Barefoot in the Park (1967)

Paul, a conservative young lawyer, marries the vivacious Corie. Their highly passionate relationship descends into comical discord in a five-flight New York City walk-up apartment.

Director:

Gene Saks

Writers:

Neil Simon (play), Neil Simon (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Charles Boyer

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Redford	...	Paul Bratter
Jane Fonda	...	Corie Bratter
Charles Boyer	...	Victor Velasco
Mildred Natwick	...	Ethel Banks
Herb Edelman	...	Harry Pepper (as Herbert Edelman)
Mabel Albertson	...	Harriet
Fritz Feld	...	Restaurant Proprietor
James Stone	...	Delivery Man (as James F. Stone)
Ted Hartley	...	Frank

Storyline

New Yorkers Paul Bratter and Corie Bratter née Banks have just gotten married. He is a stuffed shirt just starting his career as a lawyer. She is an independently minded free spirit who prides herself on doing the illogical purely out of a sense of adventure, such acts as walking through Washington Square Park barefoot when it's 17°F outside. Their six day honeymoon at the Plaza Hotel shows that they can get to know each other easily in the biblical sense. But they will see if they can get to know each other in their real life when they move into their first apartment, a cozy (in other words, small), slightly broken down top floor unit in a five story walk-up. While Corie joyfully bounds up and down the stairs, Paul, always winded after the fact, hates the fact of having to walk up the six flights of stairs, if one includes the stairs that comprise the outside front stoop. Beyond the issues with the apartment itself, Paul and Corie will have to deal with an odd assortment of neighbors...

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | based on play | woman wearing pajama top | lawyer | conservative | 

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Taglines:

Broadway's barest, rarest, unsquarest love play

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Descalzos en el parque

Filming Locations:

111 Waverly Place, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$19,994,515

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wallis-Hazen, Nancy Enterprises Inc. (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film and the play upon which it is based are considered somewhat similar to Frank Craven's play "The First Year," which was filmed three times (See: The First Year (1926); The First Year (1932) and The First Year (1946)).

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Goofs

When the neighbor helps Corie with the heat, a wrinkle appears in her coat, and then changes position.

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Quotes

Victor Velasco: So what are you, a folk singer?
Corie Bratter: No, a wife!

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Connections

Referenced in Pan Am: Secrets and Lies (2012)

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Soundtracks

Shama, Shama
Written by Danny Gould, Neil Simon and Luben Balabanoff

User Reviews

One of the best

Despite the electricity of "The Odd Couple" the emotional force of "Lost in Yonkers" and the Depression-era angst of "Brighton Beach Memoirs," this remains the best movie made of a Neil Simon play.

Like "The Odd Couple" it owes most of its enduring success to the chemistry between Jane Fonda and Robert Redford (reprising his role in the Broadway show) as the hapless newlyweds trying desperately to make it work. This is the movie that is responsible for most of the "mismatched" romantic comedies we've ever seen, including "Along Came Polly" and TV's "Dharma and Greg." It proves that flowery romantic prose isn't what makes a great love story, bold heroes and damsels in distress don't make a good love story. No, what makes a good love story are two people who, from start to finish, makes the audience go "Oh, God in heaven, please let them work it out!"

The brilliant dialogue of Mr. Simon, the charm of Mr. Boyer and the majestic backdrop of New York City make this a must-see for anyone who loves 1, comedy, 2, love stories or 3, Robert Redford because after this, he never really made another movie that was at all comparable.

Oh, I just remembered "Laughter on the 23rd Floor." I guess it's a tie for best Neil Simon movie.