IMDb > A Small Circle of Friends (1980)

A Small Circle of Friends (1980) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   198 votes
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Director:
Rob Cohen
Writer:
Ezra Sacks (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for A Small Circle of Friends on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 October 1980 (Australia) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
They shared everything....Why not each other ? [Australia Theatrical] more
Plot:
Harvard in the 1960's: a time of social upheaval and student unrest. Three students bond together, challenge... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
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User Comments:
A moving lesson in friendship more (7 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Brad Davis ... Leonardo DaVinci Rizzo

Karen Allen ... Jessica Bloom
Jameson Parker ... Nick Baxter
Shelley Long ... Alice
John Friedrich ... Alex Haddox
Gary Springer ... Greenblatt
Richard Nelson ... Harry Norris
Harry Caesar ... Jimmy
Nan Martin ... Mrs. Baxter
Daniel Stern ... Crazy Kid: Draft Inductee (as Dan Stern)
Jason Laskay ... Dorm Proctor
Jamie Squire ... Karate Student
Mary Margaret Amato ... Girl in Shower
David Hollander ... Editor of 'Crimson'
Frank Rich ... Assistant Editor of 'Crimson'
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
113 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Sound Mix:
Stereo
Certification:
Australia:M | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Bridgewater, Massachusetts, USA more
Company:
Small Circle of Friends Inc. more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The title is an allusion to the Phil Oschs song "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends, the first verse of which is, "Look outside the window,/There's a woman being grabbed/They've dragged her to the bushes/And now she's being stabbed/Maybe we should call the cops/And try to stop the pain/ But Monopoly is so much fun,/ I'd hate to blow the game/ And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anybody/Outside of a small circle of friends." more
Goofs:
Anachronisms: Students are seen dancing to the Rolling Stones record "Street Fighting Man" moments after President Lyndon Johnson's television address in which he announced he was not running for reelection. However, that speech was delivered on the last day of March 1968, while the song had not even been recorded yet and was not released until the last day of August 1968. more
Quotes:
Leonardo DaVinci Rizzo: Huh! Egypt's not in Europe. That's only a technicality! more
Movie Connections:
References "The Untouchables" (1959) more
Soundtrack:
Theme for the Masses more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
10 out of 10 people found the following comment useful.
A moving lesson in friendship, 8 October 2002
10/10
Author: manxman-1 from bahamas

A brilliantly realized movie, with a lovingly detailed script by Ezra Sacks, about three Boston college students and their changing relationships during the turbulent anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960's. Brad Davis as Leo, the wild man, Jameson Parker as Nick, his straight-arrow buddy and the lovely Karen Allen as the Radcliffe artist they both love. One of the few American movies that succeeds in handling a menage a trois without being tasteless. Both funny and heartbreaking, this is a lovingly realized tale about a tragic period in American history and the toll it took on the student population. Shamefully underrated at the time of its release, this is a superior movie, with quality contributions from all sides, that deserves a much greater recognition than it has received. First time director Rob Cohen does a terrific job, drawing from his own experiences at Harvard during this turbulent anti-war period. A haunting musical score from Jim Steinman that echoes with familiarity from his later works. Anyone purchasing the DVD should listen to Cohen's audio commentary to appreciate just how greatly he was involved in the creation of this movie and to understand the battles that the students of the 60's had to wage against an oppressive and unheeding government. Plaudits to everyone involved in this worthy endeavor. This is a history lesson every student of today should be obligated to watch.

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