11:31 pm - February 25, 2025
Delancey: A Time Capsule of New York City in Flux
"Delancey," a film steeped in the rich tapestry of New York City’s cultural and social evolution, captures the essence of a bygone era. Much like the iconic New York-set films of the 1970s and 1980s, it serves as a vivid snapshot of a city in the throes of transformation. The film is not just a romantic comedy but also an accidental documentary, preserving the essence of a Gotham that no longer exists. For those who call New York home, "Delancey" is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, reminder of what they miss about the city. For younger viewers and recent arrivals, it offers a glimpse into a world they never knew, a time when the city was raw, unpolished, and teeming with life.
The Literary and Cultural Landscape of 1970s-80s NYC
At the heart of "Delancey" is its protagonist, Izzy Grossman, played by Amy Irving, a woman navigating the cultural and literary scene of 1970s New York. Izzy works in a tony uptown bookstore, a space that feels more like a gallery than a place to buy books. The film offers a window into the vibrant literary culture of the era, where bookstore events were akin to sophisticated gatherings and employees flipped through the pages of Interview magazine to stay abreast of what was hip. Yet, the film doesn’t just focus on the city’s upscale intellectual circles; it also delves into its eccentric underbelly. In one unforgettable scene, an elderly woman belts out a powerful a cappella rendition of "Some Enchanted Evening" at a Gray’s Papaya, while a customer, Moved by her performance, turns off his boombox in a moment of silent respect. These touches paint a portrait of a city that was as much about its highbrow aspirations as it was about its quirky, grassroots charm.
Gentrification and Assimilation: The Dual Worlds of Izzy Grossman
While "Delancey" outwardly appears to be a classic opposites-attract romantic comedy, it hides a sharper, more nuanced exploration of gentrification and assimilation. Izzy, a woman torn between her humble roots and her aspirational lifestyle, embodies this conflict. She resides in a rent-controlled apartment on the Upper West Side, a relic of a more affordable New York, but frequently visits her bubbe on the Lower East Side. Director Joan Silver and screenwriter Susan Sandler use these two worlds—uptown and downtown—to create a visual and emotional contrast. Izzy’s life is a study in duality: the sleek, modern apartment she calls home versus the earthy, immigrants’ bohemia of her childhood neighborhood. When her bubbe suggests pairing her with a local marriage broker, Izzy’s horror is palpable. “This is not the way I live,” she protests. “This is a hundred years ago!” Her resistance to tradition is understandable, but it also highlights her internal conflict, caught as she is between the old world of her upbringing and the new world she’s trying to create for herself.
Love Across Class Lines: The Romance at the Heart of Delancey
The romantic relationship at the center of "Delancey" is fraught with tension, not just because of the differences between Izzy and her love interest, Sam, but because of the class divide that separates them. Sam, played by Peter Riegert, is the owner of a pickle stand on the Lower East Side, a charming and unapologetically working-class man. Their meeting is orchestrated by the marriage broker, but it’s clear from the start that Izzy sees Sam as beneath her. When she visits him at his stand, her discomfort is evident; the sight of pickle juice dripping from his hands is enough to wipe the smile from her face. This moment is telling, capturing as it does Izzy’s deep-seated ambivalence toward her own roots and the world she’s left behind. Yet, for all her snobbery, Izzy is a sympathetic character, a woman grappling with the complexities of assimilation and identity.
Breaking the Mold of the Typical Rom-Com
What sets "Delancey" apart from other romantic comedies of its era is its willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about class and privilege. Unlike the films of Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, or Woody Allen, which often focus on affluent New Yorkers living in upscale apartments or charming suburban homes, "Delancey" acknowledges the economic and cultural divides that shaped the city. Izzy’s journey is not just about finding love but also about reconciling the person she is with the person she once was. Her reluctance to embrace Sam’s world—even as she is drawn to his charm and authenticity—reflects the larger struggles of assimilation, where the pursuit of upward mobility often comes at the cost of one’s cultural identity.
A Celebration of New York’s Eccentric Soul
At its core, "Delancey" is a love letter to New York City, capturing the spirit of a place that was both gritty and beautiful, diverse and divisive. The film’s attention to detail is remarkable, from the bustling streets of the Lower East Side to the genteel atmosphere of the Upper West Side. It’s a celebration of the city’s eccentric soul, its ability to bring together people from all walks of life in moments of unexpected connection. In Izzy and Sam’s story, we see a microcosm of the larger social changes taking place in 1970s New York, a city grappling with gentrification, economic inequality, and the tensions between tradition and modernity. "Delancey" is not just a romantic comedy; it’s a time capsule, preserving a fragment of a New York that no longer exists, and reminding us of the power of cinema to capture the essence of a place and a moment in time.