The Lonely Guy (1984)

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Bruce Jay Friedman (book)
Neil Simon (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

27 January 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Please don't turn him down.

Plot:

A writer for a greeting card company learns the true meaning of loneliness when he comes home to find his girlfriend in bed with another man.

Plot Keywords:

Single | Loneliness | Book | Writer | Greeting Card

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Larry Hubbard
Charles Grodin	...	Warren Evans
Judith Ivey	...	Iris
Steve Lawrence	...	Jack Fenwick
Robyn Douglass	...	Danielle
Merv Griffin	...	Himself
Joyce Brothers	...	Herself (as Dr. Joyce Brothers)
Candi Brough	...	Schneider Twin
Randi Brough	...	Schneider Twin
Julie Payne	...	Rental Agent
Madison Arnold	...	Lonely Cop
Roger Robinson	...	Greeting Card Supervisor
Dan Hannafin	...	Park Guard (as Daniel P. Hannafin)
Joan Sweeny	...	Sally, Girl in Blood Bank
Nicholas Mele	...	Maitre D'

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Aspen Film Society

Trivia:

The film features cameo appearances from Merv Griffin, Dr. Joyce Brothers, and Loni Anderson.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When the officer gives Larry the ticket for the dog poop he fails to take down any of his details.

Quotes:

Jack Fenwick: Hey, say hello to my wife, Verna.
Verna Fenwick: Hello.
Larry Hubbard: Hi.
Jack Fenwick: And this is my girlfriend Frieda.
Frieda, Jack's Mistress: Hi, nice to meet you.
Larry Hubbard: Nice to meet you.
Jack Fenwick: We got a little apartment here on the West Side. One big room, and a 40-foot mattress.

Movie Connections:

References Rocky (1976)

Soundtrack:

The Lonely Guy

A movie for anyone who has ever felt lonely - at least you're better off than these guys!

A movie about being lonely, doesn't grab you as the obvious subject to make a comedy about does it? But this movie does wonderfully.

Great performances from Martin and Grodin especially (in what in my opinion his is best ever role) as he guides Martin's character through what it is to be a lonely guy, from cocktail parties with cardboard cut-outs of film stars, to standing in as an opening act when their friends are going to be late for dates.

This he learns so well he turns it into a best selling book and eventually finds true love. A wonderful movie that will comfort anyone who is feeling a bit down as it shows that things could be so much worse.