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:

Therapy | Death | Suicide | Guilt | Grief

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 20 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Donald Sutherland	...	Calvin Jarrett
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Beth Jarrett
Judd Hirsch	...	Dr. Tyrone Berger
Timothy Hutton	...	Conrad Jarrett
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Salan
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Jeannine Pratt
Dinah Manoff	...	Karen Aldrich
Fredric Lehne	...	Joe Lazenby
James Sikking	...	Ray (as James B. Sikking)
Basil Hoffman	...	Sloan
Quinn K. Redeker	...	Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello	...	Audrey
Meg Mundy	...	Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard	...	Ruth
Adam Baldwin	...	Stillman
Richard Whiting	...	Grandfather
Scott Doebler	...	Buck
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
Steven Hirsch	...	Mack (as Steve Hirsch)
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 Buck
Michael Creadon	...	Young Conrad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
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

Cinematography by
John Bailey		(director of photography)

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		(costumes designed by)

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)
Tom Seidman	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Donald R. Abblett	....	standby 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
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 man (as Kenny Schwarz)
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer (as Charles Wilborn)
John S. Coffey	....	sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Harry Keramidas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Epper	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John D. Crededio	....	gaffer: Chicago (as John Credidio)
James Glennon	....	camera operator
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Tommy Magglos	....	second assistant cameraman
Robert McLain	....	key grip: Chicago (as Bob McLean)
Ronald W. McLeish	....	gaffer (as Ronald W. McLeisch)
Lou Noto	....	first assistant cameraman (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
Scott Grusin	....	assistant music editor
Marvin Hamlisch	....	music adaptor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Larry Blank	....	choral conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James Hogan	....	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 design
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 (presents)
• Wildwood Enterprises (as A Wildwood Enterprises Production)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (A Gulf+Western Company)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1980) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1983) (USA) (TV)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• TV Asahi (1986) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Citizens of Lake Forest, Illinois  acknowledgement: Wildwood Enterprises would like to thank them and those of the surrounding communities for their cooperation and assistance in the filming of this picture
• Else Blangsted Ltd.  music editor
• Sunrise Catering  catering (as Sunrise Caterers)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | France:U | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:12 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Apple Valley, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Michael J. Fox auditioned for the role of Conrad Jarrett.

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:

Dr. Berger:So you felt great. You brought home a Christmas tree and everything was hunky dory. Okay?
Conrad "Con" Jarrett:You're the doctor.
Dr. Berger:Listen, don't take refuge in one-liners like "you're the doctor". Okay? Because that pisses me off.
Conrad "Con" Jarrett:Okay.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "House M.D.: Changes (#7.20)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

Stunning insight into a family falling apart.

"Ordinary People" deserved its Oscar. There was such fierce competition in 1980 that winning the award was a real honor. The movie should have shared honors with "Coal Miner's Daughter".

Having said that, the reality of the movie is so heartbreaking and so real that you feel every emotion and understand the characters feelings, whether you liked them or not. Mary Tyler Moore's performance of Beth Jarrett is so powerful that you forget Moore's comedic repertoire and immerse yourself into her persona as a cold, distant wife that can not show emotion for her son. It is disturbing that Beth can not show Conrad love and it breaks your heart when you see the awkwardness as he tries so hard to get any love or recognition from her. Her breakdown scene at the golf course and the realization at the end of the movie that she is incapable of affectionate love are powerful performances.

Donald Sutherland's understated and beautiful performance is brilliant. His making up for Beth's shortcomings as an affectionate human being are so touching. He does all he can to keep the rest of his family together. Why he was not nominated for an Oscar is beyond comprehension.

Timothy Hutton absolutely shines as the troubled Conrad. All you want to do is hug him, love him, after his rejections from his own mother. The torture and pain he is in is portrayed so stunningly. His guilt over the death of his brother and subsequent depression are heartbreaking.

Growing up in suburban America, the film rings many a truth to the insights of what people perceive as a "normal family". The cocktail parties, the school activities, the socialization of Beth and her friends over the recognition of her son do happen in suburban America. Robert Redford recognized every real detail of the facades that people put up and the reality of what happens at home. They are poignantly and chillingly realized.

Definitely one of the most deserved Best Picture Oscars given. Please don't miss this one.