The Paper Chase (1973)

Director:

James Bridges

Writers:

James Bridges (writer)
John Jay Osborn Jr. (novel)

Release Date:

16 October 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

You have to choose between the girl you love and the diploma you've worked for all your life. You have 30 seconds.

Plot:

A first-year law student struggles with balancing his coursework and his relationship with the daughter of a stern professor.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Law | Classroom | Speedo | No Music During Opening Credits

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Timothy Bottoms	...	James T. Hart
Lindsay Wagner	...	Susan Fields
John Houseman	...	Charles W. Kingsfield Jr.
Graham Beckel	...	Franklin Ford III
James Naughton	...	Kevin Brooks
Edward Herrmann	...	Thomas Craig Anderson
Craig Richard Nelson	...	Willis Bell
Robert Lydiard	...	O'Connor (as Bob Lydiard)
Lenny Baker	...	William Moss, Tutor
David Clennon	...	Toombs
Regina Baff	...	Asheley Brooks
Irma Hurley	...	Mrs. Weasal
Bill Moher	...	Philip
Blair Brown	...	Miss Farranti
Richard Whelan	...	Pruit
Alan Kwinter	...	Sanders
Nicholas Olah	...	Knight
David B. Johns	...	Fisher
Tony Silverthorne	...	Hotel Manager
John Bethune	...	Hotel Clerk
Jan Campbell	...	1st Hotel Maid
Dora Dainton	...	2nd Hotel Maid
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Foldy	...	Student (uncredited)
Ronald Mlodzik	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
James Bridges

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Bridges		writer
John Jay Osborn Jr.		novel

Produced by
Philip L. Parslow	....	associate producer
Rodrick Paul	....	producer
Robert C. Thompson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis

Film Editing by
Walter Thompson

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
George Jenkins

Set Decoration by
Gerry Holmes

Production Management
Philip L. Parslow	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Lucibello	....	second assistant director
Christopher Seitz	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ray Mercer Jr.	....	property master (as Ray Mercer)
Hendrik Wynands	....	construction coordinator (as Hendrik G. Wynands)
David Orin Charles	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Larry Jost	....	sound mixer
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Reginald H. Morris	....	camera operator (as Reg Morris)

Casting Department
Patricia Payne	....	casting: Canada (uncredited)

Other crew
John Jay Osborn Jr.	....	technical advisor
Michael Preece	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Thompson-Paul Productions
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox-MGM Film (1974) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Magnetic Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Thompson-Paul Productions

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~8.7 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~8.1 seconds.

Goofs:

Continuity: The airplane Hart makes from the envelope and the one that he throws from the rocks are two different planes.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Professor Kingsfield:Mr. Hart, would you recite for us the facts of Hawkins versus McGee?
[looks up]
Professor Kingsfield:I do have you name right? You are "Mr. Hart"?
Hart:[mumbles] Yes, my name's Hart.
Professor Kingsfield:You're not speaking loud enough, Mr. Hart. Will you speak up?
Hart:Yes, my name's Hart.
Professor Kingsfield:Mr. Hart, you're still not speaking loud enough. Will you stand?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Billy Ray (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

CONCERTO IN D+ for 3 trumpets, tympani, 2 oboes, strings and harpsichord

How much are you willing to sacrifice?

As hard as it is to believe, this film makes studying exciting. The Paper Chase shows the difficulty of a first year law student. The endless studying sessions are followed by frustrating classroom encounters. The point of this film is that to succeed one must not sellout their ideals. People are changed by their experiences in this film. To win, one must place perspective on the pursuit of academic goals. Are good grades worth sacrificing love and friendship? Is flunking out truly the end of the world? At the end of the film Hart has come to realize that he has been just chasing after a paper diploma.