugh, and discovers that her racial heritage is not what he thought it was.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Shadows (1959) - trailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2012-04-17
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Ben Carruthers
Ben
Lelia Goldoni
Lelia
Hugh Hurd
Hugh
Anthony Ray
Tony
Dennis Sallas
Dennis
Tom Reese
Tom
David Pokitillow
David
Rupert Crosse
Rupert
Davey Jones
Davey
Pir Marini
Pir the Piano Player
Victoria Vargas
Vickie
Jack Ackerman
Jack
Jacqueline Walcott
Jacqueline
Cliff Carnell
Jay Crecco
Ronald Maccone
Bob Reeh
Joyce Miles
Girl in Restaurant
Release History & Theatrical Window
Venice International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
March 21, 1961
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John Cassavetes
- Screenplay & Story
- John Cassavetes, Robert Alan Aurthur
- Original Score
- Charles Mingus
- Original Title
- Shadows
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 27m
- Production Studios
- Lion International
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John Cassavetes
John Cassavetes, Robert Alan Aurthur
Charles Mingus
Erich Kollmar
Maurice McEndree, John Cassavetes
Maurice McEndree, Nikos Papatakis
Department Leadership Roster
John Cassavetes
Writer
Maurice McEndree
Producer
John Cassavetes
Director
Maurice McEndree
Editor
John Cassavetes
Editor
Nikos Papatakis
Producer
Erich Kollmar
Director of Photography
Charles Mingus
Original Music Composer
Randy Liles
Production Design
Bob Reeh
Production Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Shadows.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Shadows.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:30:01 UTC+8)*
On This Day Movies
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
My Movies
Master List In Progress
Abstrusest 2
Similar Titles to Shadows
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
4.7
6.5
6.8
6.8
7.1
6.8
6.6
6.5
7.0
5.5
7.0
5.5
6.2
7.1
6.2
5.2
5.0
7.8
More Like Shadows
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shadows
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Shadows about?
The relationship between Lelia, a light-skinned black woman, and Tony, a white man is put in jeopardy when Tony meets Lelia’s darker-skinned jazz singer brother, Hugh, and discovers that her racial heritage is not what he thought it was.
Who directed Shadows?
Shadows was directed by John Cassavetes.
Who stars in Shadows?
The principal cast of Shadows includes Ben Carruthers, Lelia Goldoni, Hugh Hurd, Anthony Ray, Dennis Sallas.
When was Shadows released and how long is it?
Shadows was released in 1960 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.
Who composed the musical score for Shadows?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Shadows was composed by Charles Mingus.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Shadows?
Shadows holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).