New York in the 1950s was a hotbed of artistic expression, intellectual discourse, free love, heavy drinking, hot jazz, and radical politics. Based on the best-selling book by Dan Wakefield, this film blends archival footage with interviews and footage of icons of the day: Kerouac, Ginsberg, Baldwin, Mailer, Basie, and more. Meanwhile, Joan Didion, Robert Redford, William F. Buckley, Calvin Trillin, and others offer modern-day perspectives and reminiscences.

“Richly atmospheric, engaging, intense”—New York Times. Color and B&W, 72 min.