The Goodbye Girl (1977)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (written by)

Release Date:

1 February 1978 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Thank you Neil Simon for making us laugh at falling in love...again.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Actor | Dancer | Daughter | Love

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Elliot Garfield
Marsha Mason	...	Paula McFadden
Quinn Cummings	...	Lucy McFadden
Paul Benedict	...	Mark
Barbara Rhoades	...	Donna
Theresa Merritt	...	Mrs. Crosby
Michael Shawn	...	Ronnie
Patricia Pearcy	...	Rhonda
Gene Castle	...	Assistant Choreographer
Daniel Levans	...	Dance Instructor
Marilyn Sokol	...	Linda
Anita Dangler	...	Mrs. Morganweiss
Victoria Boothby	...	Mrs. Bodine
Robert Costanzo	...	Liquor Store Salesman
Pancho González	...	Mugger (as Poncho Gonzalez)
Jose Machado	...	Mugger (as José Machado)
Hubert Kelly	...	Mugger
Dana Laurita	...	Cynthia
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Drunk (as Dave Cass)
Loyita Chapel	...	Strip Club Dancer
Caprice Clarke	...	Strip Club Dancer
Esther Sutherland	...	Strip Club Manager
Clarence Felder	...	Critic
Kensuke Haga	...	Japanese Salesman
Ryohei Kanokogi	...	Japanese Salesman
Ruby Holbrook	...	Woman in audience
Kristina Hurrell	...	Gretchen
David Matthau	...	Furniture Mover
Milt Oberman	...	Furniture Mover
Eddie Villery	...	Painter
Joseph Carberry	...	Strip Club Customer
Eric Uhler	...	Strip Club Customer
Raymond J. Barry	...	Richard III Cast (as Ray Barry)
Powers Boothe	...	Richard III Cast
Tom Everett	...	Richard III Cast
Janice Fuller	...	Richard III Cast
Munson Hicks	...	Richard III Cast
Robert Kerman	...	Richard III Cast
Jeanne Lange	...	Richard III Cast
Robert Lesser	...	Richard III Cast
Fred McCarren	...	Richard III Cast
Nicholas Mele	...	Richard III Cast
Maureen Moore	...	Richard III Cast
Joe Regalbuto	...	Richard III Cast (as Joseph Regalbuto)
Peter Vogt	...	Richard III Cast
Wendy Cutler	...	Improvisation Group
Susan Elliot	...	Improvisation Group
Andy Goldberg	...	Improvisation Group
Paul Willson	...	Improvisation Group
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Silvern	...	(uncredited)
Nicol Williamson	...	Oliver Fry (uncredited)

Directed by
Herbert Ross

Writing credits
Neil Simon		(written by)

Produced by
Roger M. Rothstein	....	associate producer
Ray Stark	....	producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Casting by
Jennifer Shull

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (as Allan Whitey Snyder)
Carrie White	....	hair stylist: Miss Mason

Production Management
Roger M. Rothstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert P. Cohen	....	second assistant director: New York
Edward D. Markley	....	second assistant director (as Edward Markley)
Jack Roe	....	assistant director

Art Department
Spencer Deverell	....	assistant art director (as Spencer Deverill)
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
Thomas Saccio	....	property master: New York

Sound Department
Jerry Jost	....	sound
William L. McCaughey	....	sound (as William McCaughey)
John Riordan	....	sound editor (as John P. Riordan)
James Sabat	....	sound: New York

Special Effects by
Al Griswold	....	special effects: New York (as Albert Griswold)

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Harris	....	gaffer
Richard Moran	....	key grip
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer: New York
Roger Shearman	....	camera operator
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator: New York (as William Steiner Jr.)
Mel Traxel	....	still photographer
Robert Ward	....	key grip: New York
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer: New York
Doug Byers	....	electrician (uncredited)
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Seth Banks	....	wardrobe: men
Shirlee Strahm	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor
Barbara Dunning	....	assistant editor
Michael A. Stevenson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dave Grusin	....	music adaptor
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Other crew
Martin Danzig	....	location manager: New York
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Shirley Marcus	....	production secretary: New York
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Maggie Wilde	....	production secretary
Mary Malin	....	assistant: Ann Roth (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Rastar Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  location services
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  opticals

Also Known As:

Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Originally entitled "Bogart Slept Here" with Robert De Niro as leading man and Mike Nichols as director. The story was supposedly based on Dustin Hoffman's life as a struggling actor (Hoffman wanted a part on the film but was turned down). Artistic differences ultimately forced De Niro and Nichols out, two weeks into the shoot. Other actors who were also candidates for the role were Jack Nicholson, James Caan and Tony Lo Bianco.

Goofs:

Continuity: The extent to which Elliott has his head stuck into the headboard changes.

Quotes:

Paula McFadden: Would you be interested in my bedroom?
Elliot: You talking to me?
Paula McFadden: You can have the big bedroom for 50 dollars more a month, payable in cash right now. We'll move into yours in the morning.
Elliot: Oh, you mean a rent increase for getting what I should have gotten and what I didn't get in the first place? No, thank you.
Paula McFadden: Well then, would you be interested in lending me 50 dollars. I'll pay you either 7 and a half percent interest or do your laundry. Take your pick.
Elliot: They really cleaned you out, huh?
Paula McFadden: Everyone from here to Italy.
Elliot: I've got, uh, twenty... twenty-eight dollars and change. I'll split it with you. And starting opening night I get 240 a week so I'll make a deal. I'll pay all the living expenses until you get yourself a job. And, I'll even do my own laundry.
Paula McFadden: I see. And what do you get?
Elliot: Oh, all you have to do is be nice to me.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cotton Candy (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye Girl

I LOVE this movie

One of the best romantic comedies ever. Dreyfuss & Mason generate as much chemistry as I have ever seen on the screen from a couple that was never a couple. Quinn Cummings delivers one of the greatest child actress performance in cinema history -- always genuine and winning. The dialogue is witty and brittle. The direction never strikes a false note. And all the dualities of New York are well exploited. I simply LOVE this movie.