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Ordinary People (1980)

R  124 min  -  Drama   -  27 February 1981 (Australia)
7.8
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Ratings: 7.8/10 from 19,965 users  
Reviews: 249 user | 40 critic

The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son.

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

Judith Guest (novel), Alvin Sargent (screenplay), and 1 more credit »
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Won 4 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 9 nominations See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland ...
Mary Tyler Moore ...
Judd Hirsch ...
Dr. Tyrone Berger
Timothy Hutton ...
M. Emmet Walsh ...
Salan
Elizabeth McGovern ...
Dinah Manoff Dinah Manoff ...
Karen Aldrich
Fredric Lehne ...
Joe Lazenby
James Sikking ...
Ray (as James B. Sikking)
Basil Hoffman ...
Sloan
Quinn K. Redeker Quinn K. Redeker ...
Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello Mariclare Costello ...
Audrey
Meg Mundy Meg Mundy ...
Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard Elizabeth Hubbard ...
Ruth
Adam Baldwin ...
Stillman
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Storyline

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being supportive to Conrad. Calvin is trapped between the two trying to hold the family together. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Therapy | Death | Suicide | Grief | Friend  | See more »

Taglines:

Everything is in its proper place... Except the past. See more »

Genres:

Drama

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(Australia) See more »

Also Known As:

Gente como uno See more »

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$54,766,923 (USA) (1981)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Before casting Mary Tyler Moore, director Robert Redford had Lee Remick in mind for the role of Beth. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: When Karen and Conrad are at the restaurant and Karen is leaving, the Cokes have disappeared from the table. See more »

Quotes

Karen: Conrad. Let's have a great Christmas. Let's have... a great year. Let's have the best year of our whole lives. We can, you know... this could be the best one ever.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in "House M.D.: Here Kitty (#5.18)" (2009) See more »

Soundtracks

"(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden"
(1969) (uncredited)
Written by Joe South
Sung a cappella a bit by Judd Hirsch See more »