An Unmarried Woman (1978)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writer:

Paul Mazursky (writer)

Release Date:

26 May 1978 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

She laughs, she cries, she feels angry, she feels lonely, she feels guilty, she makes breakfast, she makes love, she makes do, she is strong, she is weak, she is brave, she is scared, she is... an unmarried woman.

Plot:

A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Midlife Crisis | Divorce | Empowerment | Nudity

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Jill Clayburgh	...	Erica
Alan Bates	...	Saul
Michael Murphy	...	Martin
Cliff Gorman	...	Charlie
Patricia Quinn	...	Sue (as Pat Quinn)
Kelly Bishop	...	Elaine
Lisa Lucas	...	Patti
Linda Miller	...	Jeannette
Andrew Duncan	...	Bob
Daniel Seltzer	...	Dr. Jacobs
Matthew Arkin	...	Phil
Penelope Russianoff	...	Tanya
Novella Nelson	...	Jean
Raymond J. Barry	...	Edward
Ivan Karp	...	Herb Rowan
Jill Eikenberry	...	Claire
Michael Tucker	...	Fred
Chico Martínez	...	Cabbie (as Chico Martinez)
Clint Chin	...	Chinese Waiter
Ken Chapin	...	Man at Bar
Tom Elios	...	Ice Vendor
Karen Ford	...	Executive Secretary
Alice J. Kane	...	Waitress
Paul Mazursky	...	Hal
Pamela Meunier	...	Hat-Check Girl
Donna Perich	...	Sophie
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Man at Party
John Stravinsky	...	Bartender
Ultra Violet	...	Lady MacBeth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Rasche	...	(uncredited)
Alison Tucker	...	Alison (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Mazursky

Writing credits
Paul Mazursky		(writer)

Produced by
Paul Mazursky	....	producer
Anthony Ray	....	producer (as Tony Ray)

Original Music by
Bill Conti

Cinematography by
Arthur J. Ornitz		(as Arthur Ornitz)

Film Editing by
Stuart H. Pappé

Production Design by
Pato Guzman

Set Decoration by
Edward Stewart

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hair stylist (as Bill Farley)
Mike Maggi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Terence A. Donnelly	....	unit production manager (as Terry Donnelly)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence A. Donnelly	....	assistant director (as Terry Donnelly)
Thomas John Kane	....	second assistant director (as Tom Kane)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Maitland	....	sound recording mixer
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sharron Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Sam F. Shaw	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louis Cappeta	....	key grip (as Louis Cappeto)
Willie Meyerhoff	....	gaffer
Joseph Di Pasquale	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Sal Martorano	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beverly Cycon	....	wardrobe: women
Max Soloman	....	wardrobe: men (as Max Solomon)

Editorial Department
Patrick McMahon	....	assistant editor
José Antonio Torres	....	assistant editor (as José A. Torres)

Music Department
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Bechtle	....	art works
Frank Bramblett	....	art works
John Chamberlain	....	art works
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
John Clem Clarke	....	art works
Colette	....	art works
Robert Cottingham	....	art works
John DeAndrea	....	art works (as John Deandrea)
Porfirio DiDonna	....	art works (as Porfirio Didonna)
Tom Folino	....	assistant to producers
Marilynn Gelfman Pereira	....	art works
Ralph Goings	....	art works
Yan Hsia	....	art works
Paul Jenkins	....	art works
John Kacere	....	art works
Lila Katzen	....	art works
Tony King	....	art works
P.J. Kresnar	....	art works
Ralph M. Leo	....	production auditor (as Ralph Leo)
Marsha Liberty	....	art works
H.N. Nan	....	art works
Toshio Odate	....	art works
Peter Saari	....	art works
John Salt	....	art works
Andy Warhol	....	art works

Thanks
Paul Jenkins	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Magnetic Video (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Juliet Taylor & Associates  casting
• Sam Shaw Enterprises  sound effects
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Norway:16 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:11 | USA:R | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Paul Mazursky]attempting to place an order in a restaurant.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Martin and Erica are jogging along the river]
Martin: Jesus Christ! Look at this - my sneaker's ruined!
Erica: They're only thirty-five dollars.
[Erica takes Martin's shoe and cleans it off for him]
Martin: Fucking city's turning into one big pile of DOG SHIT!
[shouting at passing traffic]
Martin: Come on out and take a crap on me - everybody else is. Fuck.
[Martin lights a cigarette]
Erica: ...been jogging for 2 1/2 miles - you're giving yourself lung cancer.
Martin: I'll tell you something Erica - the longer I'm married to you the more you sound like my mother.
Erica: Clean your own sneaker.
[throws shoe at Martin]
Martin: I think you wanted me to step in it.
Erica: [laughing] You're going crazy Martin.
Martin: I am?
Erica: [laughing] Yes.
[Martin tosses his shoe over his shoulder into the river. Erica jogs away, and Martin jogs after]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Moscow on the Hudson (1984)

Soundtrack:

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

A rare thing: an American film for and about adults

Briefly, this is one of the few American films I have seen that is remotely a realistic depiction of how basically intelligent, decent, middle-class adults behave in a long-term relationship (in this case a marriage of sixteen years) when they break up. I almost felt as though I were watching a reality show from that era. This is how people behave, without much heroism or great insight into themselves or others; often with a "cluelessness" that defines our humanity more tellingly than our pride would like to hear. (An aside to the previous commenter: I have seen this sort of thing, close-up and personal, and this is pretty much how people act: it reminded me very much of how a couple with whom I was very close broke up, and the aftermath, in the decade before this film was made. And the man had been having an affair for several years before it happened, not just one: the woman had not a clue.) My only complaint is that the story ends far too soon and far too happily. But it is an American film (sigh!), so one most not expect too much: we just "cannot bear very much reality"!