Little Murders (1971)

Director:

Alan Arkin

Writers:

Jules Feiffer (play)
Jules Feiffer (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 February 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A girl brings home her latest boyfriend to meet her parents. This is done against the background of...

Plot Keywords:

Blood On Shirt | Father Child Relationship | Horse | Horse Riding | Police Detective

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	Alfred Chamberlain
Marcia Rodd	...	Patsy Newquist
Vincent Gardenia	...	Mr. Newquist
Elizabeth Wilson	...	Mrs. Newquist
Jon Korkes	...	Kenny Newquist
John Randolph	...	Mr. Chamberlain
Doris Roberts	...	Mrs. Chamberlain
Lou Jacobi	...	Judge Stern
Donald Sutherland	...	Rev. Dupas
Alan Arkin	...	Lt. Practice
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Kove	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Alan Arkin

Writing credits
Jules Feiffer		(play)
Jules Feiffer		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jack Brodsky	....	producer
Burtt Harris	....	associate producer
Elliott Gould	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Fred Kaz

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis

Film Editing by
Howard Kuperman

Casting by
Vic Ramos

Production Design by
Gene Rudolf

Set Decoration by
Philip Smith

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
John Alese	....	makeup artist
Philip Leto	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Burtt Harris	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Larry Y. Albucher	....	second assistant director
Peter R. Scoppa	....	assistant director

Art Department
Stanley Cappiello	....	scenic artist
Joseph M. Caracciolo	....	property master
Robert H. Klatt	....	set dresser
Thomas C. Tonery	....	second prop
Walter Way	....	constructor

Sound Department
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound recordist
Christopher Newman	....	sound
Pasquale Suraci	....	boom operator
Dick Vorisek	....	sound mixer (as Richard Vorisek)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Chapman	....	camera operator
Bob Penn	....	still photographer: special magazine assignment
Ed Quinn	....	dolly grip (as Edward Quinn)
Peter Salim	....	second assistant camera
Tibor Sands	....	assistant camera
Edward Tonkin	....	best boy
Dusty Wallace	....	chief electrician
Robert Ward	....	key grip (as Bob Ward)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George Newman	....	wardrobe
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Geraldine Fabrikant	....	assistant editor
M. Edward Salier	....	assistant editor (as Edward Salier)

Other crew
Cis Corman	....	assistant to producer
Anthony Dalvieri	....	production assistant
Barbara De Fina	....	assistant production secretary
Pearl Lavenberg	....	production secretary
Daniel Logan	....	technical advisor
Eileen Peterson	....	unit publicist
Peter A. Runfolo	....	location coordinator
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Key Video (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Sweden:15 | USA:R (original rating) | USA:PG (certificate #22727)

Filming Locations:

Kiamesha Lake, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Star Elliott Gould starred in the original 1967 Broadway production of "Little Murders", which flopped after one week of seven performances in late April at the Broadhurst Theatre. Gould was the only cast member to appear in the film, reprising his role as Alfred Chamberlain. The Broadway cast included Barbara Cook as Alfred's girlfriend and future wife Patsy Newquist, Heywood Hale Broun as her father Carol Newquist, Ruth White as her mother Marjorie, and David Steinberg as her brother Kenny. Phil Leeds appeared as Lt. Practice and Richard Schaal was Rev. Dupas. Alfred's parents did not appear as characters in the original play.

Quotes:

Patsy Newquist:Alfred, you're the first man I've ever gone to bed with where I didn't feel he was a lot more likely to get pregnant than I was!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Rip Van Marlowe (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Skating in Central Park

Seminal New York Black Comedy

Jules Feiffer's paean to NYC paranoia written in the same tone as his comic strips. Completely over-the-top and hilarious. Alan Arkin's bit is priceless. This movie puts the "funk" back in dysfunctional. This is proto-"Seinfeld" stuff, folks. Climb into the darkest fantasy of every red-blooded Gothamite.