Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)

Director:

Bud Yorkin

Writers (WGA):

Steve Gordon (characters)
Andy Breckman (written by)

Release Date:

8 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

No Money. Still Funny.

Plot:

Arthur loses all his money, and his wife wants a baby.

Plot Keywords:

Sequel | Alcoholic | Adoption | Second Part | 1980s

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dudley Moore	...	Arthur Bach
Liza Minnelli	...	Linda Marolla Bach
John Gielgud	...	Hobson
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Martha Bach
Stephen Elliott	...	Burt Johnson
Paul Benedict	...	Fairchild
Cynthia Sikes	...	Susan Johnson
Kathy Bates	...	Mrs. Canby
Jack Gilford	...	Mr. Butterworth
Ted Ross	...	Bitterman
Barney Martin	...	Ralph Marolla
Thomas Barbour	...	Stanford Bach
David O'Brien	...	Millionaire
Ron Canada	...	Bartender
John C. Vennema	...	Maitre D' (as John Vennema)
John A. Zee	...	Bald Executive (as John Zee)
Marcia Wolf	...	Gallery Customer
Aileen Fitzpatrick	...	Saleswoman
P.J. Benjamin	...	Ship Steward
Daniel Greene	...	Troy
Molly McClure	...	Greta (as Molly Mc Clure)
Frederikke Borge	...	Decorator
John O'Neill	...	Housekeeper Husband
Mary Betten	...	Housekeeper Wife
Brogan Lane	...	Cindy
Carl Bressler	...	Diner Customer
Lynet Morrow	...	Diner Customer
Don Stark	...	Diner Customer
J. Christopher Sullivan	...	Diner Customer
Nick DeMauro	...	Building Superintendent
Joseph Leon	...	Hank
Kenneth Magee	...	Hardware Store Customer #1
Cameron Johann	...	Hardware Store Customer #2
Raymond O'Connor	...	Drunk #1
Eddie Zammit	...	Drunk #2
Joe Restivo	...	Seedy Bartender
Eagle Eye Cherry	...	Teenager (as Eagle-Eye Cherry)
Robert Levine	...	Cabdriver
T.J. Meyers	...	Policeman
Joe Jamrog	...	Doorman
Larry Golden	...	Bum
Ken Sylk	...	Man in Shadows
Terry Wills	...	Man in Alley
Daryl Edwards	...	Johnson Guard
David Sabin	...	Boardmember #1
Jason Wingreen	...	Boardmember #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matthew T. Gitkin	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Tres Hanley	...	Debutante (uncredited)
Christina Starzak	...	Adopted Child (uncredited)

Directed by
Bud Yorkin

Writing credits (WGA)
Steve Gordon		(characters)
Andy Breckman		(written by)

Produced by
Dudley Moore	....	executive producer
Robert Shapiro	....	producer

Original Music by
Burt Bacharach

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Valorie Massalas

Production Design by
Gene Callahan

Art Direction by
Hub Braden

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone		(as Anna Hill Johnston)

Makeup Department
Colleen Callaghan	....	hair department head
Judith A. Cory	....	hair stylist (as Judy Alexander Cory)
Shirley Dolle	....	hair stylist
Barbara Kelly	....	makeup artist: New York
Brogan Lane	....	makeup artist
Christina Smith	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ted Kurdyla	....	unit production manager: New York
Phil Rawlins	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vebe Borge	....	second assistant director
Carla Corwin	....	second assistant director: New York
Robert V. Girolami	....	first assistant director (as Bob Girolami)
Daniel Silverberg	....	DGA trainee: New York (as Dan Silverberg)
Robert E. Warner	....	first assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Tim Galvin	....	assistant art director: New York
Jaroslav Gebr	....	portrait artist
Bill Gregory	....	lead person
Mel Holman	....	stand-by painter
Eric A. Hulett	....	set dresser
Johnnie Jenkins	....	construction accountant
P. Michael Johnston	....	set designer (as P. Michael Johnstone)
Robert Krume	....	construction coordinator
Amy Marshall	....	set decorator: New York
Richard F. Mays	....	set designer
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator: New York
Philip Saccio	....	property master: New York (as Philip Saccio)
'Dangerous' Bob Widin	....	assistant property master (as Bob Widen)
John Zemansky	....	property master

Sound Department
Karen Baker Landers	....	assistant sound editor (as Karen M. Baker)
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound editor
David L. Horton Jr.	....	assistant sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
James M. Tanenbaum	....	production sound mixer
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound editor
Bill Wylie	....	sound editor (as William Wylie)

Stunts
John Corcoran	....	stunts (as John S. Corcoran)
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Tom Wright	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan S. Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Lauvelt)
Norman Buck	....	key grip: New York
Doug Cook	....	best boy grip
S. Karin Epstein	....	still photographer: New York (as Karin Epstein)
Mikael Glattes	....	second assistant camera
Clyde Hart	....	key grip
Chaim Kantor	....	first assistant camera: New York
Michael Laws	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Bobby Mancuso	....	second assistant camera: New York
Larry McConkey	....	steadicam operator
David Richardson	....	best boy grip
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Douglas Ryan	....	camera operator (as Doug Ryan)
Alex Skvorzov	....	chief lighting technician
William Ward	....	chief lighting technician: New York
Barry Wexler	....	dolly grip
Rick Fee	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Joy Todd	....	extras casting: New York
Jory Weitz	....	casting assistant: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lynette Bernay	....	assistant costume designer: New York
Arlene B. Coffey	....	wardrobe: women, New York (as Arlene Coffey)
Eddie Marks	....	costumer: men
Marilyn Matthews	....	costumer: women
James Roberts	....	wardrobe: men, New York (as Jim Roberts)

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

Music Department
Mick Guzauski	....	scoring mixer
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor (as Steve Hope)
Lolita Ritmanis	....	orchestrator
Celia Weiner	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Thomas Buckman	....	transportation captain: New York
Robert Neilson	....	transportation coordinator (as Bob Neilson)
Edward O'Donnell	....	transportation captain
George Zimmerman	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Susan Alschuler	....	unit publicist
Bud Aronson	....	location manager
Jim Barr	....	production accountant
Sidney Brammer	....	assistant: Mr. Shapiro: New York
Miriam Brewis	....	assistant: Mr. Yorkin
Anthony D'Esposito	....	production assistant (1988)
Camilla Fluxman	....	assistant: Mr. Shapiro
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	title designer
Steve Gordon	....	based on characters created by
Harriette Kanew	....	production office coordinator: New York
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
Lisa Rhodes	....	production assistant
Stephanie Saunders	....	assistant: Mr. Yorkin: New York
Scott Schaffer	....	craft service
Karen Shaw	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Steve Gordon	....	film dedicated to the memory of

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents)
• Havlin-Robert Shapiro Production

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bob Cantwell and the Saturday Night Stompers  dixiland band
• Donah Bassett and Associates  negative cutting
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks
• New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development  thanks
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  lenses and panaflex camera
• Tiffany & Co.  Ms. Minnelli's jewelry

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Norway:5 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Netherlands:AL (original rating) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

Preparing stage plans for the studio sets to be built on the Warner Brothers' Burbank lot, Gene Callahan and his art Director Hub Braden designed preliminary set plans with elevations of all the proposed stage sets. Viewing the original film on video, the original upstairs bedroom set was copied, rebuilt for the second film edition. The original film's set designs incorporated levels, with entrance doors requiring a door-step landing, to step down into the set, similar to a theatrical stage set plan. This step element was changed in this set by eliminating the step up hallway platform. Paper doll miniature sets were mounted and presented for discussion and final approvals by the director. Set Designers were then staffed with the commencement of drawing plans and elevations. All the New York sets were actual locations with no studio built scenery. Minor modifications and set dressing were added to all the interior and exterior location sights in New York. The Yaught interior was a Burbank stage set. The ship's interior lounge finish was a Phillipine Mahogany wood skin veneer finish. After the skin veneer was applied to the walls, after an over night stage closure, the veneer wrinkled due to the frigid stage temperature. When he stage was scheduled for filming the set, the stage heaters had to be continuously maintained to prevent the veneer from wrinkling.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Susan is on her father's boat during the party, her necklace disappears and reappears between shots.

Quotes:

Arthur:What can I do Hobson? I mean what would you do if you were me?
Hobson:The word "bathe" comes to mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Runaway (1989) (TV)

Soundtrack:

DEVOTION

He's Back!

"Arthur 2: On the Rocks" is the story of how Arthur (Dudley Moore), the drunken title character, loses his $750,000,000 fortune and sobers up so he can adopt a baby. It starts out very good and right on target, but towards the last 45 minutes the film loses not only all credibility, but also all sense of cohesiveness. It's as if the writer wrote himself into a wall and tried to cut through it with a spoon. I'm not sure if that analogy was any good, but it's a bit better than the end of the movie.

Of course, I haven't seen the original Oscar-winning "Arthur" (1981), which may be a part of the reason I enjoyed the first half of "Arthur 2" (1988). I still remember when I first saw "The Fly"--I had read all the positive reviews, I was really pumped up and after the credits started to roll I just sort of sat back and let out a sigh. But I had already seen its sequel, aptly named "The Fly II," and I had enjoyed it. Why? Because prior expectations can truly ruin a great movie. If I had gone into "The Fly" expecting nothing, I probably would have come out of it satisfied. But, in hindsight, I expected too much. And I hadn't expected anything going into "The Fly II," which may amount to why I prefer it to the first film, despite its goofy nature and campy effects.

Maybe that's why "Arthur 2: On the Rocks" didn't seem so bad when I watched it. I didn't find a single positive review of the film on the Internet. IMDb's average user rating is currently 3.6, and a year ago it was lower. Rotten Tomatoes' rating is 0%, with not a single positive thing to say. And I can understand why people might not like this movie, but if they think it's one of the worst films of all time...they've got another thing coming.

Arthur and his wife, Linda (Liza Minneli), are living freely. They own five homes in and around New York City, and Arthur's only worry in life is that he may get some. Linda, on the other hand, has a single worry: she can't have children, and she wants some. So they visit an adoption agency downtown, run by Mrs. Canby (Kathy Bates), who promises she'll do her best to fix them up with a kid. Joy!

But then Burt Johnson (Stephen Elliot) buys out Arthur's family company, promising to sell out if Arthur is cut off from the family fortune -- all 750,000,000 dollars. Johnson's scheming is because he wants his daughter, Susan (Cynthia Sikes), to be happy -- and she still wants to marry Arthur. If Arthur divorces his true love, Linda, and marries Johnson's snobby daughter, he can get his money back. But soon Arthur learns that money isn't the most important thing in life.

This is an interesting premise, of course, but the fact that the entire character of Arthur is one built upon the sole theory that there's nothing to worry about in life is contradictory. If "Arthur" were a television show, it would have been a decent half hour of laughs to see him hit the streets in an attempt to sober up. But as a 107-minute film, "Arthur 2's" premise just isn't "Arthur," as far as I can tell. At the end, Arthur cleans up and gets sober, and -- without spoiling how -- wins the day (like there were any doubts as to whether that would happen). But the lasting image of a sober Arthur is far from the central idea of the character in the first place.

And I must complain about something else I noticed -- something more disturbing than anything else in the film. At the very end, Kathy Bates delivers an adopted baby to the couple as they reunite on the street, only for Linda to announce on the spot that she's pregnant. Wouldn't Mrs. Canby (Bates) take the baby back and give her (the baby, that is) to a couple that can't have children? No, she just smiles and stands back from the scene. This is an example of poor scriptwriting.

"Arthur 2: On the Rocks" is a hilarious film in its first half, and a bumbling message-driven snoozer in its second. If only all comedies could sustain laughs at a steady pace throughout. I can't necessarily say that "Arthur 2" is a very bad movie, but I can't necessarily say I can recommend it, either.

2.5/5 stars.

- John Ulmer