An Unmarried Woman (1978)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writer:

Paul Mazursky (written by)

Release Date:

26 May 1978 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

She laughs, she cries, she feels angry, she feels lonely, she feels guilty, she makes breakfast, she makes love, she makes do, she is strong, she is weak, she is brave, she is scared, she is... an unmarried woman.

Plot:

A wealthy woman from Manhattan's Upper East Side struggles to deal with her new identity and her sexuality after her husband of 16 years leaves her for a younger woman.

Plot Keywords:

Painter | Blind Date | Reflection | Throwing A Shoe | Lover

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Jill Clayburgh	...	Erica
Alan Bates	...	Saul
Michael Murphy	...	Martin
Cliff Gorman	...	Charlie
Patricia Quinn	...	Sue (as Pat Quinn)
Kelly Bishop	...	Elaine
Lisa Lucas	...	Patti
Linda Miller	...	Jeannette
Andrew Duncan	...	Bob
Daniel Seltzer	...	Dr. Jacobs
Matthew Arkin	...	Phil
Penelope Russianoff	...	Tanya
Novella Nelson	...	Jean
Raymond J. Barry	...	Edward
Ivan Karp	...	Herb Rowan
Jill Eikenberry	...	Claire
Michael Tucker	...	Fred
Chico Martínez	...	Cabbie (as Chico Martinez)
Clint Chin	...	Chinese Waiter
Ken Chapin	...	Man at Bar
Tom Elios	...	Ice Vendor
Karen Ford	...	Executive Secretary
Alice J. Kane	...	Waitress
Paul Mazursky	...	Hal
Pamela Meunier	...	Hat-Check Girl
Donna Perich	...	Sophie
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Man at Party
John Stravinsky	...	Bartender
Ultra Violet	...	Lady MacBeth
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Rasche	...	(uncredited)
Alison Tucker	...	Alison (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Mazursky

Writing credits
Paul Mazursky		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Mazursky	....	producer
Anthony Ray	....	producer (as Tony Ray)

Original Music by
Bill Conti

Cinematography by
Arthur J. Ornitz		(director of photography) (as Arthur Ornitz)

Film Editing by
Stuart H. Pappé

Production Design by
Pato Guzman

Set Decoration by
Edward Stewart

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky		(costumes by)

Makeup Department
William A. Farley	....	hairdresser (as Bill Farley)
Mike Maggi	....	make up

Production Management
Terence A. Donnelly	....	unit production manager (as Terry Donnelly)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence A. Donnelly	....	assistant director (as Terry Donnelly)
Thomas John Kane	....	second assistant director (as Tom Kane)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	re-recording mixer
Dennis Maitland	....	recording mixer
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Arthur Piantadosi	....	re-recording mixer
Sharron Miller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Sam F. Shaw	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Louis Cappeta	....	key grip (as Louis Cappeto)
Willie Meyerhoff	....	gaffer
Joseph Di Pasquale	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Sal Martorano	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beverly Cycon	....	wardrobe: women's
Max Soloman	....	wardrobe: men's (as Max Solomon)

Editorial Department
Patrick McMahon	....	assistant editor
José Antonio Torres	....	assistant editor (as José A. Torres)

Music Department
Robert H. Raff	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Bechtle	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Frank Bramblett	....	contributing painter and sculptor
John Chamberlain	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
John Clem Clarke	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Colette	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Robert Cottingham	....	contributing painter and sculptor
John DeAndrea	....	contributing painter and sculptor (as John Deandrea)
Porfirio DiDonna	....	contributing painter and sculptor (as Porfirio Didonna)
Tom Folino	....	assistant to producers
Marilynn Gelfman Pereira	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Ralph Goings	....	contributing painter and sculptor
H.N. Han	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Yan Hsia	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Paul Jenkins	....	contributing painter and sculptor
John Kacere	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Lila Katzen	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Tony King	....	contributing painter and sculptor
P.J. Kresnar	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Ralph M. Leo	....	production auditor (as Ralph Leo)
Marsha Liberty	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Toshio Odate	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Peter Saari	....	contributing painter and sculptor
John Salt	....	contributing painter and sculptor
Andy Warhol	....	contributing painter and sculptor

Thanks
Paul Jenkins	....	with special thanks to

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1978) (USA) (theatrical) (as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation)
• Magnetic Video (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1980) (USA) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Juliet Taylor & Associates  casting by
• Sam Shaw Enterprises  sound effects (as Sam Shaw Enterprises, Inc.)
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals by
• Panavision  photographic equipment by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Sweden:11 | USA:R | Netherlands:16 | Norway:16 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The "hen" sessions between Erica (Jill Clayburgh) and her 'divorced' friends were once described as being "part Ingmar Bergman, part Mary Hartman".

Goofs:

Continuity: During Erica's second visit to Tanya, the plants behind Erica change places with each shot. For straight ahead shots of only Erica, the small cactus is on the right. In angled shots, showing both women, the small cactus is on the left.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Martin and Erica are jogging along the river]
Martin:Jesus Christ! Look at this - my sneaker's ruined!
Erica:They're only thirty-five dollars.
[Erica takes Martin's shoe and cleans it off for him]
Martin:Fucking city's turning into one big pile of DOG SHIT!
[shouting at passing traffic]
Martin:Come on out and take a crap on me - everybody else is. Fuck.
[Martin lights a cigarette]
Erica:...been jogging for 2 1/2 miles - you're giving yourself lung cancer.
Martin:I'll tell you something Erica - the longer I'm married to you the more you sound like my mother.
Erica:Clean your own sneaker.
[throws shoe at Martin]
Martin:I think you wanted me to step in it.
Erica:[laughing] You're going crazy Martin.
Martin:I am?
Erica:[laughing] Yes.
[Martin tosses his shoe over his shoulder into the river. Erica jogs away, and Martin jogs after]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sex Is Crazy (1981)

Soundtrack:

Maybe I'm Amazed

A Time Capsule of the late 70s

Somehow I missed "An Unmarried Woman" when I was a senior in college, but I remember hearing about it. Finally, about five years ago, I was flipping through the channels, and I happened upon this gem. I realize some people might consider this film "dated," but other than period pieces, all movies are eventually "dated" in one aspect or another.

I thought Jill Clayburgh was gorgeous and showed herself to be quite a feisty "Erica Benton." Michael Murphy as her husband Martin was extremely annoying and self-centered, but that was his role and the whole reason wife Erica was sent into the world of unmarried women.

I enjoyed the music, the setting, and the general feeling of having lived through that time (1977-1978). Sadly, several key actors from the film are gone (Alan Bates, Cliff Gorman, Penelope Russianoff), but this movie will live on as it captured the post-Vietnam era quite well. It sounds odd now to say the movie was a breakthrough for women, but for its time, it was pretty controversial.

It's nice to see Jill Clayburgh active on Broadway and the silver screen once again. I'm looking forward to her role on the upcoming TV series "Dirty Sexy Money." I can't wait to see her in scenes with "Six Feet Under" star Peter Krause!