Modern Romance (1981)

Albert Brooks directs himself as a successful film editor with far too many issues that affects the relationship between him and his remarkably patient girlfriend.

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers:

Albert Brooks, Monica Mcgowan Johnson

Stars:

Albert Brooks, Kathryn Harrold, Tyann Means

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Albert Brooks	...	Robert Cole
Kathryn Harrold	...	Mary Harvard
Tyann Means	...	Waitress
Bruno Kirby	...	Jay
Jane Hallaren	...	Ellen
Karen Chandler	...	Neighbor
Dennis Kort	...	Health Food Salesman
Bob Einstein	...	Sporting Goods Salesman
Virginia Feingold	...	Bank Receptionist
Thelma Leeds	...	Albert Brooks' Mother (as Thelma Bernstein)
Candy Castillo	...	Drugstore Manager
James L. Brooks	...	David
George Kennedy	...	Himself and Zeron
Rick Beckner	...	Zeon
Jerry Belson	...	Jerry

Storyline

Robert Cole, a film editor, is constantly breaking up with and reconciling with long-suffering girl friend Mary Harvard, who works at a bank. He is irrationally jealous and self-centered, while Mary has been too willing to let him get away with his disruptive antics. Can they learn to live with each other? Can they learn to live without each other? The movie also provides insight into film editing as Robert and co-worker Jay work on their current project, a cheesy sci-fi movie.

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Plot Keywords:

obsession | neurotic | filmmaking | sound effect | satire | 

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Taglines:

Robert was madly in love with Mary. Mary was madly in love with him. Under the circumstances they did the only thing they could do... they broke up.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 March 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Modern Romance - Muß denn Liebe Alptraum Sein?

Filming Locations:

Idyllwild, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Albert Brooks, Stanley Kubrick called him up after the movie came out and said told him he always wanted to do a film about jealousy. Later Kubrick made Eyes Wide Shut, which explores the same theme.

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Goofs

When Albert is high on Quaaludes, he puts on a record album and the disco hit "A Fifth of Beethoven" comes on. But watch the needle on the turntable - you can see the arm retracting and returning from the spindle while the music is playing.

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Quotes

Robert Cole: [stretching before his first jog after breaking up] One, two, three! And I don't even miss her, two, three! One, two, three! And I don't even miss her, two, three...!

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Connections

References Easy Rider (1969)

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Soundtracks

"SHE'S OUT OF MY LIFE"
Performed by Michael Jackson
Courtesy of CBS Records

User Reviews

Albert Brooks At His Best

Brooks' astute observation on men's foibles when obsessed, love~wise, aims high... and hits every mark.

His character's on~again, off~again boyfriend/girlfriend relationship with coke~sniffing Kathryn Harrold [in what is clearly her best performance in what turned out to be a quickly~disintegrating short career] is the basis for the film.

And it's a winner, for most male romantics I'd presume.

Or at least for me: I've done most of the sneaky things Brooks' character does at one time or another, while desperately in love.

As with most of Brooks' works, this isn't laughing out loud funny: it's wry, subtle and makes some great statements on man's utter base incapability of understanding women.

PS: In case you didn't know, Brooks' real name is Albert Einstein... his brother Dave also became a big star in the late '80s: as pseudo~daredevil "Super Dave Osborne"...