You're a Big Boy Now (1966)

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

David Benedictus (novel)
Francis Ford Coppola (writer)

Release Date:

31 July 1967 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Wow - It's the Wildest!

Plot:

Post-teen virgin moves to New York City, falls for a cold-hearted beauty, then finds true love with a loyal lass.

Plot Keywords:

New York | New York City | Love | Cult Favorite | Library

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Elizabeth Hartman	...	Barbara Darling
Geraldine Page	...	Margery Chanticleer
Peter Kastner	...	Bernard Chanticleer
Rip Torn	...	I. H. Chanticleer
Michael Dunn	...	Richard Mudd
Tony Bill	...	Raef del Grado
Julie Harris	...	Miss Nora Thing
Karen Black	...	Amy Partlett
Dolph Sweet	...	Patrolman Francis Graf
Michael O'Sullivan	...	Kurt Dougherty The Albino Hypnotherpist
Ronald Colby	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew (as Ron Colby)
Rufus Harley	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Frank Simpson	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Nina Varela	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Len De Carl	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Germany:12 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Seven Arts Pictures

Trivia:

The film shows the final portion of old Pennsylvania Station being demolished. Peter Kastner roller skates down 7th Avenue, right past the partially demolished 7th Ave. facade while the new Madison Square Garden tower rises in the background.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Albino therapist's skin coloring was as tanned as that of non-albino patient Barbara Darling; real albinos lack pigmentation, resulting in flesh that looks nearly white.

Quotes:

Margery Chanticleer: Remember my promise: If you don't smoke until you're 21, I'll give you a special no-smoking present. Say goodbye to Rover, he's heartbroken.
Bernard Chanticleer: Goodbye, Dog.
Margery Chanticleer: Don't eat too much, don't stay out too late, don't go to suspicious places to play cards, and stay away from girls. But most of all, Bernard, try to be happy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mary Tyler Moore: You Certainly Are a Big Boy (#2.22)" (1972)

An Intriguing But Spotty Coming of Age Film

A coming of age film centering on a young man's longings and fantasies for his dream girl whom he sees in the New York Public Library's main branch. This comedy-drama is so spotty it is often infuriating but still worth seeing. The lead, Peter Kastner, is forgettable, but his father played by Rip Torn, head of incunabula (see the movie and find out what it is!) at the library, is hilarious; the fight scene with Julie Harris is marvelous. The opening scenes show the behind the scenes goings on at the great library and even where all the books are stored, which the public can't see. Karen Black did a fine and affecting job as Kastner's girlfriend. On the negative side is the lovely Elizabeth Hartman coming off her big success in "A Patch of Blue" with Sidney Poitier. She is supposed to be the cool and detached object of longing - but is as vapid and empty as any character could be, and in part this has to be the fault of the direction of Coppola. This is a significant problem with the film. Hartman was very tragically an apparent suicide in 1987. The movie does have enough in it warrant a viewing.