I Knew It Was You

Background

The film received its name from a famed line from The Godfather Part II directed toward Cazale's character of Fredo Corleone, and acts as a retrospective of Cazale's distinguished acting career, which was cut short at age 42 when he died of bone cancer.

The film was produced with the cooperation of Meryl Streep, who was living with Cazale at the time of his death. It features interviews with a number of his notable co-stars and directors.

Release and recognition

I Knew It Was You debuted at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, and had its television premiere in Spain on June 9, 2009. It was released on DVD in Fall 2010 by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

Critical response

Victoria Large wrote that "while I Knew it Was You works as a wonderful career retrospective for fans or a great primer for newcomers, the real power of the piece lies in the juxtaposition of the highlights of Cazale's career with the warm remembrances of his friends and the biographical facts of his life". Don R. Lewis of Film Threat felt that the film did not properly cover Cazale's early life, writing "From its awkward running time of 40 minutes to the way director Richard Shepard completely skims over the man's life outside of acting, I just didn't feel there was enough going on to make this doc truly special. That being said, I Knew It Was You is an excellent tribute piece to a fine actor and a great way to learn more about the roles and work ethic of Cazale".

Awards and nominations