Murphy's Romance (1985)

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

Max Schott (story)
Harriet Frank Jr. ...
(more)

Release Date:

31 January 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Just when you think you've found the right guy, someone even worse comes along.

Plot:

Emma is a divorced woman with a teen aged boy who moves into a small town and tries to make a go of a horse ranch...

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Horse Ranch | Small Town | Widower | Single Parent

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Sally Field	...	Emma Moriarty
James Garner	...	Murphy Jones
Brian Kerwin	...	Bobby Jack Moriarty
Corey Haim	...	Jake Moriarty
Dennis Burkley	...	Freeman Coverly
Georgann Johnson	...	Margaret
Dortha Duckworth	...	Bessie
Michael Prokopuk	...	Albert
Billy Ray Sharkey	...	Larry Le Beau
Michael Crabtree	...	Jim Forrest
Anna Levine	...	Wanda
Charles Lane	...	Amos Abbott
Bruce French	...	Rex Boyd
John C. Becher	...	Jesse Parker
Henry Slate	...	Fred Hite
Tom Rankin	...	Ben
Peggy McCay	...	Mrs. Willis
Carole King	...	Tillie
Ted Gehring	...	Auctioneer
Joshua Ravetch	...	Henry Bass
C. Ray Cook	...	Voice at Bingo Game
Eugene Cochran	...	Jonas
Gene Blakely	...	Lucien Holt
Sherry Lynn Amorosi	...	Doris
Patricia Ann Willoughby	...	Lil
Mike Casper	...	Hay Trucker
Hugh Burritt	...	Kid in Car Crash
Michael Friel	...	Clerk #1
Art Royer	...	Clerk #2
Irving Ravetch	...	Customer
Michael Hungerford	...	Auction Bidder #1
John Higgenbotham	...	Boy at Barbecue
Drasha Meyer	...	Ice Cream Lady
Ron Nix	...	Auction Bidder #2
Johnny Ray Anthony	...	Auction Bidder #3
Paul Pinnt	...	Auction Bidder #4
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Burkett	...	Bank Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Ritt

Writing credits
Max Schott		(story)
Harriet Frank Jr.		&
Irving Ravetch

Produced by
George Justin	....	associate producer
Jim Van Wyck	....	associate producer
Laura Ziskin	....	producer

Original Music by
Carole King

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker

Film Editing by
Sidney Levin

Casting by
Dianne Crittenden

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz

Costume Design by
Joe I. Tompkins

Makeup Department
Janice D. Brandow	....	hair stylist (as Janice Brandow)
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
George Justin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Aldric La'auli Porter	....	second assistant director
Martina Ritt	....	second second assistant director (as Tina Ritt)
Jim Van Wyck	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Rick Caprarelli	....	lead man (as Richard Caprarelli)
Richard L. Cowitt	....	assistant property master
Russell Goble	....	property master
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator
Richard Lawrence	....	set designer
Eric Orbom	....	assistant art director
Mort Zwicker	....	construction coordinator
Mike Villarino	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator
Ray Alba	....	sound effects editor
James R. Alexander	....	production sound mixer
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Richard Alexander)
Jack A. Finlay	....	supervising sound effects editor
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary Guarnier	....	assistant sound effects editor
Robert Gutknecht	....	sound effects editor
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Server	....	cable person
Bruce Wright	....	adr editor
Marty Church	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dennis Dion	....	special effects

Stunts
Dana Dru Evenson	....	stunts (as Dana E. Evenson)
Steve Kelso	....	stunt double
Steve Kelso	....	stunt driver
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerald H. Boatright	....	chief lighting technician
Rick Borchardt	....	key grip
Peter Davidian	....	electrician
David E. Diano	....	camera operator
William A. Fraker Jr.	....	second assistant camera
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer
Clyde Smith	....	dolly grip
Richard Turner	....	first assistant camera
Bob West	....	best boy
Steve Yaconelli	....	camera operator
Don Yamasaki	....	best boy

Casting Department
Ilene Starger	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aggie Lyon	....	costumer: women
Ervin W. Rose	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Robert Frazen	....	assistant editor
Rick Sparr	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Lou Adler	....	music producer
David Richard Campbell	....	conductor
David Richard Campbell	....	orchestrator
David Sanborn	....	musician: saxophone soloist
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor

Transportation Department
John Curtis	....	transportation captain
Tom Marshall	....	transportation captain
Frank Mejerski	....	transportation coordinator
Michael P. Walsh	....	picture car wrangler

Other crew
Carol Sue Byron	....	assistant production accountant
Jay K. Fishburn	....	wrangler (as Jay Fishburn)
Regina Gruss	....	unit publicist
Jeannie Jeha	....	production coordinator
Robert F. Kocourek	....	production accountant
Bill Marx	....	pre-record arranger
Bill Marx	....	pre-record supervisor
Karl Lewis Miller	....	dog trainer
Princess O'Mahoney	....	intern (as Princess McLean)
Pinki Ragan	....	production assistant
Tom Rankin	....	location manager
Maryann Rea	....	assistant: Mr. Garner
Ken Rinker	....	choreographer
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Erin Stewart	....	production assistant
Philip Thomas	....	production assistant
Janice Yarbrough	....	production associate

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi IV Productions
• Fogwood Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1986) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1986) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)

Other Companies

• Bruce's Catering  catering
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals
• PMK Public Relations  special publicity

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Florence, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

When James Garner's character finally admits that he is sixty years old, the real James Garner was only fifty-seven.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Murphy uses the same fountain dispenser for Coke (when Emma wanted a lemon coke), water (when Emma wanted Excedrin and water) and club soda (when Emma wanted a chocolate soda) and always pulls the handle toward himself.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Murphy:[to Emma, who's about to put a flyer on his windshield] Lady, you're covering up my causes.

Movie Connections:

Features Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

Soundtrack:

HUNGRY HOWLING AT THE MOON

Just a real good movie

This may or may not be a chick flick. But who cares. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, Garner and Fields were two of my favorite television stars. So to see them together in a movie is a treat. While Garner's character is about 30 years older than Sally's, there is an undeniable chemistry between the two.

Also, there is a gentle, mature humor in this movie. It will bring a smile to your face without the gross physical comedy or profanity so prevalent in modern movies.

I have to admit that I am a romantic at heart, and this movie certainly hit home. If you like a film with a touch of romance, humor, and good performances by the lead actors, this is a movie you should add to you DVD collection.