1002:
280:
393:
and she asked him to write an article and he says only if they write privately. Bloomfield revisits Henry and tells him how Della is doing at
Ventura School for Girls, but Henry is mad at Bloomfield because she didn't reply to his love letters. She admits she doesn't want to lose her job after the case is over. Henry then kisses her and walks out.
29:
392:
The boys are found guilty of the first- and second-degree murder. Alice
Bloomfield, a newspaper writer trying to help clear their names, visits them in jail. Henry tells her he wants to drop out of the case. She argues with him, and Henry decides to get back in the case. Henry flirts with Bloomfield
388:
After waking, Harry goes into town and gets his friends. By the time they return to Sleepy Lagoon, Rafas and his friends were gone. They head across the lagoon to the party at the ranch heard earlier, and are attacked upon being mistaken for Rafas's group. Della sees El
Pachuco beating someone on the
376:
The film flashes back to the night of the dance. Rudy, Henry's brother, is drunk and tries to start a fight with Rafas, but Henry breaks them up and goes back to dancing. Rafas harasses Della, leading to Henry and Rafas fighting with switchblades. Henry tackles Rafas and has him on the floor with a
396:
Henry is confined to solitary for 90 days for bad behavior. During this period, Henry battles his inner thoughts with El
Pachuco, leading to a deteriorating mental state. Della visits to see how Henry is doing, and lets him know that she is out of the Ventura School for Girls thanks to four months
403:
However, it is then revealed Henry would be sent back to prison only a few years later for armed robbery, dying behind bars. But
Pachuco snaps them back to the dance hall, where two alternate endings of Henry's story are offered by the different characters: perhaps Henry died in jail; or maybe he
384:
Della then testifies that after the party, she and Henry drove to Sleepy Lagoon. They got out of the car to enjoy the view and heard music at a party going on across the way. A car bearing Rafas and his friends arrives; the men threaten Henry and Della before smashing the car and fighting Henry.
530:
The film earned some controversy for being staged as a combination of play and movie; most of it was shot in normal cinematic fashion, but some scenes featured audience members watching the show, with the actors occasionally performing among them—a decision that
365:
In a flashback, El
Pachuco stands next to Henry’s bedroom dresser and hands him a switchblade to put in his pocket after Henry gets dressed in a zoot suit. Henry’s mother Dolores has a bad feeling about him dressing in the zoot suit.
380:
Back in the present, Shearer tells a judge it has been two months since the boys have had a haircut or any clean clothes. The first witness is
Sergeant Frank Galindo, who discovered found Jose Sanchez's dead body at Sleepy Lagoon.
361:
The film starts out with singing and dancing at the party. Henry Reyna, a young
Mexican American, is arrested for murder by the LAPD a day before he leaves for the Navy. Police officers then interrogate and beat him.
1209:
858:
373:. George Shearer tried to help them defend the murder case. El Pachuco and Henry disagree about the lawyer; El Pachuco believes that Henry should not accept help from a white man.
569:
1224:
1189:
1169:
1259:
1219:
1254:
1184:
859:"National Film Registry Adds 'Purple Rain', 'Clerks', 'Gaslight' & More; 'Boys Don't Cry' One Of Record 7 Pics From Female Helmers"
1214:
1194:
1174:
1179:
1154:
1069:
358:
gangster. El
Pachuco, an idealized Zoot Suiter, functions as narrator throughout the story and serves as Henry's conscience.
290:
583:
1159:
1042:
1229:
1204:
1164:
788:
725:
698:
315:
1244:
1239:
742:
1249:
1234:
1025:
335:
trial, where a group of young
Mexican-Americans were charged with murder, resulting in the racially fueled
389:
ground. At the end of Della's testimony, she is remanded to the custody of the Ventura School for Girls.
226:
1199:
527:
called it "a holy mess of a movie, full of earnest, serious intentions and virtually no achievements".
476:
1149:
1121:
1062:
939:
494:
464:
458:
347:
400:
On November 8, 1944, Henry and the boys were released from jail for being wrongfully convicted.
549:
986:
440:
422:
as "El Pachuco", portrayed as a true zoot suiter with a long black coat and red undershirt.
1055:
370:
332:
297:
8:
1144:
1091:
1001:
553:
262:
also appeared in the film. Like the play, the film features music from Daniel Valdez and
1031:
669:
259:
863:
805:
747:
633:
574:
565:
419:
251:
144:
88:
1018:
975:
784:
752:
721:
694:
509:
as Rudy Reyna, Henry's brother and a troublemaker who is also in the 38th Street gang
106:
616:
369:
Henry and his friends are jailed after being accused of the murder of Jose Diaz at
238:
233:
223:
61:
1107:
1037:
835:
778:
715:
688:
675:
628:
539:
336:
1047:
912:
587:
532:
523:
500:
488:
470:
428:
885:
690:
America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies
656:
1138:
980:
890:
830:
756:
518:
413:
404:
died in the Korean war; or maybe he and Della lived happily ever after in LA
377:
switchblade to his neck, but at El Pachuco’s urging chooses not to kill him.
263:
247:
116:
84:
351:
229:
28:
1079:
991:
944:
603:
579:
243:
42:
1007:
969:
997:
506:
482:
452:
623:
548:
In 2019, the film was selected for preservation in the United States
434:
255:
1013:
556:
as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
350:
in the early 1940s against the backdrop of the Zoot Suit Riots and
599:
355:
354:. Henry Reyna (inspired by real-life defendant Hank Leyvas) is a
545:
has an approval rating of 55% based on reviews from 11 critics.
343:
1210:
Films set on the United States home front during World War II
479:
as Ismael "Smiley" Torres, co-founder of the 38th Street gang
917:
300:
by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise.
254:—both reprising their roles from the stage production—and
1043:
In-depth information about the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial
714:
Baron, Cynthia; Tzioumakis, Yannis (January 29, 2020).
455:
as Jose "Joey" Castro, a member of the 38th Street gang
242:. Both the play and film were written and directed by
717:
Acting Indie: Industry, Aesthetics, and Performance
687:Benshoff, Harry M.; Griffin, Sean (April 6, 2021).
777:Welsch, Janice R.; Adams, J. Q. (March 30, 2005).
485:as Tommy Roberts, a member of the 38th Street gang
1077:
535:in his Movie Guide called "a major distraction".
1136:
713:
686:
1063:
680:
856:
776:
1225:United States National Film Registry films
1070:
1056:
1000:
707:
27:
913:"Cognac Festival du Film Policier (1983)"
783:. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 113–114.
316:Learn how and when to remove this message
857:Tartaglione, Nancy (December 11, 2019).
806:"Celebrating "Zoot Suit" By Luis Valdez"
331:presents a fictionalized version of the
1190:Films about racism in the United States
940:"Zoot Suit (Special Edition) (Blu-Ray)"
804:Ibarra, Alexander (September 3, 2023).
570:Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
513:
1137:
803:
780:Multicultural Films: A Reference Guide
693:. John Wiley & Sons. p. 158.
1170:American films based on actual events
1051:
740:
651:
649:
1260:English-language musical drama films
1220:Musical films based on actual events
743:"'Zoot Suit,' Filmed From The Stage"
564:The film was nominated for the 1982
273:
741:Canby, Vincent (January 22, 1982).
584:Festival du Film Policier de Cognac
13:
1255:English-language independent films
1185:Films about miscarriage of justice
646:
582:won the 1983 Critics Award at the
258:. Many members of the cast of the
14:
1271:
963:
266:, the "father of Chicano music."
291:too long or excessively detailed
278:
932:
905:
878:
461:as Lupe, Henry's younger sister
850:
823:
797:
770:
734:
663:
1:
1215:Films about Mexican Americans
1195:Films directed by Luis Valdez
1175:American films based on plays
639:
593:
449:Bernadette Colognne as "Legs"
1180:American musical drama films
1155:1980s English-language films
1026:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
287:This article's plot summary
7:
609:
10:
1276:
1160:1980s musical drama films
1086:
598:The film was released on
559:
207:
199:
191:
183:
173:
159:October 2, 1981
150:
140:
124:
112:
102:
94:
80:
72:
56:
48:
38:
33:Theatrical release poster
26:
21:
1230:Universal Pictures films
1205:Films set in Los Angeles
1165:American courtroom films
342:The story is set in the
339:throughout Los Angeles.
16:1981 film by Luis Valdez
407:
397:off for good behavior.
269:
1245:Films set in the 1940s
1240:1981 independent films
550:National Film Registry
446:Abel Franco as Enrique
425:Rose Portillo as Della
443:as Judge F.W. Charles
1250:Self-reflexive films
1235:1980s American films
514:Reception and legacy
333:Sleepy Lagoon murder
133:Center Theatre Group
720:. Springer Nature.
554:Library of Congress
465:Francis X. McCarthy
437:as Alice Bloomfield
260:Broadway production
222:is a 1981 American
1078:Films directed by
987:TCM Movie Database
864:Deadline Hollywood
831:"Zoot Suit (1981)"
748:The New York Times
657:"AFI|Catalog"
634:List of hood films
566:Golden Globe Award
420:Edward James Olmos
252:Edward James Olmos
145:Universal Pictures
89:Edward James Olmos
1200:Films set in 1943
1132:
1131:
586:for Zoot Suit in
491:as Sergeant Smith
431:as George Shearer
326:
325:
318:
246:. The film stars
215:
214:
107:Jacqueline Cambas
1267:
1150:1981 drama films
1072:
1065:
1058:
1049:
1048:
1004:
957:
956:
954:
952:
936:
930:
929:
927:
925:
909:
903:
902:
900:
898:
882:
876:
875:
873:
871:
854:
848:
847:
845:
843:
827:
821:
820:
818:
816:
801:
795:
794:
774:
768:
767:
765:
763:
738:
732:
731:
711:
705:
704:
684:
678:
667:
661:
660:
653:
606:March 15, 2022.
473:as Dolores Reyna
321:
314:
310:
307:
301:
282:
281:
274:
166:
164:
135:Mark Taper Forum
31:
19:
18:
1275:
1274:
1270:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1265:
1264:
1135:
1134:
1133:
1128:
1082:
1076:
1038:Box Office Mojo
966:
961:
960:
950:
948:
938:
937:
933:
923:
921:
911:
910:
906:
896:
894:
884:
883:
879:
869:
867:
855:
851:
841:
839:
836:Rotten Tomatoes
829:
828:
824:
814:
812:
810:The Daily Chela
802:
798:
791:
775:
771:
761:
759:
739:
735:
728:
712:
708:
701:
685:
681:
676:Box Office Mojo
668:
664:
655:
654:
647:
642:
629:Zoot Suit Riots
612:
596:
562:
540:Rotten Tomatoes
516:
477:Marco RodrĂguez
410:
337:Zoot Suit Riots
322:
311:
305:
302:
298:help improve it
295:
283:
279:
272:
176:
169:
162:
160:
153:
136:
134:
129:
127:
119:
87:
67:
65:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1273:
1263:
1262:
1257:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1130:
1129:
1127:
1126:
1118:
1112:
1104:
1096:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1075:
1074:
1067:
1060:
1052:
1046:
1045:
1040:
1029:
1028:
1016:
1005:
989:
978:
965:
964:External links
962:
959:
958:
931:
904:
877:
849:
822:
796:
789:
769:
733:
726:
706:
699:
679:
662:
644:
643:
641:
638:
637:
636:
631:
626:
621:
611:
608:
595:
592:
588:Cognac, France
561:
558:
533:Leonard Maltin
524:New York Times
515:
512:
511:
510:
504:
501:Robert Beltran
498:
495:Dennis Stewart
492:
489:Kurtwood Smith
486:
480:
474:
471:Lupe Ontiveros
468:
462:
456:
450:
447:
444:
438:
432:
429:Charles Aidman
426:
423:
417:
416:as Henry Reyna
409:
406:
324:
323:
286:
284:
277:
271:
268:
213:
212:
209:
205:
204:
201:
197:
196:
193:
189:
188:
185:
181:
180:
177:
174:
171:
170:
168:
167:
156:
154:
151:
148:
147:
142:
141:Distributed by
138:
137:
132:
130:
125:
122:
121:
114:
110:
109:
104:
100:
99:
96:
95:Cinematography
92:
91:
82:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
68:by Luis Valdez
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1272:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1124:
1123:
1122:The Cisco Kid
1119:
1116:
1113:
1110:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1101:
1097:
1094:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1085:
1081:
1073:
1068:
1066:
1061:
1059:
1054:
1053:
1050:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1035:
1034:
1030:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1021:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1006:
1003:
999:
995:
994:
990:
988:
984:
983:
979:
977:
973:
972:
968:
967:
947:
946:
941:
935:
920:
919:
914:
908:
893:
892:
891:Golden Globes
887:
881:
866:
865:
860:
853:
838:
837:
832:
826:
811:
807:
800:
792:
790:9780313319754
786:
782:
781:
773:
758:
754:
750:
749:
744:
737:
729:
727:9781137408631
723:
719:
718:
710:
702:
700:9781118743690
696:
692:
691:
683:
677:
673:
672:
666:
658:
652:
650:
645:
635:
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
619:
618:
614:
613:
607:
605:
601:
591:
589:
585:
581:
577:
576:
571:
567:
557:
555:
551:
546:
544:
541:
536:
534:
528:
526:
525:
520:
519:Vincent Canby
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
484:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
466:
463:
460:
459:Alma MartĂnez
457:
454:
451:
448:
445:
442:
441:John Anderson
439:
436:
433:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
414:Daniel Valdez
412:
411:
405:
401:
398:
394:
390:
386:
382:
378:
374:
372:
371:Sleepy Lagoon
367:
363:
359:
357:
353:
349:
345:
340:
338:
334:
330:
320:
317:
309:
299:
294:
292:
285:
276:
275:
267:
265:
264:Lalo Guerrero
261:
257:
253:
249:
248:Daniel Valdez
245:
241:
240:
235:
231:
228:
225:
221:
220:
210:
206:
203:$ 2.7 million
202:
198:
194:
190:
187:United States
186:
182:
178:
172:
158:
157:
155:
149:
146:
143:
139:
131:
123:
120:Daniel Valdez
118:
117:Lalo Guerrero
115:
111:
108:
105:
101:
97:
93:
90:
86:
85:Daniel Valdez
83:
79:
76:Peter Burrell
75:
71:
64:
63:
59:
55:
51:
47:
44:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1120:
1115:La Pastorela
1114:
1106:
1099:
1098:
1092:I Am Joaquin
1090:
1032:
1019:
1008:
992:
981:
970:
949:. Retrieved
943:
934:
922:. Retrieved
916:
907:
895:. Retrieved
889:
880:
870:December 11,
868:. Retrieved
862:
852:
840:. Retrieved
834:
825:
813:. Retrieved
809:
799:
779:
772:
760:. Retrieved
746:
736:
716:
709:
689:
682:
670:
665:
615:
597:
573:
563:
547:
542:
537:
529:
522:
517:
402:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
379:
375:
368:
364:
360:
352:World War II
341:
328:
327:
312:
303:
288:
237:
230:musical film
218:
217:
216:
175:Running time
152:Release date
60:
1080:Luis Valdez
951:October 11,
945:Kino Lorber
924:October 11,
897:October 11,
886:"Zoot Suit"
815:October 11,
762:October 11,
604:Kino Lorber
580:Luis Valdez
503:as Lowrider
348:Los Angeles
244:Luis Valdez
224:independent
211:$ 3,256,082
179:103 minutes
98:David Myers
73:Produced by
52:Luis Valdez
43:Luis Valdez
39:Directed by
1145:1981 films
1139:Categories
998:Letterboxd
640:References
620:, the play
594:Home media
507:Tony Plana
497:as Swabbie
483:Kelly Ward
453:Mike Gomez
306:March 2024
208:Box office
163:1981-10-02
126:Production
49:Written by
1100:Zoot Suit
1033:Zoot Suit
1020:Zoot Suit
1009:Zoot Suit
993:Zoot Suit
982:Zoot Suit
971:Zoot Suit
842:March 25,
757:0362-4331
671:Zoot Suit
624:Zoot suit
617:Zoot Suit
543:Zoot Suit
435:Tyne Daly
329:Zoot Suit
256:Tyne Daly
239:Zoot Suit
219:Zoot Suit
128:companies
103:Edited by
66:1978 play
62:Zoot Suit
22:Zoot Suit
1108:La Bamba
1014:AllMovie
610:See also
572:(won by
467:as Press
234:Broadway
192:Language
113:Music by
81:Starring
57:Based on
1023:at the
985:at the
600:Blu-ray
552:by the
521:of the
356:pachuco
344:barrios
296:Please
289:may be
232:of the
195:English
184:Country
161: (
1125:(1994)
1117:(1991)
1111:(1987)
1103:(1981)
1095:(1969)
787:
755:
724:
697:
575:Arthur
560:Awards
200:Budget
236:play
227:drama
976:IMDb
953:2023
926:2023
918:IMDb
899:2023
872:2019
844:2022
817:2023
785:ISBN
764:2023
753:ISSN
722:ISBN
695:ISBN
568:for
408:Cast
270:Plot
1036:at
1012:at
996:at
974:at
674:at
602:by
578:).
538:On
346:of
1141::
942:.
915:.
888:.
861:.
833:.
808:.
751:.
745:.
648:^
590:.
250:,
1071:e
1064:t
1057:v
955:.
928:.
901:.
874:.
846:.
819:.
793:.
766:.
730:.
703:.
659:.
319:)
313:(
308:)
304:(
293:.
165:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)