Judy Berlin (1999)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Eric Mendelsohn

Writer:

Eric Mendelsohn (written by)

Release Date:

6 October 1999 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A lonely, but talented teacher enjoys a flirtation with her married principal, who returns her affections but is hampered by his high-strung wife...

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Eclipse | Living History | Suburbia | Alzheimer's Disease

Awards:

4 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Barbara Barrie	...	Suzan 'Sue' Berlin
Bob Dishy	...	Arthur Gold
Edie Falco	...	Judy Berlin
Carlin Glynn	...	Maddie
Aaron Harnick	...	David Gold
Bette Henritze	...	Dolores Engler
Madeline Kahn	...	Alice Gold
Julie Kavner	...	Marie
Anne Meara	...	Bea
Novella Nelson	...	Carol
Peter Appel	...	Mr. V.
Marcia DeBonis	...	Lisa
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Tour guide
Marcus Giamatti	...	Eddie Dillon
Judy Graubart	...	Ceil

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Nassau County, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Caruso / Mendelsohn Productions

Trivia:

In memory of Madeline Kahn, who died of ovarian cancer, the profits from this film's premiere were donated towards ovarian cancer research.

Quotes:

Alice Gold: I wanted children and I gave birth to a viper.

Movie Connections:

References Baby Boom (1987)

Soundtrack:

Serenade No. 10 in B-flat

A Sparkling Gem

After reading all the reviews of people complaining about either how pretentious or boring "Judy Berlin" was, I just had to write something about how incredible this movie is. It is the complete opposite of pretension. Real people, living real lives, catching us up in their emotion as we recognize and identify with their loneliness. I just don't get how this is pretentious. Perhaps it could be because "pretentious" is a word most people throw around to sound smart without knowing what it means. "Pi" is pretentious, "Judy Berlin" is not. Filled to the brim with haunting and incredible performances, it evokes Allen's more insightful dramas, such as "Interiors," as well as Ingmar Bergman's best work. And yet, Bergman is not in style now. Mass culture goes more for the insane mind-benders, like "Fight Club" and "Being John Malkovich." Even though both were great movies, "Judy Berlin" is better. It is an exploration of the souls of a small town. Madeline Kahn, Edie Falco, Barbara Barrie, and Bob Dishy are all superb, completely immersing themselves in their roles. Not to mention the gorgeous cinematography or the incredible harpsichord soundtrack. "Judy Berlin" has a lot to say, if you'll just listen to it.