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The Landlord (1970) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Landlord (1970) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1970 · 112 min · English
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Directed by
Hal Ashby
Starring
Lee Grant, Mel Stewart, Beau Bridges, Diana Sands, Louis Gossett Jr., Marki Bey

Fleeing a conventional life, 29-year-old Elgar Enders purchases a Brooklyn brownstone with the intention of evicting the existing tenants. However, his plans are unexpectedly complicated by the building’s vibrant community. As Elgar interacts with tenants like Fanny and Lanie, he forms unexpected connections and confronts the complexities of urban life. The experience challenges his initial goals and leads to a heartwarming exploration of love, identity, and the importance of community.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like The Landlord
  8. 8 Every angle
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4 main characters · contains spoilers

The Landlord Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Landlord (1970), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Elgar Enders

    Elgar is a young man caught between his affluent upbringing and the reality of life in a low-income tenement. His initial ambition of displacement evolves into a genuine commitment to his tenants, illustrating his character's growth and moral awakening. His struggles with love and fatherhood also add depth to his identity.

    • 👨‍💼 Protagonist
    • 🔄 Transformation
  • Lanie

    Lanie is a captivating mixed-race dancer whose relationship with Elgar highlights the themes of love and identity. Her background adds complexity to their romance, revealing the struggles with colorism and societal expectations. She represents a bridge between Elgar’s privileged world and the realities faced by those in her community.

    • 💃 Dancer
    • 🌈 Cultural Identity
  • Fanny

    Fanny, a tenant in the building, embodies resilience as she navigates her unexpected pregnancy and relationship with Copee. Her struggles with single parenthood and her proposal for adoption reflect the difficult choices faced by many in her situation. She serves as a catalyst for Elgar's transformation.

    • 👩‍👧 Mother
    • 💔 Conflict
  • Copee

    Copee is an activist grappling with his identity, representing the anger and frustration of the community in response to Elgar's actions. His conflict with Elgar introduces themes of accountability and violence, highlighting the personal struggles that intersect with larger societal issues.

    • ✊ Activist
    • ⚔️ Antagonist

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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Setting

Where and When Does The Landlord Take Place?

The setting of The Landlord (1970): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The film is set during a period of urban gentrification, characterized by significant social change and economic challenges. This time is marked by socioeconomic disparities as affluent individuals move into lower-income neighborhoods, leading to tensions and transformations within the community.

Location

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Park Slope, located in Brooklyn, is known for its beautiful brownstones and vibrant community. Amidst its ongoing gentrification, it serves as a backdrop for social dynamics between affluent newcomers and established low-income residents. The tenement in the story symbolizes both Elgar's privileged past and the rich, diverse life of the people it houses.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 🏠 Tenement

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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3 major themes

The Landlord Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Landlord (1970) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Identity

    Identity is a central theme as characters navigate their personal backgrounds and social expectations. Elgar's journey from privilege to empathy highlights the struggles of understanding one’s place within a community. The relationships Elgar forms with residents challenge preconceived notions about race and class.

  • Love

    Love in the film extends beyond romance; it speaks to community and responsibility. Elgar's relationships with Lanie and Fanny reflect different aspects of love, such as passion, obligation, and the complexities of interracial dynamics. In the end, his choice to embrace fatherhood shows a transformative love for both the child and the community.

  • Gentrification

    Gentrification is depicted through Elgar's initial intentions contrasted with his eventual empathy for the tenants. This theme reveals the tension between economic development and the displacement of long-standing communities, showcasing the human costs involved in real estate transformations.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:24

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Character & theme questions

The Landlord Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Landlord (1970): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is The Landlord set?

The film takes place in Park Slope, Brooklyn, specifically in a tenement building that becomes the focal point of the story. Park Slope is known for its brownstones and was undergoing gentrification during the time period, creating a backdrop of tension between affluent newcomers and established low-income residents.

  • park slope
  • brooklyn
  • tenement
  • setting
  • new york city
Q2

When does The Landlord take place?

The film is set during the 1970s, a period marked by intense urban gentrification in cities like New York. This era saw significant socioeconomic changes as affluent individuals began moving into lower-income neighborhoods, creating tension and transformation within communities.

  • 1970s
  • gentrification era
  • time period
  • 1970s new york
  • urban change
Q3

What does The Landlord say about gentrification?

The film explores gentrification through Elgar's initial plan to evict tenants from his Brooklyn brownstone. His journey from a privileged landlord seeking profit to someone who develops genuine empathy for the existing community illustrates the human costs of urban development and the tension between economic progress and displacement of long-standing residents.

  • gentrification
  • displacement
  • urban development
  • landlords
  • tenants
Q4

Who is Elgar Enders and what is his role?

Elgar Enders is a 29-year-old man from an affluent background who purchases a Brooklyn brownstone with plans to evict the tenants. His role evolves from a detached, privileged landlord to an engaged community member who forms genuine connections with his tenants, ultimately challenging his preconceptions about race, class, and responsibility.

  • elgar enders
  • protagonist
  • landlord
  • tenant relationships
Q5

What is the identity theme in The Landlord about?

Identity is central to the film, as characters navigate their personal backgrounds and social expectations. Elgar's journey from privilege to empathy highlights the struggle of understanding one's place within a community, while his relationships with residents challenge his preconceived notions about race and class.

  • identity
  • self-discovery
  • class
  • race
  • personal growth
Q6

How does The Landlord portray love?

Love in the film extends beyond romance to encompass community and responsibility. Elgar's relationships with Lanie and Fanny represent different aspects of love, passion, obligation, and the complexities of interracial dynamics. His eventual embrace of fatherhood and commitment to the community demonstrates transformative love.

  • love
  • romance
  • community
  • relationships
  • family
Q7

Who is Lanie and what is her significance?

Lanie is a captivating mixed-race dancer whose relationship with Elgar highlights themes of love and identity. Her background adds complexity to their romance, revealing struggles with colorism and societal expectations. She serves as a bridge between Elgar's privileged world and the realities of her community.

  • lanie
  • dancer
  • mixed-race
  • love interest
  • romance
Q8

Who is Copee and what does he represent?

Copee is a community activist who grapples with his identity and represents the anger and frustration of residents responding to Elgar's attempted displacement. His conflict with Elgar introduces themes of accountability and the personal struggles that intersect with larger societal issues.

  • copee
  • activist
  • community anger
  • resistance
  • social conflict
Q9

Who is Fanny and what is her story?

Fanny is a tenant in the building who faces an unexpected pregnancy and navigates single parenthood. Her relationship with Copee and her proposal for adoption reflect the difficult choices faced by many in her situation. Her storyline serves as a catalyst for Elgar's moral transformation.

  • fanny
  • pregnancy
  • single mother
  • copee
  • tenant
Q10

What does the brownstone represent in The Landlord?

The tenement building symbolizes both Elgar's privileged past and the rich, diverse life of the people who live there. It represents the intersection of different social classes and serves as the physical space where Elgar's transformation occurs, embodying the tensions and possibilities of urban community.

  • brownstone
  • tenement
  • symbol
  • community building
  • space
Q11

How does The Landlord address race and class?

The film explicitly examines racial and class dynamics through Elgar's relationships with his diverse tenants. His privileged background contrasts sharply with the low-income residents, and his interactions challenge his assumptions about race and socioeconomic status, leading to personal growth and cross-cultural understanding.

  • race
  • class
  • racism
  • social dynamics
  • interracial relationships
  • inequality

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Landlord, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Landlord tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Urban Transformation Stories Like The Landlord

Character-driven stories where unlikely figures find purpose in vibrant city communities. Explore movies like The Landlord about personal redemption found within a vibrant city community. If you enjoyed the journey of a protagonist finding purpose and connection in an unexpected urban setting, these similar dramas and comedies capture that same heartwarming, transformative vibe.

  • hopeful
  • transformative
  • community
  • heartwarming
  • redemptive
  • urban
  • Tone: hopeful, warm, thoughtful
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows an initially detached or privileged protagonist who enters a specific urban community, often through property ownership or a new job. Their initial plans are complicated by the lives of the residents, leading to conflict, understanding, and ultimately, a deep sense of belonging and responsibility. The plot is driven by character evolution rather than high-stakes external events.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a central theme of personal transformation sparked by immersion in a community. They blend social observation with heartfelt character arcs, maintaining a steady, thoughtful pace and a consistently hopeful tone. The emotional core is one of connection overcoming prejudice or isolation.

Dramedies About Social Issues Like The Landlord

Stories that explore social divides with both sharp observation and genuine warmth. Find movies similar to The Landlord that blend drama and comedy to explore social dynamics like class and community. If you liked how The Landlord handled serious topics with warmth and hope, these films offer a comparable thoughtful yet uplifting viewing experience.

  • thoughtful
  • dramatic
  • warm
  • social commentary
  • interracial romance
  • class conflict
  • Tone: thoughtful, hopeful, warm
  • Pacing: steady, narrative-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These stories often use a central location or situation to bring characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds into conflict and, eventually, conversation. A romantic entanglement or a shared goal serves as the catalyst for breaking down barriers. The narrative balances moments of tension and social critique with levity and emotional payoff, leading to an ending that affirms human connection.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their unique tonal balance: they thoughtfully engage with serious social commentary without becoming bleak, and they incorporate humor and romance without trivializing their themes. The pacing is steady, allowing for character development and nuanced exploration of ideas, resulting in a satisfying, medium-emotional-weight experience.

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Movies Like The Landlord

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Every angle

The Landlord (1970) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Landlord in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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