The Goodbye Girl (1977)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon (written by)

Release Date:

1 February 1978 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He's moving in... she's not moving out... it's love at first fight!

Plot:

After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment | Actor | Dancer | Love | Roommate

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Elliot Garfield
Marsha Mason	...	Paula McFadden
Quinn Cummings	...	Lucy McFadden
Paul Benedict	...	Mark
Barbara Rhoades	...	Donna
Theresa Merritt	...	Mrs. Crosby
Michael Shawn	...	Ronnie
Patricia Pearcy	...	Rhonda
Gene Castle	...	Assistant Choreographer
Daniel Levans	...	Dance Instructor
Marilyn Sokol	...	Linda
Anita Dangler	...	Mrs. Morganweiss
Victoria Boothby	...	Mrs. Bodine
Robert Costanzo	...	Liquor Store Salesman
Pancho González	...	Mugger (as Poncho Gonzalez)
Jose Machado	...	Mugger (as José Machado)
Hubert Kelly	...	Mugger
Dana Laurita	...	Cynthia
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Drunk (as Dave Cass)
Loyita Chapel	...	Strip Club Dancer
Caprice Clarke	...	Strip Club Dancer
Esther Sutherland	...	Strip Club Manager
Clarence Felder	...	Critic
Kensuke Haga	...	Japanese Salesman
Ryohei Kanokogi	...	Japanese Salesman
Ruby Holbrook	...	Woman in Audience
Kristina Hurrell	...	Gretchen
David Matthau	...	Furniture Mover
Milt Oberman	...	Furniture Mover
Eddie Villery	...	Painter
Joseph Carberry	...	Strip Club Customer
Eric Uhler	...	Strip Club Customer
Raymond J. Barry	...	Richard III Cast (as Ray Barry)
Powers Boothe	...	Richard III Cast
Tom Everett	...	Richard III Cast
Janice Fuller	...	Richard III Cast
Munson Hicks	...	Richard III Cast
Robert Kerman	...	Richard III Cast
Jeanne Lange	...	Richard III Cast
Robert Lesser	...	Richard III Cast
Fred McCarren	...	Richard III Cast
Nicholas Mele	...	Richard III Cast
Maureen Moore	...	Richard III Cast
Joe Regalbuto	...	Richard III Cast (as Joseph Regalbuto)
Peter Vogt	...	Richard III Cast
Wendy Cutler	...	Improvisation Group
Susan Elliot	...	Improvisation Group
Andy Goldberg	...	Improvisation Group
Paul Willson	...	Improvisation Group
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Silvern	...	(uncredited)
Nicol Williamson	...	Oliver Fry (uncredited)

Directed by
Herbert Ross

Writing credits
Neil Simon		(written by)

Produced by
Roger M. Rothstein	....	associate producer
Ray Stark	....	producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John F. Burnett

Casting by
Jennifer Shull

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist
Allan Snyder	....	makeup artist (as Allan Whitey Snyder)
Carrie White	....	hair stylist: Miss Mason

Production Management
Roger M. Rothstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert P. Cohen	....	second assistant director: New York
Edward D. Markley	....	second assistant director (as Edward Markley)
Jack Roe	....	assistant director

Art Department
Spencer Deverell	....	assistant art director (as Spencer Deverill)
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
Thomas Saccio	....	property master: New York

Sound Department
Jerry Jost	....	sound
William L. McCaughey	....	sound (as William McCaughey)
John Riordan	....	sound editor (as John P. Riordan)
James Sabat	....	sound: New York
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Al Griswold	....	special effects: New York (as Albert Griswold)

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Harris	....	gaffer
Richard Moran	....	key grip
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer: New York
Roger Shearman	....	camera operator (as Roger Sherman Jr.)
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator: New York (as William Steiner Jr.)
Mel Traxel	....	still photographer
Robert Ward	....	key grip: New York
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer: New York
Doug Byers	....	electrician (uncredited)
Vinnie Gerardo	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Seth Banks	....	wardrobe: men
Shirlee Strahm	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Margaret Booth	....	supervising editor
Barbara Dunning	....	assistant editor
Michael A. Stevenson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dave Grusin	....	music adaptor
Harry E. Liguski	....	music supervisor
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Other crew
Martin Danzig	....	location manager: New York
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Shirley Marcus	....	production secretary: New York
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Maggie Wilde	....	production secretary
Mary Malin	....	assistant: Ann Roth (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Rastar Pictures (as A Rastar feature)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinemobile System  locations
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  opticals (as MGM)
• Turner Entertainment  VHS package design

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Neil Simon rewrote the film's screenplay in just six weeks.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Paula confronts Elliot for playing his guitar, Dreyfuss' finger movement on the instrument doesn't match the music.

Quotes:

Paula McFadden:I thought you didn't put un-natural things in your body?
Elliot Garfield:I didn't... I put it into Richard's... I'm trying to kill the son of a bitch!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Three's Company: The Goodbye Guy (#4.24)" (1980)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye Girl

Another successful Simon "Odd Couple" story

Neil Simon is consistent. He loves to use and reuse the "ODD COUPLE" plot with variations in one play or another: in the original ODD COUPLE, it's female version (shown in the early 1990s), the sequel film with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, the play (and movie) THE SUNSHINE BOYS - where the apartment is a lifelong comedy team partnership, and this one. Here it is Marcia Mason and her daughter, Quinn Cummings, who are always being deserted by Mason's husband or her series of boy-friends who usually are actors. Mason has become determined never again to trust or date an actor. But the apartment happens to be in the name of her last boyfriend, and he has made a subletting deal with out-of-town actor Richard Dreyfus. Dreyfus is determined to stay in the apartment while in New York (he is starring in a production within the city - off Broadway). He and Mason gradually agree to cease their hostilities and to share the apartment, but Mason finds Dreyfus weird: he is only eating special food, and he chants and plays the guitar at night. On the other hand Quinn Cummings finds he's not such a bad guy (he helps her when she has a headache, relaxing her to sleep).

The play that Dreyfus is appearing in the lead role in is Shakespeare's RICHARD III. It is being produced by Paul Benedict (a rare big part for that good comic actor), but his ideas about the production are upsetting Dreyfus. Dreyfus is approaching the role in the classical, "Olivier" form - the master, evil Machiavellian monarch. Machiavellian to be sure in Benedict's version, but also gay. As Benedict pushes it, it is the story of "the Queen who would be King". Dreyfus's performance of the play within the film, following Benedict's direction, is an everlasting comic joy.

The highs and lows of the two warring suite mates follows a romantic course, as they gradually fall in love with each other. Will this actor prove to be another one of those typically selfish actors that Mason resents, or will he prove to be different to her and Cummings - will he be the real love of her life?

A first rate comedy, and Dreyfus' Oscar - a well earned one.