Heartburn (1986)

An autobiographical look at the breakup of Ephron's marriage to Carl "All the President's Men" Bernstein that was also a best-selling novel. The Ephron character, Rachel is a food writer at... See full summary »

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Nora Ephron (novel), Nora Ephron (screenplay)

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Rachel Samstat
Jack Nicholson	...	Mark Forman
Jeff Daniels	...	Richard
Maureen Stapleton	...	Vera
Stockard Channing	...	Julie Siegel
Richard Masur	...	Arthur Siegel
Catherine O'Hara	...	Betty
Steven Hill	...	Harry Samstat
Milos Forman	...	Dmitri
Mamie Gummer	...	Annie Forman (as Natalie Stern)
Karen Akers	...	Thelma Rice
Aida Linares	...	Juanita
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Della, Harry's Maid
Ron McLarty	...	Det. Andrew O'Brien
Kenneth Welsh	...	Dr. Appel

Storyline

An autobiographical look at the breakup of Ephron's marriage to Carl "All the President's Men" Bernstein that was also a best-selling novel. The Ephron character, Rachel is a food writer at a New York magazine who meets Washington columnist Mark at a wedding and ends up falling in love with him despite her reservations about marriage. They buy a house, have a daughter, and Rachel thinks they are living happily ever after until she discovers that Mark is having an affair while she is waddling around with a second pregnancy.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | columnist | wedding | writer | renovation | 

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Taglines:

So This Is Love?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Difícil Arte de Amar

Filming Locations:

Alexandria, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$25,314,289 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mandy Patinkin was originally cast as Mark Forman.

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Goofs

When Rachel begins a tape recording of her life with the baby, she identifies herself as "Rachel Samstat". There is no reason for her to use her maiden name, and in the rest of the movie she uses her married name.

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Quotes

Mark Forman: [taking a very pregnant Rachel to the hospital] Just keep breathing, you can do it.
Rachel Samstat: [panting] I don't want to do it, honey. Can't we get somebody else to do it?

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Connections

References An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

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Soundtracks

"Soliloquy"
(excerpt)
From the musical play "Carousel"
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Sung by Jack Nicholson

User Reviews

Poor Use of Splendid Cast

When viewing this movie, I en visualized a film making challenge. It was almost like presenting a class of senior year cinematic arts students with a graduate project. Take Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and add a few seasoned comedic supporting members such as Catharine O'Hara, and produce the most boring movie imaginable.

The set was dreary, repetitive, and depressing. Nicholson and Streep took to their characters well, but even their efforts couldn't save this one. The lackluster plot was commonplace and predictable. It played out like a slow moving expanded drama that replicates itself millions of times in American homes. In fact many of you could have watched the same drama unfold in the homes of your neighbors, co-workers or family. So why go to the theater or rent this DVD?