''Medusa Challenger'' (1977) is a dramatic short film that was

Joe Mantegna Joseph Anthony Mantegna (, ; born November 13, 1947) is an American actor. Mantegna began his career on stage in 1969 in the Chicago production of the musical ''Hair''. He earned a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play and a Joseph Jeffe ...

’s first film. The film has been honored with numerous film festival awards and critical accolades. The film is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the American Film Institute Collection in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago Film Archives. The film is one of the few American films widely seen (legally) in the People’s Republic of China.

Plot

''Medusa Challenger'' is the story of two

flower seller A flower seller, normally a woman, traditionally sells flowers on the street. Often the flowers are carried in a basket, for example. The subject matter has been a favorite of artists.Diego RiveraThe Flower Seller, 1942. The profession has mostly d ...

s, Uncle Jack (Jack Wallace) and his nephew Joey (Joe Mantegna), who sell flowers on the busy Lake Shore Drive bridge in downtown Chicago. When the huge cement carrier '' Medusa Challenger'' causes the drawbridge to be raised and traffic to be stopped, Jack and Joey become separated. Jack is chatting with Al the bridge tender in the tower where the bridge controls are located while Joey is watching "the stuff," the fresh flowers they hope to sell, on the other side of the bridge. Jack worries about Joey since Joey is mentally challenged. Jack is determined to get across the river so he commandeers a rowboat and rows across the

Chicago River The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable because it is one of the reasons for ...

just as the big boat steams straight towards him. However, Joey rises to the occasion and sells all the flowers to the cars stopped by the bridge raising. Jack learns a new appreciation of Joey’s abilities and potential.

Background/production

''Medusa Challenger'' was shot in the summer of 1976, before the

Lake Shore Drive Lake Shore Drive (officially Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable Lake Shore Drive, and called DuSable Lake Shore Drive, The Outer Drive, The Drive, or LSD) is a multilevel expressway that runs alongside the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and adjacent to ...

"S" curve was straightened. The film was released in theaters in 1977, premiering at Chicago’s Biograph Theater. ''Medusa Challenger'' was produced by Phillip Koch and written and directed by Steven Elkins. The ''Medusa Challenger'' is an actual vessel that became notorious in Chicago during the 1960s and 1970s because the city's

drawbridges A drawbridge or draw-bridge is a type of moveable bridge typically at the entrance to a castle or tower surrounded by a moat. In some forms of English, including American English, the word ''drawbridge'' commonly refers to all types of moveab ...

often got stuck when they were raised to let her pass, causing delays similar to the setting for this film. She was renamed in 1998 and 2005 as a result of corporate acquisitions. Now known as the ''St. Marys Challenger'', she underwent conversion from a powered steamship to a barge beginning in 2013. Propelled by a dedicated

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...

, she visits the Chicago area some 30 times a year without incident. The drawbridge over Lake Shore Drive at the Chicago River is one of the largest double

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or ...

s in America.

Critical reception

"A gem. A….masterpiece of economic cinematic storytelling…that in its flawless economy recalls classic shorts such as Roman Polanski’s ''Two Men and A Wardrobe''. Generates considerable suspense because Wallace and Mantegna are such good actors."—Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times "Every once in a while a film comes along which is a pure joy to watch. The film is a gem, a ray of sunshine that brightens the day. ''Medusa Challenger'' is such a film. Anyone who sees this film will come away richer for it."—Barbara Flynn, Film News "Engaging and quietly touching…The movie has the clarity of narrative and bittersweet view of human nature of an O. Henry story."—Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times "Beautifully acted and produced…a moving and loving short film. They have seen that area…with an eye for beauty that could only come from affectionate natives."—Richard Christiansen, Chicago Daily News "Excellent. Mantegna’s performance is a masterpiece. A hauntingly beautiful musical score. A cinematic folk poem."—David Jones, Chicago Reader

Awards and recognition

*1977: Recipient of Arts Grant, Illinois Arts Council *1978: Blue Ribbon, American Film Festival *1978: Gold Plaque,

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

*1978: Gold Medal, Virgin Islands Film Festival *1978: Special Jury Award, Virgin Islands Film Festival *1978: Special Jury Award,

San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by the San Francisco Film Society, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in in ...

*1978: Selected Film for Young Adults,

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...

*1978: screening,

Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venice Film Fest ...

*1980: Emmy Award, Chicago Chapter, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences *1980: Permanent Collection, Museum of Modern Art, New York *1986: USA Independent Showcase,

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Leade ...

*2008: added to American Film Institute Collection

External links

*
New York Times article
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References

{{Reflist 1977 films American drama films Films set in Chicago Films shot in Chicago 1970s English-language films 1970s American films