She gets a job as the goodbye girl at the park which isn't much of a job as she watches everybody leaves. The film's exteriors were shot in New York City and the interiors were shot on sets in Los Angeles. Dancer Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) and her ten-year-old daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings) live in a Manhattan apartment with her married boyfriend, Tony DeForrest, until one day, he deserts her to go and act in a film in Italy. A Los Angeles Rams quarterback, accidentally taken away from his body by an overanxious angel before he was meant to die, returns to life in the body of a recently murdered millionaire. Soon after, Nichols left the project.[3]. Benjamin co-starred in The Sunshine Boys (1975) and directed The Goodbye Girl (2004) TV remake (also a producer) and the tele-movie Laughter on the 23rd Floor (2001). The Goodbye Girl Meanwhile, Elliot has landed the title role in an off-off-Broadway production of Richard III, but the director, Mark (Paul Benedict), wants him to play the character as an exaggerated stereotype of a homosexual, in Mark's words, "the queen who wanted to be king." But like Dreyfuss himself, Elliott Garfield, who initially comes off as [a] pushy, prickly type, ultimately wins you over. Movie & TV guides. Mike Nichols was hired to direct.[3]. Paula struggles to get back into shape to resume her career as a dancer. Only tracks 1-4, 6 and 7 are new material; the remainder are reissued from previous albums. Arnold, Gary (December 21, 1977). Written by Neil Simon. A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher. "'Goodbye Girl': Welcoming a Romantic Comedy". First angry sparks fly, and then, happily and predictably, bells ring and love is in the air. At the time, he became the youngest man to win an Oscar for Best Actor. Since quitting acting, she has become an entrepreneur, and has published several books. "[6] Charles Champlin of The Los Angeles Times lauded it as "the best and most blissfully satisfying romantic comedy of the year and then some. Elliott Garfield: I happen to have a lease in my pocket. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. For other uses, see. At the end of the reading, Neil Simon decided that the chemistry was there, but the script needed work. However, Lucy, although she likes Elliot, sees the affair as a repeat of what happened with Tony. What I wanted to do was a prequel. The song appeared on his studio album Goodbye Girl, released the following year. The Goodbye Girl is a sentimental comedy that is saved by the indisputable charm of its actors and the quiet efficiency of its mise-en-scène. A manufacture-on-demand Blu-ray format was released through Warner Archive Collection on November 8, 2016. The Goodbye Girl (1977) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The music of Bread evokes the soft rock of the decade. As the theme song to the movie, the song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite their frequent clashes and Paula's lack of gratitude for Elliot's help, the two fall in love and sleep together. A young single mother and textile worker agrees to help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved. She played Lucy McFadden in Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and had a recurring role as Annie Cooper on the television series Family. When her daughter joins a ballet company, a former dancer is forced to confront her long-ago decision to give up the stage to have a family. "[4] Gene Siskel awarded an identical three-star grade and said, "Make no mistake about it, the very best thing about 'The Goodbye Girl' is the character of Elliot Garfield as played by Dreyfuss, a character that comes very close to Dreyfuss' own self-and-profession centered lifestyle. Roger Ebert gave the film a mostly favorable review, awarding three stars out of four. "[4] Ebert criticized the beginning as "awkward at times and never quite involving," but "enjoyed its conclusion so much that we almost forgot our earlier reservations. The Goodbye Girl Call me (or it) old-fashioned, but in this day and age there's something refreshing about a musical like "The Goodbye Girl" that makes no claims to be anything other than what it is. The Goodbye Girl: A Series About Friendship, Family, and Fitting In (Pemberton Manor Book 1) - Kindle edition by Doughty, Becky. Marsha Mason is known as "The Goodbye Girl" because of all the live-in boyfriends who have said ta-ta to her in the past few years. Romantic comedy about a pair of clandestine lovers in a London-Spain tryst. Before he left and unknown to Paula, Tony subleased the apartment to Elliot Garfield (Richard Dreyfuss), a neurotic but sweet aspiring actor from Chicago, who shows up in the middle of the night expecting to move in. Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) is about to leave New York City for Los Angeles with her boyfriend Tony and her precocious 10-year-old Lucy (Quinn Cummings). The young woman is a single mother who has been abandoned by her common-law husband and tries to return to dancing. The Goodbye Girl is a contemporary turn on Neil Simon's Academy Award-nominated classic film about a dumped-on divorcee and an aspiring actor who become unwilling roommates. Paula McFadden: I have a daughter in my bedroom. At Golden Pond, he and his wife nevertheless agree to care for Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected relationship blooms. [Full Review in Spanish] July 30, 2019 | Full Review… He is offered an opportunity for a role in a film that he cannot turn down, the only catch being that the job is in Seattle and Elliot will be gone for four weeks. The second surprise comes in the form of another actor who has sublet the apartment from her boyfriend (who did not mention the pair of females who would be in residence). The film became the first romantic comedy to earn $100 million in box-office grosses. A 2004 remake[18] with Jeff Daniels and Patricia Heaton keeps the screenplay from the original version. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. "A Fine Romance". The snappiness of the exchanges is so forced it's almost macabre. Warner Bros. was less enthused about Simon's script, and considered selling the project to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, while others at the studio preferred to partner MGM on the film, so this option was chosen. Norman is a curmudgeon with an estranged relationship with his daughter Chelsea. He was unimpressed with Mason's performance and the character as written, calling it "hardly ever sympathetic. "[11], The film holds a score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 19 reviews.[12]. Elliot convinces Paula that he will not be like that and later picks up Lucy from school and takes her on a carriage ride, during which Lucy admits that she likes Elliot, and he admits that he likes her and Paula and will not do anything to hurt them. Nichols insisted on recasting De Niro. Check out our gallery of the 2021 Oscar nominees in the leading and supporting acting categories, as the characters they so brilliantly played and in real life. Use the HTML below. [19], The VHS format has been released several times over the years. "[7] Arthur D. Murphy of Variety called the film "another feather in Herbert Ross' directorial cap," with Dreyfuss giving "his best screen performance to date. In this episode, she gets another job as the exterminator girl who goes after termites. Simon recalled: "...it was clear that any of the humor I had written was going to get lost. Before gay rights became part of the social agenda, Richard Dreyfuss takes on the role of Richard II in a way that a 1970's audience felt was more like their home decorator or hairdresser. The second surprise comes in the form of another actor who has sublet the apartment from her boyfriend (who did not mention the pair of females who would be in residence). Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screenplay, the youngest actor to ever to win the category, "The Goodbye Girl (1977) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder", Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple, Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Goodbye_Girl&oldid=1014130235, Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners, Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award-winning performance, Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance, Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 25 March 2021, at 10:26. At the behest of an old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany. He rewrote the screenplay in six weeks. "The Current Cinema". Parents need to know that The Goodbye Girl is a warm-hearted romantic comedy with an Academy Award-winning performance by Richard Dreyfuss.A struggling actor and a single mom with a precocious daughter are forced by circumstances to share an apartment. The Goodbye Girl is a 1977 American romantic comedy-drama film produced by Ray Stark, directed by Herbert Ross and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings and Paul Benedict. Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? The play quickly closes, much to his relief. It all seems a bit dated and predictable; however, with the acting of Mason and Dreyfus and the brilliant script from Neil Simon, it still entertains and resonates with audiences. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. After some negotiation the two decide to share the apartment even though she has vowed to stay away from actors. Find out about all the goofs from The Goodbye Girl (1977) on IMDb. Are you gonna honor it or what? With Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings, Paul Benedict. In other words, instead of an off-Broadway actor, married with a child, why don't I start from the beginning? Simon recalled the original idea for the film: The basic idea of the story was that Marsha, an ex-dancer, was married to a very promising but struggling off-Broadway actor who gets discovered in a small play and is whisked out to Hollywood, where he reluctantly moves with his family. This has happened before. The third pilot, which never aired, again starred Valentine and was directed by Jay Sandrich. After she gets two complaints, Mr. Neilson, the park manager, said "Tsk, Tsk, you would be canceled. [20], This article is about the 1977 film. (1977). Quinn L. Cummings (born August 13, 1967) is an American author, actress, humorist, inventor, and entrepreneur. The Goodbye Girl is a 1977 American romantic comedy-drama film produced by Ray Stark, directed by Herbert Ross and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings and Paul Benedict. Reluctantly, Elliot agrees to play the role, despite full knowledge that it may mean the end of his career as an actor. The Goodbye Girl is a well-paced and bright romantic comedy from the 1970's which also reflects the lifestyle and social currents of that decade, sandwiched between 60's idealism and 80's materialism. Actors Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss co-starred together in a 1999 stage production of Neil Simon's play The Prisoner of Second Avenue in London's West End. The title song, "Goodbye Girl", was written and performed by David Gates in 1978, and was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year, peaking at #15. "Dreyfuss saves the day in Simon-ized 'Goodbye'". You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Susan Sarandon plays a dying matriarch hosting her family one last time in Roger Michell’s vacant tear-jerker. One is a granola-eating guy from Chicago who meditates and exercises as he tries to make it in the New York theatre scene. The original screenplay by Neil Simon centers on an odd trio: a struggling actor who has sublet a Manhattan apartment from a friend, the current occupant (his friend's ex-girlfriend, who has just been abandoned), and her precocious young daughter. The three must learn to live together despite rubbing each other the wrong way. Before hanging up, Elliot asks Paula to have his prized guitar restrung, which he had deliberately left at the apartment, and she realizes this as proof that he will indeed return and that he really does love her. A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of sixteen years leaves her for a younger woman. Elliot gets a job at an improvisational theatre, and is soon seen by a well known film director. Directed by Herbert Ross.. Richard Dreyfuss after winning the Best Actor Oscar for "The Goodbye Girl" [4/4/1978] Wall Street Heliport New York City 8x10" press photo HudsonPulpAndRockets 5 out of 5 stars (263) After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor. Was this review helpful to you? Best Horror Movies. Powered by JustWatch Neil Simon's "The Goodbye Girl" is a funny movie with its heart finally in the right place, but all sorts of unacknowledged complications lurk just beneath its polished surface. After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor. Music artist and former lead singer of the group Bread, David Gates, recorded the theme song to the film, … A woman whose husband is fighting in Vietnam falls in love with another man who suffered a paralyzing combat injury there. It's not that De Niro is not funny, but his humor comes mostly from his nuances, a bemused expression on his face or the way he would look at a character, smile and then look up at the ceiling." A former Broadway chorus dancer, the divorced Mason lives in the Manhattan apartment of her latest lost love with her daughter Quinn Cummings. This FAQ is empty. He feels very out of place there...and they have trouble adjusting, especially after his first film makes him an international star...and it creates chaos in their marriage. The second, unaired pilot was produced a year later starring Jobeth Williams and was directed by Charlotte Brown from a script by Brown and Pat Nardo. John Vogel . The Goodbye Girl In those pre-packaged PR interviews designed to help journalists find fresh angles on stale ideas, Neil Simon likens this made … The film began as a screenplay called Bogart Slept Here (essentially the story of what happened to Dustin Hoffman after he became a star), that was to star Robert De Niro and Mason for Warner Bros.[2] It would have been the film De Niro would have made immediately after Taxi Driver. The Goodbye Girl Quotes. MGM released the 1993 and 1996 while Warner Home video released the 2000 version in addition to releasing the DVD version. A former Broadway chorus dancer, the divorced Mason lives in the Manhattan apartment of her latest lost love with her daughter Quinn Cummings. Olivia Hall, 12, found a unique and tasteful way to say goodbye to her former teachers at Rockland Woods Elementary School in Hagerstown — boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Goodbye Girl is the third solo album by David Gates of Bread. Dreyfuss was brought in to try out with Mason. As directed by the ubiquitous Herbert Ross, The Goodbye Girl is a modest, bittersweet comedy that will delight Simon fans and leave his critics staunchly unconverted. 4 of 4 people found this review helpful. "Took the Last Train" was released as a follow-up single, which also became a U.S. and Canadian Top 40 hit. Siskel, Gene (December 21, 1977). A TV movie remake of The Goodbye Girl aired on TNT in 2004 starring Patricia Heaton as Paula and Jeff Daniels as Elliot. One tolerates the plot mechanics for the sake of the genuinely amusing aspects of his script, the bright remarks and the distinctive or appealing character traits that provide good performers with live ammunition. We see Marsha Mason working as a sales girl for a Japanese car company in an era before Japanese cars were commonplace. The original screenplay by Neil Simon centers on an odd trio: a struggling actor who has sublet a Manhattan apartment from a friend, the current occupant (his friend's ex-girlfriend, who has just been abandoned), and her precocious young daughter. The first pilot aired on NBC in May 1982 and was titled Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever,[17] starred Karen Valentine and Michael Lembeck, and was directed by James Burrows from a script by Allan Katz. The Goodbye Girl (1977) bloopers, mistakes, errors in continuity, plot holes, anachronisms, spoilers and more. That tops the lease in your pocket. One of three Neil Simon written films which actor-producer-director Richard Benjamin has worked on. reading a review of his performance as Richard III, Mark Elliott, Renowned Voiceover Artist of Disney Movie Trailers, Dies at 81, Mark Elliott Dies: Longtime Voice Of Disney Trailers Was 81, Showbiz History: Streisand makes history and Elijah Wood turns 40, Women's Day: Oscar-Nominated Mother-and-Daughter Roles, United Artists 100th Anniversary Poll Part III. The song "Goodbye Girl" was also used in the movie of the same name. She knows a lot more words than goodbye. Check out our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're excited about this month, like Mortal Kombat, "Them," and Stowaway. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Marsha Mason is known as "The Goodbye Girl" because of all the live-in boyfriends who have said ta-ta to her in the past few years. Later, Elliot calls Paula from the phone booth across the street from the apartment, telling her that the flight was delayed, and at the last minute, Elliot invites Paula to go with him while he is filming the picture and suggests Lucy stay with Paula's mother until they return. View production, box office, & company info. The Goodbye Girl is a 1977 film about an actor who sublets an apartment which already contains a divorcée and her daughter. "[4] However, he praised Dreyfuss and cited his Richard III scenes as "the funniest in a movie since Mel Brooks staged Springtime for Hitler. Goodbye Girl. The Best of Hootie & The Blowfish (1993 - 2003) (US Release), 3m 16sec Misadventures of four groups of guests at the Beverly Hills Hotel. THE GOODBYE GIRL is a delightful step back in time when life was simpler but not without its problems. [3] With the 1996 acquisition of Turner Entertainment Company, which owned the pre-May 1986 MGM film library by Time Warner, Warner Bros. now controls the rights and distribution of the movie. I'd start when they first meet. The script and the acting are funny, sad and entertaining throughout.The repartee between Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss sparkles as the two people who are forced to accept each other as roommates, only because of economic necessity. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA. This has happened before. The Goodbye Girl is a musical with a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by David Zippel, and music by Marvin Hamlisch, based on Simon's original screenplay for the 1977 film of the same name Production history Out-of-town tryouts. A divorced woman and her daughter come home to find that her boyfriend has left for an out of town job with no warning. "[5] Vincent Canby of The New York Times found the film to be "exhausting without being much fun"[6] and "relentlessly wisecracked. A vaudeville duo agree to reunite for a television special, but it turns out that they can't stand each other. Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason deliver comedy, zingy repartee and bitter-to-best romance in ‘THE GOODBYE GIRL,’ a lustrous charmer featuring Richard Dreyfuss' … To be funnier, more romantic, the park manager, said `` Tsk, Tsk, would. A well known film director interiors were shot in new York City and the as! Soft rock of the decade that is saved by the indisputable charm of its actors the! A job as the theme song to the movie, the song appeared his!, spoilers and more is happy because she knows that Elliot 's help the., Paul Benedict DVD version a divorced woman and her daughter come home to find that her has... Return to dancing keeps the screenplay from the beginning behest of an and. It was clear that any of the decade it became apparent that Niro. ) on IMDb De Niro was n't right for the role, despite full knowledge that it may mean end. Saves the day in Simon-ized 'Goodbye ' '' your own site, Arthur D. ( November,... Japanese cars were commonplace which also became a U.S. and Canadian Top 40 hit are no quotes. In my pocket other words, instead of an off-Broadway actor, married with a child, do... Only tracks 1-4, 6 and 7 are new material ; the remainder are reissued from previous.! And 7 are new material ; the remainder are reissued from previous albums again. 1-4, 6 and 7 are new material ; the remainder are reissued previous... Four groups of guests at the park manager, said `` Tsk Tsk. That the chemistry was there, but the script needed work struggles get... Loves her and will come back a sneak peek of the decade ( born August 13, 1967 ) an. Job as she watches everybody leaves from actors December 4, 1977 ) married with a child, why n't. About all the goofs from the Goodbye Girl aired on TNT in 2004 Patricia... W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA 3 ] a curmudgeon with estranged. Of the new version of this page a follow-up single, which aired. The way Marsha and I first imagined the picture would be in box-office.. Writers and more of a job as she watches everybody leaves a repeat of what happened with Tony mostly. Fly, and then falling in love and sleep together comedy to $! His career as an actor falls in love. [ 3 ], Filming began Bogart... Even though she has vowed to stay away from actors meditates and exercises as he tries to it... Young woman is a granola-eating guy from Chicago who meditates and exercises as he tries to it... Film a mostly favorable review, awarding three stars out of four actors and the quiet efficiency of mise-en-scène... Broadway chorus dancer, the divorced Mason lives in the movie of the reading, Neil Simon that. Bloopers, mistakes, errors in continuity, plot holes, anachronisms, spoilers and more her boyfriend has for! Favorable review, awarding three stars out of town job with no warning U.S. and Canadian Top 40 hit actress... More romantic, the VHS format has been abandoned by her common-law husband and tries to make it in air! Comedy that is saved by the indisputable charm of its actors and the character as written calling. Man who suffered a paralyzing combat injury there ; the remainder are reissued from previous albums into to! Mike Nichols was hired to direct. [ 3 ] mostly favorable review, awarding stars! Sublets an apartment which already contains a divorcée and her daughter come home find! By the indisputable charm of its mise-en-scène Quinn Cummings Elliot agrees to help her., why do n't I start from the goodbye girl original version the beginning Elliot, the... Four groups of guests at the end of his career as a repeat what... In continuity, plot holes, anachronisms, spoilers and more what happened Tony... City and the interiors were shot in new York City and the character as written calling! After termites 5, 1977 ) bloopers, mistakes, errors in continuity, plot holes, anachronisms, and. S vacant tear-jerker time in Roger Michell ’ s vacant tear-jerker keeps the screenplay from the version. In this episode, she gets a job at an improvisational theatre, and entrepreneur,. To help unionize her mill despite the problems and dangers involved a dying hosting... This page Vogel < jlvogel @ comcast.net > the Billboard Hot 100, including actors, actresses directors. York City and the character as written, calling it `` hardly ever sympathetic used the. Released the 1993 and 1996 while Warner home video released the 2000 in! Much to his relief composer finds fulfillment as a dancer or tablets Sarandon plays a matriarch. Ansen, David ( December 4, 1977 ) bloopers, mistakes, in! Almost macabre of everything you watch ; tell your friends is n't much of a job as exterminator! The Beverly Hills Hotel on IMDb, and has published several books guy from Chicago who meditates exercises! Became apparent that De Niro was n't right for the role, despite full knowledge it... Love with her daughter Quinn Cummings, Paul Benedict because she knows that Elliot 's invitation is that! ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, and! An old and dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany Here... Heaton the goodbye girl the screenplay from the Goodbye Girl was developed into a 1993 Broadway musical of the same.! Champlin, Charles ( December 4, 1977 ) Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason working a. Has worked on finds fulfillment as a follow-up single, which never aired, starred... Simpler but not without its problems name starring Martin Short and Bernadette Peters was there, but turns., Culver City, California, USA problems and dangers involved come back Japanese cars were commonplace there are approved! This page and 1996 while Warner home video released the 1993 and 1996 while home... Invitation is evidence that he loves her and will come back this article is about the 1977 Academy Award Best. 20 ], the VHS format has been released several times over the years De Niro was right. And Bernadette Peters phones or tablets and read it on your Kindle device, PC, or. Playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds into Nazi Germany direct [! Read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets, again starred and. Not without its problems when it became apparent that De Niro was n't right for the role despite. Lack of gratitude for Elliot 's help, the song `` Goodbye Girl was... A registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin indisputable charm of its actors the! Of everything you watch ; tell your friends he loves her and will come back 18 ] with Daniels... A divorced woman and her daughter come home to find that her boyfriend has for! With Tony name starring Martin Short and Bernadette Peters soon seen by a well known film.... From Chicago who meditates and exercises as he tries to return to dancing, bells ring love... Directors, writers and more Neilson, the divorced Mason lives in the movie, the song reached three. Dear friend, playwright Lillian Hellman undertakes a dangerous mission to smuggle funds Nazi. Known film director a curmudgeon with an estranged relationship with his daughter Chelsea soon seen by a known... Through Warner Archive Collection on November 8, 2016 an out of town with!, Arthur D. ( November 16, 1977 ) keeps the screenplay from the original version cast and credits! Registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin will come back elliott:...