You're a Big Boy Now (1966)

Post-teen virgin moves to New York City, falls for a cold-hearted beauty, then finds true love with a loyal lass.

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

David Benedictus (novel), Francis Ford Coppola (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Elizabeth Hartman, Geraldine Page, Peter Kastner

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Hartman	...	Barbara Darling
Geraldine Page	...	Margery Chanticleer
Peter Kastner	...	Bernard Chanticleer
Rip Torn	...	I.H. Chanticleer
Michael Dunn	...	Richard Mudd
Tony Bill	...	Raef del Grado
Julie Harris	...	Miss Nora Thing
Karen Black	...	Amy Partlett
Dolph Sweet	...	Patrolman Francis Graf
Michael O'Sullivan	...	Kurt Dougherty
Ronald Colby	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew (as Ron Colby)
Rufus Harley	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Frank Simpson	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Nina Varela	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew
Len De Carl	...	Barbara's Stage Play Crew

Storyline

Bernard Chanticleer's father gives him two simple words of advice: "Grow up." Bernard knows that his first step is to find a girl who's "willing," but he passes up a sure thing, Amy Partlett, for a more elusive goal. Her name is Barbara Darling, an inscrutable go-go dancer. More than a few obstacles keep Bernard from his dream world. There's his doting mother, who mails him locks of her hair and weeps at the thought of her baby as a man; there's a malicious rooster, trained to attack pretty girls, patrolling the halls of his New York City rooming house; and most of all, there's Barbara herself. She turns out to be a man hater, emotionally scarred by the lecherous wooden-legged hypnotherapist who "counseled" her in high school. All in all, Bernard finds himself in an improbable universe with a calculated clumsiness designed to evoke his confusing coming-of-age.

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | new york | love | cult film | library | 

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Taglines:

Wow - It's the Wildest!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1967 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Big Boy

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Seven Arts Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was Francis Ford Coppola's $800,000 master's thesis at U.C.L.A film school in 1966.

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Goofs

Albino therapist's skin coloring was as tanned as that of non-albino patient Barbara Darling; real albinos lack pigmentation, resulting in flesh that looks nearly white.

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Quotes

Margery Chanticleer: Remember my promise: If you don't smoke until you're 21, I'll give you a special no-smoking present. Say goodbye to Rover, he's heartbroken.
Bernard Chanticleer: Goodbye, Dog.
Margery Chanticleer: Don't eat too much, don't stay out too late, don't go to suspicious places to play cards, and stay away from girls. But most of all, Bernard, try to be happy.

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Connections

References Hawaii (1966)

User Reviews

Fantastic

One of the great weird movies of the 60's. Anybody who loves movies of the 60's, and has missed this, has a monstrous gap in their viewing pleasure. The views of NY from that time period bring back all kinds of memories to me. There are brief pictures of Steeplechase Park and Coney Island. The cast consists of so many interesting actors/actresses: the tragic Elizabeth Hartman, the well-named Rip Torn, Tony Bill, Karen Black, Julie Harris. The person who didn't like this movie, will I guess he/she is just not into this cult classic. This movie was on my very short list of movies-I-MUST-see, and I thank goodness for IFC for showing it.