Alice's Restaurant (1969)

A cinematic adaption of Arlo Guthrie's classic song story.

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

Arlo Guthrie (song), Venable Herndon (screenplay)

Stars:

Arlo Guthrie, Patricia Quinn, James Broderick

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arlo Guthrie	...	Arlo
Patricia Quinn	...	Alice (as Pat Quinn)
James Broderick	...	Ray
Pete Seeger	...	Pete Seeger
Lee Hays	...	Lee Hays
Michael McClanathan	...	Shelly
Geoff Outlaw	...	Roger
Tina Chen	...	Mari-chan
Kathleen Dabney	...	Karin
William Obanhein	...	Officer Obie
Seth Allen	...	Evangelist
Monroe Arnold	...	Blueglass
Joseph Boley	...	Woody
Vinnette Carroll	...	Draft Clerk
Sylvia Davis	...	Marjorie

Storyline

Arlo Guthrie's song is converted into a motion picture. Arlo goes to see Alice for Thanksgivng and as a favor takes her trash to the dump. When the dump is closed, he drops it on top of another pile of garbage at the bottom of a ravine. When the local sheriff finds out a major manhunt begins. Arlo manages to survive the courtroom experience but it haunts him when he is to be inducted into the army via the draft. The movie follows the song with Arlo's voice over as both music and narration.

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Plot Keywords:

police | garbage dump | conscription | littering | anti establishment | 

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Taglines:

Where the heads of all nations meet

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

El restaurante de Alicia

Filming Locations:

Lenox, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$6,300,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Elkins Entertainment,Florin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Arlo Guthrie's costume in the party scene is meant to be the King of Cups from a pack of tarot cards.

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Goofs

During the Thanksgiving after-dinner sequence. Everyone sings "Amazing Grace" accompanied by the sound of a harmonium. The camera pulls in to show Arlo playing a Fender Rhodes stage piano as if he is the accompanist. The Rhodes is not an instrument capable of sustaining chords like a harmonium.

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Quotes

Arlo: Group W is where they put ya if you may not be moral enough to join the army after committin' your special crime. There was all kinds of mean, nasty ugly-lookin' people on the bench there. There was mother rapers... father stabbers... father rapers... Father rapers! Sittin' right there on the bench next to me!

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Connections

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

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Soundtracks

Car-Car Song
Written by Woody Guthrie
Performed by Pete Seeger (uncredited) and Arlo Guthrie (uncredited)

User Reviews

More than just a hippie flick.

After seeing all the negative criticism, I just had to say a few words in the films defence. ALICE'S RESTAURANT is unconventionally produced, but it DEFINITELY has themes running through out it.. It deals with some profound issues about the era, particularly the concept of the pursuit of happieness. Note the significant change in tone in the last section: The marriage ceremony and party at the end brilliantly convey the idea of the characters trying to "be free" and have a good time, but that if there is aimlessness in your life, there will be a sadness there and you won't know were it is comming from. True, it also helps if you like folk music (witch I do). I found the scenes of Arlo by his father Woody's bed side quite touching, especially when he is performing with Pete Seagar. And of course, seeing the ALICE'S RESTUARANT MASSECREE acted out is delightful.