Arthur (1981)

Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she ... See full summary »

Director:

Steve Gordon

Writer:

Steve Gordon

Stars:

Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dudley Moore	...	Arthur Bach
Liza Minnelli	...	Linda Marolla
John Gielgud	...	Hobson
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Martha Bach
Jill Eikenberry	...	Susan Johnson
Stephen Elliott	...	Burt Johnson
Ted Ross	...	Bitterman
Barney Martin	...	Ralph Marolla
Thomas Barbour	...	Stanford Bach
Anne De Salvo	...	Gloria
Marjorie Barnes	...	Hooker
Dillon Evans	...	Plaza Maitre D'
Maurice Copeland	...	Uncle Peter
Justine Johnston	...	Aunt Pearl
Paul Vincent	...	Plaza Waiter

Storyline

Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money who he could easily fall in love with.

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Plot Keywords:

love | outspoken | forbidden love | opposites attract | culture clash | 

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Taglines:

Don't You Wish You Were Arthur?

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arturo, el millonario seductor

Filming Locations:

5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$95,461,682 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where Arthur drives his "racing car" around a track was shot at the now defunct Danbury Fair Racearena in Connecticut. The type of car that Arthur drove was never raced there, it was primarily for Modified stock cars and was one of America's great short tracks. Sadly, despite its great success, the land became too valuable and it gave way to a shopping mall. The Danbury Fair Racearena closed on October 12, 1981, shortly after the movie was filmed.

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Goofs

When Burt Johnson takes the knife out of the cheese and starts to approach Arthur and Linda, she reaches her right arm under Arthur's right arm to clutch him. In the next close-up, her right arm is draped over Arthur's right shoulder as she clutches him.

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Quotes

Hobson: I've taken the liberty of anticipating your condition. I have brought you orange juice, coffee, and aspirins. Or do you need to throw up?

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theatre 3000: Time Chasers (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Poor Rich Boy"
(uncredited)
Written by Burt Bacharach
Used in the score

User Reviews

Very funny and very charming

While not quite reaching classic status, Arthur is a very charming and funny movie. Arthur himself may be occasionally clichéd, but Dudley Moore plays the role with great comic timing and charm, you don't mind so much. Arthur looks good even after thirty years, with crisp cinematography and charming-looking costumes and production values. When it comes to the music by Burt Bacharach, it is equally impressive, with Arthur's theme especially wonderful. Steve Gordon's direction is very solid, and his screenplay is even better, with John Gielgud's droll one-liners standing out in particular. The story while slow to start with was enough to grip me, and the performances are great. Not just from Moore and Liza Minnelli, but especially from John Gielgud. Overall, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox