Stay Hungry (1976)

A syndicate wants to buy a whole district to rebuild it. They've bought every house except the small gym "Olympic", where Mr. Austria Joe Santo prepares for the Mr. Universum championships ... See full summary »

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers:

Charles Gaines (screenplay), Bob Rafelson (screenplay),

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Sally Field, Arnold Schwarzenegger

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Craig Blake
Sally Field	...	Mary Tate Farnsworth
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Joe Santo
R.G. Armstrong	...	Thor Erickson
Robert Englund	...	Franklin
Helena Kallianiotes	...	Anita
Roger E. Mosley	...	Newton
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Uncle Albert
Scatman Crothers	...	William
Kathleen Miller	...	Dorothy Stephens
Fannie Flagg	...	Amy
Joanna Cassidy	...	Zoe
Richard Gilliland	...	Hal
Mayf Nutter	...	Richard Packman
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Lester

Storyline

A syndicate wants to buy a whole district to rebuild it. They've bought every house except the small gym "Olympic", where Mr. Austria Joe Santo prepares for the Mr. Universum championships a month ahead. The rich sunny-boy Craig Blake is brought in by the syndicate as a dummy to buy the gym. But then he starts to like the people and falls in love with Joe's friend Marie-Tate.

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Plot Keywords:

competition | body building | lifting someone into the air | topless female nudity | gymnasium | 

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Taglines:

If you've got an appetite for life:

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 April 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

A fuerza de músculos

Filming Locations:

Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Outov Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The classic convertible that Craig Blake (Jeff Bridges) is seen driving early in the movie is a 1935 Ford V8 De Luxe.

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Goofs

When Craig goes up the stairs to fight Thor, Thor throws a set of weights down the stairs, hoping that they will hit Craig, and roll towards the doorway. But in the next shot, they are right next to the stairs.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Tequila Sunrise/Twins/My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"
(uncredited)
Written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

User Reviews

Loyalty, Love, Betrayal, Tradition, and Being Your Own Guy, Doing Your Own Thing as You Want To, with Enthusiasm!!

UNITED ARTISTS Corporation Presents STAY HUNGRY, an Outov Production, Directed by Bob Raphelson, Written by Charles Gaines(also Novel)and Bob Raphelson. With Jeff Bridges, Sally Field, Arnold Schwarzennager, Robert Englund, Hellena Kallianiotes, R.G. Armstrong, Roger E. Mosley, Woodrow Parfrey, Scatman Crothers, Fannie Flagg, Joe Spinnell, Ed Begeley, Joanna Cassidy................

The emergence of Competitive Bodybuilding as a main-stream Sports Competition and Spectacle has been largely credited to "the Governator" and his appearance in 1977's PUMPING IRON. Doubtless that this is a correct assumption, but is there any thing else out there, something obvious, that we are overlooking? Well the previous year we saw a United Artists release of Co-Writer-Director Bob Raphelson's STAY HUNGRY(UA, '76). It had a great cast of character actors that made for a smooth, coherent Farce-Drama-Comedy that had competitive Bodybuilding as its central theme. Starring the future super-successful Trio of Jeff Bridges, Sally Field and Arnold Schwarzenagger.

But rather than concentrating on the Physical Culture aspects of the story, our screenplay investigates some of our other virtues and vices which are universal to all mankind. And that's not to say that the background and peripheral happenings are documented. The out and out living agony of the daily grind is touched on. This alone is great evidence that these guys train as hard or harder than any athletes, period.* However, the storyline investigates all of the Human Virtues and Vices that we see in every other walk of life. We examine loyalty, betrayal, love, Sex, envy, selflessness, desire and fulfillment. Whereras we have a Bodybuilding Story, it is much more.

The story implores us to maintain our enthusiasm, to take what life offers, no matter if it concerns Biceps, Definition, Separation, Bulk, Vascularity etc., etc...

And as a final thought, Miss Sally Field speaks very fondly about her participation in STAY HUNGRY. She recalled in some interview that it was her role as Mary Tate Farnsworth that led to acceptance and opened the door to better things. At that time, there was a certain stigma about Television Acting, especially Sitcom players. They were considered to be on a "lower wrung" of the ladder and not taken so seriously. But, after this film, she did so much movie work and won a couple o' Oscars in the process.** If there is a message, here, it may well be, as the Sneakers Commercial says, "Just Do It!" Or, maybe we should take the advice of The Bard of Avon, Mr. William Shakespeare when he said, "Above all to thine own self, be true!"*** Now this is certainly a case for 'being one's self! And let's have less of "putting on the Dog."

And we remember that a young Roger Ebert was really enthusiastic about this, long before he discovered 'Thumbs'!

NOTE: * There is no mention of Anabolic Steroids in the story, not that they weren't there. Laws regulating there usage came along later.

NOTE** And Confidentially, Sally, that full length Nude Shot you did didn't hurt, either! (Woo, woo, woo, woo!)

NOTE:*** We always have recommended reading Shakespeare. Personally, I always get all of his new books, as soon as they come out!