Modern Romance (1981)

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers (WGA):

Albert Brooks (written by) &
Monica Mcgowan Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

13 March 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

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.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Film Making | Directed By Star | Sound Effect | Comedy Of Manners | Obsession

Cast

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
Harvey Skolnik	...	Harvey
Ed. Weinberger	...	Ed
Meadowlark Lemon	...	Himself
Albert Henderson	...	Head Mixer
Clifford Einstein	...	Music Mixer (as Cliff Einstein)
Gene Garvin	...	Sound Effects Mixer
Hugh Warden	...	Bank Dick
Kelly Ann Nakano	...	Hostess
Joe Bratcher	...	Jim
George Sasaki	...	Japanese Businessman
Victor Toyota	...	Japanese Businessman
Roger Ito	...	Japanese Businessman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Bryar	...	Man in Phone Booth (uncredited)

Directed by
Albert Brooks

Writing credits (WGA)
Albert Brooks		(written by) &
Monica Mcgowan Johnson		(written by) (as Monica Johnson)

Produced by
Andrew Scheinman	....	producer
Martin Shafer	....	producer

Cinematography by
Eric Saarinen

Film Editing by
David Finfer

Casting by
Barbara Claman
Deborah Kurtz

Production Design by
Edward Richardson

Set Decoration by
James L. Berkey

Makeup Department
Carol Meikle	....	hair stylist
Christina Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Stephen J. Fisher	....	unit production manager
Daniel McCauley	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Looney	....	second assistant director
Steve Perry	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master
Larry Verne	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Ray Alba	....	sound effects editor
Jeff Bushelman	....	sound effects
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Nelson	....	production sound mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tex Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Pat Somerset	....	sound effects
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruce Birmelin	....	still photographer
Ross Cannon	....	second key grip
Joe Collins	....	key grip
Catherine E. Coulson	....	second assistant camera
Frederick Elmes	....	camera operator
Bob Farmer	....	best boy
Michael Katz	....	gaffer
Dennis Matsuda	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Henrikson	....	costumer
Christine Zamiara	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
John Currin	....	apprentice editor
Michael D. Ornstein	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Lance Rubin	....	music adaptor
Shinichi Yamazaki	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Alan Falco	....	transportation coordinator (as Allan Larry Falco)

Other crew
Sharon Clark	....	assistant to producers
Ruth J. Gribin	....	pre-production secretary
Andree Juviler	....	location manager
Max Manlove	....	production assistant
Karen Martini	....	production secretary
Phyllis Shafrin	....	auditor
Gail Siemers	....	assistant: Mr. Brooks
Frankie Slater	....	unit publicist
Paula Wakefield	....	location manager
Carol Westphall	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Idyllwild, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The director of Robert Cole's films is James L. Brooks, who would later direct Albert Brooks in Broadcast News (1987).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: 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.

Quotes:

Robert Cole: [on the phone with Jay] Jay, listen -- I didn't tell you this before, and I think I should tell you now. I love you. I mean, in the right way. I think you're an amazing guy, and I -- I think I just love you.
Jay: The ludes kicked in, right?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005)

Soundtrack:

SHE'S OUT OF MY LIFE

lust in America

I do like Albert Brooks. As an actor. As a writer and director, his movies fall short of funny, happy to be amusing. Modern Romance is par for the course.

Only in the exchange with Medowlark Lemon does the movie come close to explaining Brooks' neurotic obsession with his girlfriend: she's out of his league. We don't know enough to understand why she's with him; the movie is more interested in his antics. Not only is Brooks' character narcissistic, his movie is too.

The foley scene, the shopping excursion, the Hollywood party are all deftly handled and expertly underplayed. I truly believe that Brooks can find the humor in anything. But he's satisfied with too little in his movies, and his disregard for structure (in his early films) is both curious and frustrating. It's as if he thinks he can get away with less if he doesn't seem to be trying as hard.

Essentially, Modern Romance is a 60-minute monologue with some situational humor mixed in. Is he in love with her, or with himself? That may be the point, but that makes me neither marvel nor laugh.