Firstborn (1984)

Because he's the oldest, Jake has been the man of the house, since his parents divorce. When Mom starts seeing Sam, who always seems to be trying some new way to get rich quick, and ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Apted

Writer:

Ron Koslow

Stars:

Teri Garr, Peter Weller, Christopher Collet

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Teri Garr	...	Wendy
Peter Weller	...	Sam
Christopher Collet	...	Jake Livingston
Corey Haim	...	Brian Livingston
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Lisa
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Lee
Christopher Gartin	...	Adam
James Harper	...	Mr. Rader
Richard Brandon	...	Alan Livingston (Dad)
Gayle Harbor	...	Joanne
Ellen Barber	...	Wendy's Girlfriend Pat
Richard E. Szlasa	...	Coach Gant
Beverly May	...	Mrs. Mercer
Brian Lima	...	Robby
J.D. Roth	...	Ken

Storyline

Because he's the oldest, Jake has been the man of the house, since his parents divorce. When Mom starts seeing Sam, who always seems to be trying some new way to get rich quick, and declares he's the man of the house now, Jake puts up with it. Until he discovers Sam's illegal activities.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | motorbike | cocaine | railroad yard | teenager | 

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Taglines:

There's a new man in his mother's life. A difficult, dangerous, violent man. Now Jake's got to stand up for himself and his family.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

First Born

Filming Locations:

85 Castles Drive, Wayne, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$6,200,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where "Jake" (on a motorbike) is being pursued by "Sam" in the SUV, was filmed in Morristown, New Jersey. In an attempt to shake off Sam, Jake gets up on the New Jersey Transit tracks, and is soon overtaken by a NJT commuter train. During the sequence, which involved several takes, veteran stuntman Bill Anagnos (doubling Chris Collet) was actually struck by the train, and was knocked off the right-of-way, suffering a broken leg. With heavy editing of the previous takes, the accident was not shown, and the film progressed from there. After a long period of painful recuperation, Bill Anagnos eventually returned to stunt work.

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Quotes

Jake: Did you spit in this?
Brian: No, I forgot.

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Soundtracks

"No Guarantees"
The Nobodys

User Reviews

A Very Well-Done Film

This has always been one of my favorite films. It is very well acted, with great performances from Peter Weller, Terri Garr, and especially Christopher Collet (I would have expected to see more acting credits for him). I really like its unflinching look at the consequences of divorce, from the sadness of the kids to the vulnerability of the mother. Look for a young Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr., and Corey Haim in supporting roles.