IMDb > Atlantic City (1980)
Atlantic City
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Atlantic City (1980) More at IMDbPro »

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Atlantic City (1980) -- AllTrailers.net - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   5,191 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 23% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
John Guare (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Atlantic City on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 April 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
She made him become what he always wanted to be - a lover, a hero, a rich man...and a killer! more
Plot:
Lou is a small time gangster, who thinks he used to be something big. He meets up with a younger girl... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 23 wins & 14 nominations more
NewsDesk:
Singer Robert Goulet Dies at 73
 (From WENN. 31 October 2007)

User Comments:
Screenwriter John Guare and director Louis Malle give tribute to people in transition, set to the back drop of a city in transition. more (39 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Burt Lancaster ... Lou Pascal

Susan Sarandon ... Sally Matthews
Kate Reid ... Grace Pinza
Michel Piccoli ... Joseph
Hollis McLaren ... Chrissie

Robert Joy ... Dave Matthews
Al Waxman ... Alfie

Robert Goulet ... Singer in hospital
Moses Znaimer ... Felix
Angus MacInnes ... Vinnie
Sean Sullivan ... Buddy

Wallace Shawn ... Waiter (as Wally Shawn)
Harvey Atkin ... Bus driver
Norma Dell'Agnese ... Jeanne
Louis Del Grande ... Mr. Shapiro
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Atlantic City (USA)
Atlantic City, USA (Canada: English title)
more
Runtime:
104 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Robert Mitchum was considered to play the lead. However once the producer had seen he'd had a face-lift recently they lost interest. more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: The elephant-shaped building Chrissie sees in the opening sequence is Lucy the Elephant, a landmark in Margate, NJ. Margate is south of Atlantic City. The vehicle she is in is clearly traveling south, AWAY from Atlantic City. more
Quotes:
Lou: Yes, it used to be beautiful - what with the rackets, whoring, guns. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Norma more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
19 out of 27 people found the following comment useful.
Screenwriter John Guare and director Louis Malle give tribute to people in transition, set to the back drop of a city in transition., 19 January 1999
Author: Glenn Starnes (gstarnes@nemw.org) from Washington, DC

Set in 1970s Atlantic City in the early days of legalized gambling, we find a young woman (Susan Sarandon) working in the fish section of a casino restaurant while learning to be a card dealer. At the same time, an elderly, small-time hood (Burt Lancaster) is stuck taking care of a gangster's widow (Kate Reid). Sarandon's husband and her younger sister ran off together and unexpectedly reappear looking for a place to stay. Her sister is now pregnant and her low-life husband is trying to sell drugs stolen from a big-time dealer in Philadelphia. Sarandon's husband meets Lancaster in a bar while trying to set up a deal to sell the drugs, and he convinces Lancaster to be his "mule." Lancaster and Sarandon being neighbors -- with her brother in law as the mutual acquaintance -- are brought together and become involved in more trouble than they ever thought imaginable.

The refreshing aspect of this motion picture is that it avoids the typical Hollywood pitfall where character development and dialogue play second fiddle to car chases and stunt scenes. In Atlantic City the odious characters and sticky situations are secondary to the development/relationships of the lead characters. This is the first excellent performance on film of a young Sarandon, and one of the finest performances of Lancaster's distinguished career.

This film has been butchered on cable, VHS, and laserdisc. Please let's have a quality remaster on DVD in widescreen format.

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