Samantha (1992)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Stephen La Rocque

Writers (WGA):

John Golden (written by) &
Stephen La Rocque (written by)

Release Date:

November 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Samantha is a normal woman leading a normal life...until she |

Plot Keywords:

Abandoned Baby | Foundling | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Martha Plimpton	...	Samantha
Dermot Mulroney	...	Henry
Hector Elizondo	...	Walter
Mary Kay Place	...	Marilyn
Ione Skye	...	Elaine
Marvin Silbersher	...	Milos
I.M. Hobson	...	Father O'Rourke
Maryedith Burrell	...	Charlotte Otto / Mrs. Samantha
Robert Picardo	...	Neil Otto / Mr. Samantha
Shay Astar	...	Young Samantha
Cameron Williams	...	Young Henry
Dody Goodman	...	Mrs. Higgins
Randy Pelish	...	Ed Perlmutter
Sandra Kinder	...	Phyllis Perlmutter
Jack Blessing	...	Herman Hathaway

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Chapman University - One University Drive, Orange, California, USA

Company:

Planet Productions

Trivia:

Among the many names Samantha takes on or has been given in the film: Samantha Stigg, Helen Otto, Esmerelda Guadelupe Gonzales, Abigail Harrington III, Mishiko Oshikawa and Helplessly Hoping.

Quotes:

Henry: Samantha, she is third chair on The City Hall Symphany Orchestra
Samantha: Well we both know how she got that job!

Soundtrack:

Quartet in C Major OP.74 No. 1 - 1st Movement

Samantha steps out of most film molds and delights us in new ways

Samantha (Martha Plimpton) has a charmed life, mostly. She has two loving parents, a zest for life, and a great talent for playing the violin. On her 21st birthday, however, her parents drop a bomb when they tell her she is adopted. Innovative to a T, Samantha first plans her own suicide but ends up only blowing smoke. Next, she moves out of her parents' home and in with her old friend and fellow music student, Henry (Dermot Mulroney). Although their relationship is platonic, Henry is the proverbial boy next door who has stood by Sam through her adventurous childhood. This includes the time she almost drowned while re-creating a Houdini trick. Still reeling with discontent, Sam announces she can not even play the violin in Henry's quartet. Their college recital is weeks away. Henry replaces Sam's violin role with gorgeous Elaine and Elaine goes after Henry's heart. Can Samantha wake up and realize the reality of her parents' love and perhaps Henry's as well? This is little gem of a film with a quirkiness that is strongly appealing. Samantha is truly one who walks to a different drum beat and Plimpton does a fine job relating her antics. This is Mulroney's moment to shine as well, as his Henry is charming and touching and he does all of his own cello work. The rest of the cast is nice, the costumes eye-catching and the musical score is absolutely wonderful. If you like films that are something out of the ordinary, you will like Samantha. It has romance, beautiful music, and laughs, yes, but breaks the bounds of traditional comedy in a big way.