Ordinary People (1980)

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

Judith Guest (novel)
Alvin Sargent (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 February 1981 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

some films you watch, others you feel.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Guilt | Suicide | Grief | Suicide Attempt

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Calvin Jarrett
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Beth Jarrett
Judd Hirsch	...	Dr. Tyrone C. Berger
Timothy Hutton	...	Conrad Jarrett
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Coach Salan
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Jeannine Pratt
Dinah Manoff	...	Karen
Fredric Lehne	...	Lazenby
James Sikking	...	Ray Hanley (as James B. Sikking)
Basil Hoffman	...	Sloan
Scott Doebler	...	Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Quinn K. Redeker	...	Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello	...	Audrey
Meg Mundy	...	Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard	...	Ruth
Adam Baldwin	...	Stillman
Richard Whiting	...	Grandfather
Carl DiTomasso	...	Van Buren
Tim Clarke	...	Truan
Ken Dishner	...	Genthe
Lisa Smyth	...	Gail
Ann Eggert	...	Mitzi
Randall Robbins	...	Bryce
Cynthia Baker	...	Ms. Mellon (as Cynthia Baker Johnson)
John Stimpson	...	John
Liz Kinney	...	Liz
Rudy Hornish	...	Ed
Clarissa Downey	...	Chris
Cynthia Burke	...	Annie
Jane Alderman	...	Linda
Paul Preston	...	Dennis
Gustave Lachenauer	...	Gus
Marilyn Rockafellow	...	Sarah
Don Billett	...	Philip
Ronald Solomon	...	Joel
Virginia Long	...	Choir Director
Paula Segal	...	Shopper
Estelle Meyers	...	Saleslady
Stuart Shiff	...	Waiter
Rose Wool	...	Waitress
Douglas Kinney	...	Actor
Constance Addington	...	Actress
Edwin Bederman	...	McDonald's Manager
Bobby Coyne	...	Young Jordan 'Buck' Jarrett
Michael Creadon	...	Young Conrad Jarrett
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Hirsch	...	Mack (as Steve Hirsch)
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voice (uncredited)
Randy De Troit	...	Man on Bridge (uncredited)
Michael T. Weiss	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Redford

Writing credits
Judith Guest		(novel)
Alvin Sargent		(screenplay)
Nancy Dowd		uncredited

Produced by
Ronald L. Schwary	....	producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
John Bailey

Film Editing by
Jeff Kanew

Casting by
Penny Perry

Art Direction by
Phillip Bennett
J. Michael Riva

Set Decoration by
William B. Fosser		(as William Fosser)
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack

Makeup Department
Joel Israel	....	hair stylist: Ms. Moore
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist
Jean Burt Reilly	....	hair stylist (as Jean Burke Reilly)
Kathe Swanson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ronald L. Schwary	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Britton	....	second assistant director (as Michael L. Britton)
Steve Perry	....	first assistant director (as Steven H. Perry)
B. Thomas Seidman	....	dga trainee (as Tom Seidman)

Art Department
Donald R. Abblett	....	stand-by painter (as Donald Abblett)
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Richard Boris	....	greensman
Herman Lowers	....	construction coordinator (as Herman O. Lowers)
Willie Marceau	....	head carpenter
William Powley	....	construction painter
Chuck Stein	....	construction foreman (as Charles J. Stein)

Sound Department
John S. Coffey	....	sound mixer: second unit
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Kathleen Korth	....	assistant sound editor (as Kathy Korth)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kay Rose	....	supervising sound editor
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor (as Gerald Rosenthal)
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor (as Victoria Sampson)
Kenneth Schwarz	....	boom operator (as Kenny Schwarz)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer (as Charles Wilborn)
Harry Keramidas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Epper	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
John D. Crededio	....	gaffer: Chicago (as John Credidio)
James Glennon	....	camera operator
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Tommy Magglos	....	second assistant camera
Robert McLain	....	key grip: Chicago (as Bob McLean)
Ronald W. McLeish	....	gaffer (as Ronald W. McLeisch)
Lou Noto	....	first assistant camera (as Louis Noto)
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert M. Moore	....	wardrobe: men (as Robert Moore)
Rita Salazar	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Jay Friedkin	....	apprentice editor
Carol Ann Jackson	....	assistant editor
Marilyn Madderom	....	assistant editor
Kathy Orloff	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Else Blangsted	....	music editor (as Else Blandsted, Ltd.)
Noel Goemanne	....	music arranger: mixed voices
Scott Grusin	....	assistant music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Jean-François Paillard	....	additional music arranger
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Larry Blank	....	choral conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James F. Hogan	....	transportation co-captain: Chicago
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation captain (as Mike McDuffee)
Gerald R. Molen	....	transportation coordinator (as Jerry Molen)

Other crew
Jack Hirshberg	....	unit publicist
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator
Patrick Markey	....	location manager
Patricia Matzdorff	....	secretary: Mr. Schwary
Robbie Miller	....	secretary: Mr. Redford (as Robbi Miller)
Patricia Newcomb	....	publicity consultant
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Grant Olson	....	craft service
Dennis Park	....	assistant accountant
Julie Pitkanen	....	script supervisor
Teresa Skinner	....	associate: Wildwood
Bob Waits	....	assistant: Mr. Sutherland
Rusty Warren	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Wildwood Enterprises

Distributors

• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Pictures
• TV Asahi (1986) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Sunrise Catering  catering

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:16 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Elizabeth McGovern was a student at Juilliard during filming. The school permitted her to do the film on the condition that she leave for Chicago each Friday night and return on Sunday, filming only on Saturdays. It was the first time Juilliard had ever permitted a student to make a film during a school term.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The boat Conrad and Buck are in is obviously stationary, and is being rocked rapidly back and forth, inconsistent with the way a vessel that size would behave during a real squall.

Quotes:

Calvin "Cal" Jarrett: He just wants to know that you don't hate him.
Beth Jarrett: Hate him! How could I hate him? Mothers don't hate their sons! Is that what he told you? You see how you believe everything he tells you? And you can't do the same for me, you can't! GOD I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYONE WANTS FROM ME ANYMORE!
Ward: Beth, we don't want anything from you; Audrey, Cal, Connie and Me, we just want you to be happy.
Beth Jarrett: Happy! Ward, you tell me the meaning of happy. But first you better make sure your kids are good and safe, that they haven't fallen of a horse, been hit by a car, or drown in that swimming pool you're so proud of!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "House M.D.: Saviors (#5.21)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Canon in D major

SHATTERING

The perfect life of the perfect family is destroyed when the older of 2 sons dies in a sailing accident, leaving the parents and his younger brother to grieve, pick up and carry on. But how they accomplish this makes this movie a shattering but ultimately uplifting (in parts) experience.

Buck Jarrett drowns after he and his younger brother, Conrad, go sailing on a questionable day. Later, Conrad, feeling the guilt of his brother's death, tries to commit suicide by slashing his wrists. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise because the true personalities of his parents, Cal and Beth, as well as his own ability to grow are revealed when Conrad returns from the psychiatric hospital after a 4-month stay.

Conrad is given the name of Dr. Tyrone Berger, a psychiatrist (marvelously played by Judd Hirsch) who is unconventional to say the least. He dresses casually, drinks coffee he makes in his office and smokes incessantly (this is pre anti-tobacco). And he doesn't buy into the psychobabble practiced by many psychiatrists. At first, Conrad tells Dr. Berger he wants to gain control but what he really wants is to not feel - not feel the pain of his brother's death and what he believes is his part in it. But that unravels through a series of experiences he endures as the movie proceeds. In choir practice, Conrad is smitten with Jeannine Pratt (beautifully played by Elizabeth McGovern), a fellow singer who has an ability to recognize Conrad's pain without being amazed, horrified or judgmental. And Conrad also has a friend, Karen, (played nicely by Dinah Manoff)whom he'd met in the hospital and who can relate to his experiences there.

Donald Sutherland as Cal, Mary Tyler Moore as Beth and Timothy Hutton as Conrad give outstanding, Oscar-caliber performances. Cal tries to keep his feelings hidden by wearing a mask of bravado, carrying on and functioning in a world that has taken his son away. He loves Conrad and also recognizes his pain and his alienation fom his mother though he realizes he can't "fix it." But it's Mary Tyler Moore's performance as Beth that is so amazing. She is plastic through and through and it gets to the point of being downright annoying and yet MTM's portrayal is perfect. Of all the characters, hers is really the most disturbed. She wants to have things exactly as they were even though she mourns the loss of her firstborn son. She can't love Conrad because he committed the one unforgivable sin - he survived while her favorite did not.

Timothy Hutton, sadly, has never had a movie to top "Ordinary People." He has done other work, of course, (most notably in my opinion, "Taps") and can be seen currently as Archie in "Nero Wolf" on A&E. But his role as the troubled surviving son who rises from the pain in "Ordinary People" is truly magnificent and shattering. He earned the Oscar and he truly deserved it. And as he accepted his Academy Award, he remembered his father, actor Jim Hutton, who had died from liver cancer shortly before Timothy got the award. That was a classy thing to do. I hope Mr. Hutton gets another plum role like this one; everything else he has done since pales in comparison.