Rich and Famous (1981)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

George Cukor

Writers:

Gerald Ayres (writer)
John Van Druten (play)

Release Date:

23 September 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

From the very beginning, they knew they'd be friends to the end. What they didn't count on was everything in between.

Plot:

Liz and Merry Noel become friends as college roommates and their friendship endures over the years. Liz becomes a respected "serious" novelist...

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Relationship | Rival | Urban | Sex

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jacqueline Bisset	...	Liz Hamilton
Candice Bergen	...	Merry Noel Blake
David Selby	...	Douglas 'Doug' Blake
Hart Bochner	...	Christopher 'Chris' Adams
Steven Hill	...	Jules Levi
Meg Ryan	...	Debby Blake, 18 Years
Matt Lattanzi	...	Jim, the Boy
Daniel Faraldo	...	Ginger Trinidad
Nicole Eggert	...	Debby Blake, 8 Years
Joe Maross	...	Martin Fornam
Kres Mersky	...	Judy Heller
Cloyce Morrow	...	Martha Antilles
Cheryl Robinson	...	UCLA Voice (voice)
Allan Warnick	...	Desk Clerk
Ann Risley	...	Max's Wife
Damion Scheller	...	Max's Son
Haley Fox	...	Max's Daughter
Fay Kanin	...	Professor Fields
Tara Simpson	...	Stewardess
Herb Graham	...	Waiter
Charlotte Moore	...	Cartier Clerk
William G. Schilling	...	Waldorf-Astoria Doorman (as William Schilling)
John Perkins	...	Limo Driver
Herbert Bress	...	Waiter in Hallway (as Herb Bress)
Alan Berliner	...	Photographer
Don Bachardy	...	Malibu Party Guest
Ruth Storey	...	Malibu Party Guest (as Ruth Conte)
Marsha A. Hunt	...	Malibu Party Guest (as Marsha Hunt)
Christopher Isherwood	...	Malibu Party Guest
Pola Miller	...	Malibu Party Guest
Paul Morrissey	...	Malibu Party Guest
Jennifer Nairn-Smith	...	Malibu Party Guest
Karen Somerville	...	Malibu Party Guest
Roger Vadim	...	Malibu Party Guest
Sandra Smith Allyn	...	Literary Party Guest
Frances Bergen	...	Literary Party Guest
Ray Bradbury	...	Literary Party Guest
Ellen Brill	...	Literary Party Guest
Gwen Davis	...	Literary Party Guest
Frank De Felitta	...	Literary Party Guest
Michael Dewell	...	Literary Party Guest
Nina Foch	...	Literary Party Guest
Elizabeth Forsythe-Hailey	...	Literary Party Guest
Oliver Hailey	...	Literary Party Guest
Randal Kleiser	...	Literary Party Guest
Gavin Lambert	...	Literary Party Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Brandon	...	Max (uncredited)
Dick Cavett	...	Himself (uncredited)
Merv Griffin	...	Himself (uncredited)
Betty Keeney	...	Malibu Party Guest (uncredited)
Dack Rambo	...	Kent (uncredited)

Directed by
George Cukor

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gerald Ayres		writer
John Van Druten		play

Produced by
William Allyn	....	producer
Jacqueline Bisset	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Donald Peterman		(as Don Peterman)

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Production Design by
Jan Scott

Art Direction by
Fred Harpman

Set Decoration by
Donald J. Remacle		(as Don Remacle)

Costume Design by
Theoni V. Aldredge

Makeup Department
Candida Conery	....	hair stylist (as Candy Conery)
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Martin Samuel	....	hair style designer: Miss Bergen
Dione Taylor	....	hair stylist
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist (as Ed Ternes)

Production Management
Bill Badalato	....	unit production manager: New York (as William Badalato)
Dennis E. Jones	....	unit production manager (as Dennis Jones)
Ira Loonstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Quinn	....	first assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	second assistant director: New York (as Joseph Reidy)
B. Thomas Seidman	....	second assistant director (as Tom Seidman)

Art Department
Alan Hicks	....	set decorator: New York
David Moll	....	property master (as David C. Moll)
Jimmy Raitt	....	property master: New York (as James Raitt)
Bob Reilly	....	property master: New York
Daniel Robert	....	set decorator: New York (as Dan Robert)
James A. Taylor	....	art director: New York exteriors
Martin A. Kline	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Rick Sternbach	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Hochman	....	sound editor
C. Darin Knight	....	sound (as Darin Knight)
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank M. Reale	....	sound re-recording mixer
Duncan McEwan	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larry Roberts	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Catharine Bushnell	....	still photographer: New York
Craig DiBona	....	camera operator: New York (as Craig Dibona)
Angelo Di Giacomo	....	second assistant camera: New York (as Angelo Digiacomo)
Peter Eco	....	director of photography: New York
Lawrence Grauman	....	second assistant camera (as Larry Grauman)
Gerald A. King	....	key grip
Dan Lerner	....	camera operator: New York
Kal Manning	....	gaffer
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
Nick McLean	....	camera operator
Robert Paone	....	first assistant camera: New York
Keith Peterman	....	first assistant camera
Jonathan Smith	....	first assistant camera: New York
John Verardi	....	second assistant camera: New York

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting: New York
Jane Feinberg	....	casting: Los Angeles
Mike Fenton	....	casting: Los Angeles
Howard Feuer	....	casting: New York
Jeremy Ritzer	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paula Cain	....	costume supervisor: women
Bruce Ericksen	....	costume supervisor
Donna Thomas	....	assistant costume designer (as Donna Tomas)
Peggy Thorin	....	costume supervisor: women

Editorial Department
Bob Ramae	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
William Saracino	....	music editor

Other crew
Karen Day	....	location auditor
Amy Kastens	....	unit publicist
Sandy Lawrence	....	production secretary
Peter R. McIntosh	....	location manager: New York (as Peter McIntosh)
Florence Nerlinger	....	production coordinator: New York
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Rick Derby	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kevin King	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Jaquet
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1984) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (video)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios  sound re-recording
• The Christie Brothers  furs: Miss Bergen

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:7 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Algonquin Hotel - 59 W. 44th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Jaquet

Trivia:

Last film directed by George Cukor.

Goofs:

Continuity: Merry is in bed when she suddenly comes up with title for her next novel - "Home Cookin'". But a moment later, when she rushes into her office, that title is already scrawled across the blackboard where she jots down her ideas.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Alien from L.A. (#6.16)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Take Me for a Buggy Ride

Bitch and Hair mousse

Throwing his hat into the ring one last time before retiring (and then dying two years later!), legendary director George Cukor helmed this remake of "Old Acquaintance", the type of film that would not have been a surprise to see on his resume back in '43 (but the director was actually Vincent Sherman.) Cukor was noted throughout his remarkable 40 year career for his way with actresses (some of which were considered the most famous under the sun!), so it is appropriate that his last film featured two of them in showy starring roles. Bisset and Bergen are college friends in 1959 when Bergen skips out of the dormitory to marry Selby. A few years later, Bergen is a seemingly contented housewife and mother while Bisset has published a highly acclaimed first novel (and a second one is slow in coming!) Eventually, Bergen expresses a desire to write as well and this kicks off a feud between the ladies regarding art versus entertainment. meanwhile, they each experience heartbreaks in the romance department. Bisset produced this film (understandably, to get out of dreck like "When Time Ran Out") and is the more prominently featured of the two. She has many strong moments in the film and more than a few silly and/or tiresome ones as well. She makes no attempt at any point in the film to display even a shred of period detail in her hair or costuming (insisting on a shaggy-poodle hairstyle that is neither appropriate nor flattering to her gorgeous features) and this hurts the quality of the film more than one might expect. Bergen, on the other hand, looks smashing in a time-tunnel-tour of fabulous hair and clothing pieces. She gives her role every ounce of zest and humor that it can contain. In short, she comes out way on top in the acting and presence horse races. At times threatening to become a parody, she manages to imbue her character with depth and resonance. Also in the cast are (the oddly cast) Selby as Bergen's emasculated husband, (gorgeous) Bochner as a laid-back Rolling Stone reporter who admires Bisset and a wet-behind-the-ears Ryan (in her first role) as Bergen's impetuous daughter. Though some of the dialogue gets a little out there every once in a while and the story is bound by its old fashioned roots despite modern (foul) language and sexual implications, some degree of true human emotion still comes through and the ladies share a nice onscreen rapport. Georges Delerue provides a lovely pre-"Steel Magnolias" score. The plot occasionally gets a little off track and the film resorts to overdone melodrama at times (the teddy bear scene), but enough intelligence went into the portrayals and the script for this to have some meaning. As an added treat, impossibly young Lattanzi shares his much-lauded rump with the camera and the delectable Dack Rambo makes an unbilled appearance.