The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Paul Newman

Writers:

Alvin Sargent (screenplay)
Paul Zindel (play)

Release Date:

1 February 1974 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Mother of the Year.

Plot:

From the Pullizer Prize winning play by Paul Zindel, this is the story of Beatrice Hunsdorfer and her daughters...

Plot Keywords:

Classified Ad | Science Fair | Long Title | Epilepsy | Old Lady

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joanne Woodward	...	Beatrice
Nell Potts	...	Matilda
Roberta Wallach	...	Ruth
Judith Lowry	...	Nanny
David Spielberg	...	Mr. Goodman
Richard Venture	...	Floyd
Carolyn Coates	...	Mrs. McKay
Will Hare	...	Junk Man
Estelle Omens	...	Caroline
Jess Osuna	...	Sonny
Ellen Dano	...	Janice Vickery
Lynne Rogers	...	Miss Hanley
Roger Serbagi	...	Charlie
John Lehne	...	Apartment Manager
Michael Kearney	...	Chris Burns

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Certain dialog from Paul Zindel's play remained in the script for the movie. Even though the movie was filmed in Bridgeport, Connecticut, certain references to the location of the play, which takes place in Staten Island, New York (Zindel's hometown) remain. Ruth mentions "Prince's Bay" when reading a classified ad about some property for sale, and Matilda tells her mother that a photographer is going to take pictures of the Science Fair finalists for "The Advance". Prince's Bay is a neighborhood located on the South Shore of Staten Island, and the Staten Island Advance is the local newspaper.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Beatrice tries to watch TV in wee hours of morning but is unable to find anything but test patterns and video snow. However, film takes place in/near New York City where all-night television broadcasts were quite common by 1972, when story was set.

Quotes:

Beatrice: I'm not exactly happy about you discussing testicles with this Chris Burns character!

intense real life drama

This film captures with unflinching accuracy the anguish caused to a family by a parent with a severe alcohol problem. However alcohol abuse is just one symptom displayed by this particular family unit which is struggling to survive economically disastrous times, from a severely disadvantaged position. The daughter's school science project "The Effect Of Gamma Rays On Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds" mirrors the ongoing American social experiment of economic rationalism.

Joanne Woodward's character Beatrice is not evil, though she does some of the most cruel and demeaning things imaginable to her children. I believe that it's a great credit to both the playwright and director that we are able to develop empathy for her in spite of these actions. Much of what has happened to Beatrice in life has been out of her control, and yet she struggles to support her family and she holds desperately to hope of a highly unlikely avenue of economic escape (an as yet unformulated cheesecake recipe).

This is one of the most demanding, highly impacting and yet compulsive films I've seen. It's a window to the interpersonal relationships of good people who are struggling to respond with vigour to a system that delineates winners and losers.