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Storyline
A Jewish man and a jewish woman meet and while attracted to each other find that their worlds are very different. She is the archetypical Jewish-American-Princess, very emotionally involved with her parents world and the world they have created for her while he is much less dependent on his family. They begin an affair which brings more differences to the surface. Written by
John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Plot Summary
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Taglines:
Every father's daughter is a virgin.
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Did You Know?
Goofs
At one point Chris Schenkel mentions the "red and white" in reference to Ohio State. Anyone who was ever near Columbus (or followed the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry) knows that the colors are "scarlet and gray". (The incorrect "red/white" reference to the Ohio State Buckeyes comes from Philip Roth's book itself; see in Chapter 7, page 104, line 7 from the top [Houghton Mifflin Co. edition, 1959].)
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Quotes
Neil Klugman:
[
discussing birth control]
What do you take?
Brenda Patimkin:
Nothing. Turn off the water.
Neil Klugman:
Nothing?
Brenda Patimkin:
Listen, I tried the pills, but they made me fat and made me sick, and besides every single day you read something new about them in the paper, so I decided I was better off with nothing.
Neil Klugman:
[
pause]
Brenda, I'd like to talk to you about nothing.
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Connections
Featured in
Stella (1990)
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Soundtracks
"Goodbye, Columbus"
Written by
Jerry Yester
Sung by
The Association See more »
I had only a vague recollection of this film, but remembered it being rather unique. I bought the DVD because the film rarely shows up on TV. I was not disappointed. After 35 years, it holds up remarkably well. Sure, many props are out of date (cars, wired telephones), as are some of the cinematic techniques (clumsy zoom shots, montages), but the issues of social class and ethnic stereotypes remain highly relevant.
The disenfranchised and disillusioned hero became a staple of late 1960s movies, and this film actually makes a fine companion piece to "The Graduate." However, the two films diverge widely in resolving their conflicts, making the comparison all the more interesting.
Much of the credit for the success of this film, which is never less than engrossing, goes to the performers. Ali MacGraw is a revelation. In the years since, she has proved to be less than a great actress. Here, she's sensational. She's practically on screen the whole time, giving charm and nuance to the central character she plays. Jack Klugman is entirely convincing as her benevolent and loving father. Richard Benjamin does outstanding work as well. Supporting players are vulgar stereotypes, but serve as shorthand in getting the major themes across.
The film is an expert blend of humor and drama, leaving the audience with much to think about after it's over. Highly recommended.