A Safe Place

A 1971 American drama film and the directorial debut of Henry Jaglom, "A Safe Place" centers on a young woman named Noah (Tuesday Weld), who lives alone in a small New York City apartment. She is a mentally disturbed flower child who retreats into memories of her childhood, yearning for lost innocence and searching for a "safe place." As a child, known then as Susan, she encounters a charismatic magician in Central Park (Orson Welles), who gifts her magical items: a levitating silver ball, a star ring, and a Noah's ark. In her adult life, Noah is romantically involved with two men: Fred (Philip Proctor), practical but dull, and Mitch (Jack Nicholson), more dynamic and closer to her ideal. However, neither man fully satisfies her emotional needs. The film, compiled from 50 hours of footage, presents an experimental narrative filled with symbolism and fragmented scenes reflecting the protagonist's inner world. The movie received mixed reviews: Time described it as "pretentious and confusing," while Variety noted that its "deliberate experimentation puts a heavy burden upon the viewer." Nevertheless, the film became part of The Criterion Collection's set "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story," which includes seven films from the New Hollywood era.