AllMovie

John Cazale's resume as a film actor isn't long, but it's distinguished. Cazale appeared in five feature films, and each one received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, while three of them -- The Godfather, The Godfather Part II and The Deer Hunter -- won the category. Al Pacino, who made three films with Cazale, considered him one his finest acting partners, and many film buffs cite Cazale as one of the best actors of his generation. But Cazale was thirty-seven years old before making his film debut after distinguishing himself in the New York theater community, and shortly after completing work on The Deer Hunter, cancer claimed his life in the spring of 1978. I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale is a short documentary celebrating the life and art of Cazale, featuring clips from his memorable performances and interviews with friends, colleagues and fans, including Meryl Streep (who was also Cazale's wife), Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Gene Hackman, Francis Ford Coppola, Sidney Lumet, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman and many others. I Knew It Was You was an official selection at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.