Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)

Director:

Bud Yorkin

Writers (WGA):

Steve Gordon (characters)
Andy Breckman (written by)

Release Date:

8 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

No Money. Still Funny.

Plot:

Arthur loses all his money, and his wife wants a baby.

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Alcoholic | Box Office Flop | Ghost | Second Part

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dudley Moore	...	Arthur Bach
Liza Minnelli	...	Linda Marolla Bach
John Gielgud	...	Hobson
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Martha Bach
Stephen Elliott	...	Burt Johnson
Paul Benedict	...	Fairchild
Cynthia Sikes	...	Susan Johnson
Kathy Bates	...	Mrs. Canby
Jack Gilford	...	Mr. Butterworth
Ted Ross	...	Bitterman
Barney Martin	...	Ralph Marolla
Thomas Barbour	...	Stanford Bach
David O'Brien	...	Millionaire
Ron Canada	...	Bartender
John C. Vennema	...	Maitre D' (as John Vennema)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Netherlands:AL (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Norway:5 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Last cinema film of Geraldine Fitzgerald.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Arthur falls into the boiler room and crawls behind the machinery, the stunt performer stops when he thinks he's hidden, but his shoes and posterior are still visible to the camera. Even though we can still see him there, Arthur is already up and walking out of the place across the room from this.

Quotes:

[to Arthur]
Hobson: If projectile vomiting ever becomes an Olympic event, you would do your country proud.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "3rd Rock from the Sun: Mary Loves Scoochie: Part 2 (#6.18)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

SPEED OF LIGHT

A beautiful little film.

This has got to be one of the most under-rated and under seen sequels in history. Arthur 2 is not as good as the film that preceeded it but it is NOT a bad film. Arthur 2 if anything gives us the film that Dudley Moore and Steve Gordon were trying to back in 1981. One of the main criticism's is that it gives out a bad message the alcoholism is good. The film does nothing of the sort, Arthur strives through out the film to change his drinking ways and succeeds in the final part of the film. The film itself is not as funny as Arthur was, but you hardly notice this because it tells a good dramatic story.

Bud Yorkin handles the direction excellently, and the movie contains a magical back drop of Christmas time New York. Dudley is again funny and like-able, just as he was in Arthur, allthough both the Actor and the Character have matured. Liza Minelli is again kookie as Linda, allthough she plays the role like the preceeding seven years took place within a week. Nothing changes with her performance and one is greatful. One really feels for Arthur and Linda, as they struggle with the fact of first not being able to have children, and secondly being destitute. Without spoiling the movie for those who have not seen it, there is a happy ending. Burt Bacharach's score is again heartbreaking and wonderful and the title song sung by Chris De Burgh is as good as the Chris Cross original. And finally Sir John Gielguid makes a heart breaking and beautifull return as an Obi Wan Kenobi like Hobson. A christams ghost if you will.

A Beatifull film. One ready for re-evaluation. Lets raise our glasses to Arthur and Linda.