All Of It – “New Doc About 'Carol & Joy' Kane”

Aired: December 17, 2025
Host: David Fuerst (filling in for Alison Stewart)
Guests: Carol Kane, Joy Kane, Nathan Silver (director)

Overview

This episode of "All Of It" centers on the intimate new documentary Carol and Joy, a 40-minute film shot on 16mm that offers a warm, textured portrait of celebrated actor Carol Kane and her vibrant 99-year-old mother, Joy Kane, in their Upper West Side apartment. With director Nathan Silver joining the conversation, the group explores creativity, family dynamics, the power of music, and the courage to reinvent oneself at any age. The discussion delves into both the process and the meaning behind the film, capturing the spirit of intergenerational artistry and resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genesis of the Documentary

• Nathan Silver’s Inspiration
  • Nathan first encountered the Kanes' apartment while interviewing Carol and was immediately struck by its lively, art-filled atmosphere:
    • “It felt like this Lost New York, that I didn’t know it still existed. …I immediately afterwards texted my co conspirator, Chris Wells, and he said, we need to make a movie about this.” — Nathan (04:00).
  • Carol clarifies she had little to do with the idea's conception:
    • “I must confess, I had nothing at all to do with it. …I believe that Nathan said something to the effect that if he lived with his mother, they would kill each other or something like that.” — Carol (02:43)
  • Community feel, likened to Seinfeld:
    • “The people come in and out of the apartment, like Seinfeld.” — Carol (04:54)

2. Opening Up the Home – Joy’s Perspective

• Joy describes having the crew in her home as unexpectedly delightful and festive:
  • “When Nathan came and his group…they were so delightful…I just adored them…it was very jolly. We sang…We just had a little festival while we were between official acts.” — Joy (05:16)
  • Initial apprehension melted away due to Nathan’s friendly approach.

3. Music as Lifeforce

• Carol and Joy reflect on music as the heart of their lives together:
  • Joy recalls an early formative moment hearing Debussy’s La Mer:
    • “I thought I was gonna fall over the balcony. It was so real.” — Joy (07:08)
  • On the necessity of music:
    • “If I didn’t move, if I didn’t make music? My life would be dry. …It’s juicy. It’s full of movement.” — Joy (08:11)
  • Carol’s regret at not studying piano with her mother:
    • “Of course, my reaction was, I’m not studying with my mother, so I didn’t learn to play the piano. And it’s such a loss…But I just get to sit and hear this beauty…” — Carol (08:42)
  • Music as daily nourishment and improvisation, not just performance.

4. Living Together Later in Life

• Carol moved in full-time in 2020 during the pandemic after Joy’s health scare:
  • “That’s when I moved in because, you know, we needed to take care of each other at that point.” — Carol (10:25)
• Their dynamic as adults is now about building something new, not revisiting the past:
  • “It’s not reliving, it’s just building a whole different dynamic, wouldn’t you say?” — Carol (11:21)
  • “Oh, absolutely.” — Joy (11:48)

5. Women’s Agency and Joy’s History

• The film doesn't shy away from hard truths about the societal limitations of Joy's youth:
  • “Not some of the choices, David. All the big choices were taken away from one. …The subject was how to catch a doctor, a lawyer, a scion of a wealthy family, how to catch the right man and marry well…And I was in trouble because I was always rebelling against that.” — Joy (12:24)
  • Joy’s eventual courage to leave, divorce, and move to Paris at 55 forms a spine of the film's message.

6. The Filmmaking Process & Craft

• Capturing real life’s rhythm:
  • Nathan wanted it to feel like a real visit:
    • “Just wanted to capture what it felt like to walk into this apartment…the people as they are. …It was just like…we were almost over there for coffee and conversation. …The bulk of it was caught on the day.” — Nathan (14:21)
• 16mm film as an artistic choice:
  • “We knew we needed to shoot on film because Joy…she’s an analog lady. …And so those rollouts…shows that Joy can’t be contained or can’t be captured on film alone. …She’s overflowing with life.” — Nathan (16:12)
• The “rollout” moments when film runs out let conversations linger onscreen, emphasizing uncontainable vitality.

7. Message to the Audience

• Carol hopes viewers absorb the spirit of courage and artistry:
  • “The spirit of artistry and beauty that my mom embodies. …She had courage. She eventually divorced my father…then moved to Paris when she was 55 and started a whole new life. …Therefore, she is my role model of courage.” — Carol (17:15)
• Joy’s advice, especially to women:
  • “I hope especially that young women and women that are not so young will be encouraged to take risks and to not think that where they are is where they’ll be forever…Just take courage and take their life in their hands.” — Joy (18:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the film's atmosphere:
  “It really feels like stopping over for a visit.” — Host David Fuerst (01:26)
• On movement and music:
  “My life would be dry as a dried up old pear. I have to make music and it feeds me. It's juicy. It's full of movement.” — Joy (08:11)
• On limitations placed on women:
  “All the big choices were taken away from one.” — Joy (12:24)
• On the ineffable essence of Joy captured in analog film:
  “Joy can’t be contained or can’t be captured on film alone…she’s overflowing with life.” — Nathan (16:12)
• On lessons for viewers:
  “Take courage and take their life in their hands…” — Joy (18:16)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–02:30 — Introduction & film background
• 02:30–04:00 — How the film idea started (Seinfeld-like apartment)
• 05:16–06:40 — Joy’s experience with the film crew at home
• 07:08–08:04 — Joy’s musical awakening and continued teaching
• 08:42–09:41 — Carol reflects on being the “lucky recipient” of music
• 10:25–11:21 — Living together again as adults; shifting family roles
• 12:24–13:53 — Societal expectations on women in Joy’s youth
• 14:21–15:27 — Filmmaking approach – capturing atmosphere
• 15:43–16:55 — "Rollout" moments, using 16mm, analog energy
• 17:15–18:16 — What Carol and Joy hope audiences will take away

Summary

Carol and Joy is more than a documentary; it’s a warm celebration of creativity, resilience, and the lasting power of artistic spirit across generations. Listen in for personal history, intergenerational tenderness, and honest reflections on both hardship and joy—all served in the homey, music-filled atmosphere of a New York apartment and, briefly, even Paris.

The film is now streaming on the Criterion Channel.