Little Stabs at Happiness (1963)

"Little Stabs at Happiness" is an intriguing cinematic quartet, a film unfolding in four distinct acts, each a unique vignette of life's eccentricities. The opening act, "In the Room," plunges us into an intimate world where a man and woman garbed in peculiar attire sit ensconced in an antique claw-foot tub, puffing on cigarettes. As they bask in their unusual sanctuary, the man indulges in the strange pastime of tormenting a hapless doll. The narrative then transitions to "They Stopped to Think," a contemplative segment where the lens captures a woman laboring to position a stool against a wall. The filmmaker in a voiceover dives into his past relationships with the people in the frame, people who once occupied a significant space in his life but are now mere memories. The third act, "It Began to Drizzle," transports us to a bustling street-side patio. A man and a woman, seemingly aimless, lounge around, struggling to decide their next step. The scene then switches to the charming simplicity of a man and children creating chalk masterpieces on the sidewalk, their artwork drawing various reactions from passersby. The film concludes with "The Spirit of Listlessness (Jack Smith)," featuring a man reveling in his solitude on an urban rooftop. Surrounded by balloons and an assortment of items, he playfully interacts with the camera, offering a compelling end to this unique cinematic journey.

Little Stabs at Happiness is a short movie featuring Jack Smith.

Little Stabs at Happiness is currently streaming on Metrograph.