Ordinary People (1980)

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

Judith Guest (novel)
Alvin Sargent (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 February 1981 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

some films you watch, others you feel.

Plot:

The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Guilt | Suicide | Grief | Suicide Attempt

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Calvin Jarrett
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Beth Jarrett
Judd Hirsch	...	Dr. Tyrone C. Berger
Timothy Hutton	...	Conrad Jarrett
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Coach Salan
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Jeannine Pratt
Dinah Manoff	...	Karen
Fredric Lehne	...	Lazenby
James Sikking	...	Ray Hanley (as James B. Sikking)
Basil Hoffman	...	Sloan
Scott Doebler	...	Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Quinn K. Redeker	...	Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello	...	Audrey
Meg Mundy	...	Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard	...	Ruth
Adam Baldwin	...	Stillman
Richard Whiting	...	Grandfather
Carl DiTomasso	...	Van Buren
Tim Clarke	...	Truan
Ken Dishner	...	Genthe
Lisa Smyth	...	Gail
Ann Eggert	...	Mitzi
Randall Robbins	...	Bryce
Cynthia Baker	...	Ms. Mellon (as Cynthia Baker Johnson)
John Stimpson	...	John
Liz Kinney	...	Liz
Rudy Hornish	...	Ed
Clarissa Downey	...	Chris
Cynthia Burke	...	Annie
Jane Alderman	...	Linda
Paul Preston	...	Dennis
Gustave Lachenauer	...	Gus
Marilyn Rockafellow	...	Sarah
Don Billett	...	Philip
Ronald Solomon	...	Joel
Virginia Long	...	Choir Director
Paula Segal	...	Shopper
Estelle Meyers	...	Saleslady
Stuart Shiff	...	Waiter
Rose Wool	...	Waitress
Douglas Kinney	...	Actor
Constance Addington	...	Actress
Edwin Bederman	...	McDonald's Manager
Bobby Coyne	...	Young Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Michael Creadon	...	Young Conrad Jarrett
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Hirsch	...	Mack (as Steve Hirsch)
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voice (uncredited)
Randy De Troit	...	Man on Bridge (uncredited)
Michael T. Weiss	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Redford

Writing credits
Judith Guest		(novel)
Alvin Sargent		(screenplay)
Nancy Dowd		uncredited

Produced by
Ronald L. Schwary	....	producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
John Bailey

Film Editing by
Jeff Kanew

Casting by
Penny Perry

Art Direction by
Phillip Bennett
J. Michael Riva

Set Decoration by
William B. Fosser		(as William Fosser)
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack

Makeup Department
Joel Israel	....	hair stylist: Ms. Moore
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair stylist (as Jean Burke Reilly)
Kathe Swanson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ronald L. Schwary	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Britton	....	second assistant director (as Michael L. Britton)
Steve Perry	....	first assistant director (as Steven H. Perry)
B. Thomas Seidman	....	dga trainee (as Tom Seidman)

Art Department
Donald R. Abblett	....	stand-by painter (as Donald Abblett)
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Richard Boris	....	greensman
Herman Lowers	....	construction coordinator (as Herman O. Lowers)
Willie Marceau	....	head carpenter
William Powley	....	construction painter
Chuck Stein	....	construction foreman (as Charles J. Stein)

Sound Department
John S. Coffey	....	sound mixer: second unit
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Kathleen Korth	....	assistant sound editor (as Kathy Korth)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kay Rose	....	supervising sound editor
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor (as Gerald Rosenthal)
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor (as Victoria Sampson)
Kenneth Schwarz	....	boom operator (as Kenny Schwarz)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer (as Charles Wilborn)
Harry Keramidas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Epper	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
John D. Crededio	....	gaffer: Chicago (as John Credidio)
James Glennon	....	camera operator
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Tommy Magglos	....	second assistant camera
Robert McLain	....	key grip: Chicago (as Bob McLean)
Ronald W. McLeish	....	gaffer (as Ronald W. McLeisch)
Lou Noto	....	first assistant camera (as Louis Noto)
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert M. Moore	....	wardrobe: men (as Robert Moore)
Rita Salazar	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Jay Friedkin	....	apprentice editor
Carol Ann Jackson	....	assistant editor
Marilyn Madderom	....	assistant editor
Kathy Orloff	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Else Blangsted	....	music editor (as Else Blandsted, Ltd.)
Noel Goemanne	....	music arranger: mixed voices
Scott Grusin	....	assistant music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Jean-François Paillard	....	additional music arranger
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Larry Blank	....	choral conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James F. Hogan	....	transportation co-captain: Chicago
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation captain (as Mike McDuffee)
Gerald R. Molen	....	transportation coordinator (as Jerry Molen)

Other crew
Jack Hirshberg	....	unit publicist
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator
Patrick Markey	....	location manager
Patricia Matzdorff	....	secretary: Mr. Schwary
Robbie Miller	....	secretary: Mr. Redford (as Robbi Miller)
Patricia Newcomb	....	publicity consultant
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Grant Olson	....	craft service
Dennis Park	....	assistant accountant
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Teresa Skinner	....	associate: Wildwood
Bob Waits	....	assistant: Mr. Sutherland
Rusty Warren	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Wildwood Enterprises

Distributors

• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Pictures
• TV Asahi (1986) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Sunrise Catering  catering

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:16 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Judd Hirsch's character, Dr. Berger, tells Timothy Hutton (Conrad Jarrett) he "came in here looking like something out of 'the Body Snatchers'", a 1978 film starring 'Donald Sutherland'. Conrad's father, Calvin Jarrett, is also played by Sutherland, so technically this can be taken to mean he looks like his Dad.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Karen and Conrad at the restaurant, the straw in Karen hands starts unwrapped, then becomes wrapped, and then suddenly jumps into the Coke.

Quotes:

Conrad "Con" Jarrett: Anyway.
Jeannine: Hm, what?
Conrad "Con" Jarrett: Oh just anyway. It's a conversation starter.
Jeannine: Hm, catchy.
Conrad "Con" Jarrett: I knew you'd like it, I've been working on it all day.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Hellcats (#3.9)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

Canon in D major

Quiet, moving and exceptional

Excellent adaptation of a wonderful novel by Judith Guest.

An all-American family called the Jarretts are falling apart. The two sons were in a boating accident--one died and the other Conrad (Timothy Hutton) survives. But he feels guilt over surviving and tries to commit suicide. He's institutionalized and the movie starts when he returns home from the hospital. His mother (Mary Tyler Moore) is cold, distant and unemotional. His father (Donald Sutherland) tries to act like everything is cheerful and fine. Conrad goes to see a psychiatrist (Judd Hirsch) to find out how--and if--he can deal with this.

A multi-Oscar winner (Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor) this is a very quiet but emotional film. Director Robert Redford (his first film as a director) doesn't push things in your face or hit you over the head with screaming or yelling--he quietly lets the dialogue and acting explain the characters and situations.

All the actors are in top-notch form--Moore is superb as Beth, the mother. Before this she was just known for doing comedy and being perky. Here she plays a repressed, emotionally unavailable woman--you can see her holding back and feel her breaking--just great. She was nominated for Best Actress and should have won. Sutherland is stunning as the father struggling to deal with his son and wife. Hutton is perfection--you can see the anger and guilt in his character. I was never too crazy about Hirsch in this movie--he comes across as way too cold and critical--still his scenes with Hutton are among the best in the movie. Also Elizabeth McGovern (in her film debut) is sweet and appealing as Conrad's girlfriend.

Beautifully shot, exceptionally well-acted...a truly great movie. And don't miss the gorgeous opening montage of Lake Forest IL. A 10 all the way.