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IMDbPro

Five Easy Pieces

  • 19701970
  • 18A18A
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
37K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,607
20
Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer2:38
1 Video
99+ Photos
Drama
A dropout from upper-class America picks up work along the way on oil rigs when his life isn't spent in a squalid succession of bars, motels, and other points of interest.A dropout from upper-class America picks up work along the way on oil rigs when his life isn't spent in a squalid succession of bars, motels, and other points of interest.A dropout from upper-class America picks up work along the way on oil rigs when his life isn't spent in a squalid succession of bars, motels, and other points of interest.
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
37K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,607
20
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Writers
      • Carole Eastman(screenplay)
      • Bob Rafelson(story)
    • Stars
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Karen Black
      • Billy Green Bush
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Writers
      • Carole Eastman(screenplay)
      • Bob Rafelson(story)
    • Stars
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Karen Black
      • Billy Green Bush
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 245User reviews
    • 111Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 10 wins & 21 nominations total

    Videos1

    Five Easy Pieces
    Trailer 2:38
    Five Easy Pieces

    Photos129

    Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson and Billy Green Bush in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    "Five Easy Pieces" Jack Nicholson 1970 Columbia
    Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and Fannie Flagg in Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Jack Nicholson and Karen Black at an event for Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    Karen Black at an event for Five Easy Pieces (1970)
    "Five Easy Pieces" Karen Black and Jack Nicholson at the premiere September 11, 1970
    Five Easy Pieces (1970)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Nicholson
    Jack Nicholson
    • Robert Eroica Dupea
    Karen Black
    Karen Black
    • Rayette Dipesto
    Billy Green Bush
    Billy Green Bush
    • Elton
    • (as Billy 'Green' Bush)
    Fannie Flagg
    Fannie Flagg
    • Stoney
    Sally Struthers
    Sally Struthers
    • Betty
    • (as Sally Ann Struthers)
    Marlena MacGuire
    • Twinky
    • (as Marlena Macguire)
    Richard Stahl
    Richard Stahl
    • Recording Engineer
    Lois Smith
    Lois Smith
    • Partita Dupea
    Helena Kallianiotes
    • Palm Apodaca
    Toni Basil
    Toni Basil
    • Terry Grouse
    Lorna Thayer
    Lorna Thayer
    • Waitress
    Susan Anspach
    Susan Anspach
    • Catherine Van Oost
    Ralph Waite
    Ralph Waite
    • Carl Fidelio Dupea
    William Challee
    William Challee
    • Nicholas Dupea
    John P. Ryan
    John P. Ryan
    • Spicer
    • (as John Ryan)
    Irene Dailey
    Irene Dailey
    • Samia Glavia
    Garrett Cassell
    • Junkie
    • (uncredited)
    Clay Greenbush
    Clay Greenbush
    • Baby
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Writers
      • Carole Eastman(screenplay) (story)
      • Bob Rafelson(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      "Five Easy Pieces" refers to a book of piano lessons for beginners.
    • Goofs
      When Bobby plays the piano for Catherine about three quarters through the movie, the music in front of him is clearly not what he is playing (Chopin's "Prelude in E Minor"). On one hand, this emphasizes his improvisational nature and rejection of the life prescribed to him by his class, but it also shows his musical prowess and memory. He reveals that the song was memorized when he later says "I picked the easiest piece I could think of".
    • Quotes

      Bobby: I'd like a plain omelette, no potatoes, tomatoes instead, a cup of coffee and wheat toast.

      Waitress: [points at his menu] No substitutions.

      Bobby: What do you mean? You don't have any tomatoes?

      Waitress: Only what's on the menu. You can have a number two, a plain omelette, it comes with cottage fries and rolls.

      Bobby: Yeah, I know what it comes with, but it's not what I want.

      Waitress: Well, I'll come back when you make up your mind

      Bobby: Wait a minute, I have made up my mind. I'd like a plain omelette, no potatoes on the plate, a cup of coffee and a side order of wheat toast.

      Waitress: I'm sorry, we don't have any side orders of toast. I'll give you an English muffin or a coffee roll.

      Bobby: What do you mean you don't make side orders of toast? You make sandwiches, don't you?

      Waitress: Would you like to talk to the manager?

      Palm Apodaca: Hey, mac...

      Bobby: Shut up.

      [to the waitress]

      Bobby: You've got bread and a toaster of some kind?

      Waitress: I don't make the rules.

      Bobby: OK, I'll make it as easy for you as I can. I'd like an omelette, plain, and a chicken salad sandwich on wheat toast, no mayonnaise, no butter, no lettuce, and a cup of coffee.

      Waitress: A number two, a chicken salad sand. Hold the butter, the lettuce, and the mayonnaise, and a cup of coffee. Anything else?

      Bobby: Yeah, now all you have to do is hold the chicken, bring me the toast, give me a cheque for the chicken salad sandwich, and you haven't broken any rules.

      Waitress: You want me to hold the chicken, huh?

      Bobby: I want you to hold it between your knees.

      [Palm Apodaca sniggers]

      Waitress: [points at a sign behind her] You see that sign, sir? Yes, you'll all have to leave! I'm not taking any more of your smartness and sarcasm!

      Bobby: You see this sign?

      [he sweeps all the glasses off the table onto the floor]

    • Connections
      Featured in America at the Movies (1976)
    • Soundtracks
      Stand by Your Man
      Written by Billy Sherrill (as B. Sherril) & Tammy Wynette (as T. Wynette)

      Performed by Tammy Wynette

      [Played over the opening titles]

    User reviews245

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    Can't believe How this film is misinterpreted
    After reading all of the reviews listed here on IMDB, it is incomprehensible to me that not one has grasped the point of the story. This is in spite of the title giving the whole thing away. Come on now guys... The movie is titled Five Easy Pieces because that's all the Jack Nicholson character could play. The pieces are classical, true, and great examples of classics. However, they are evidently not among the most difficult pieces.

    I am astonished that several reviewers wondered why he would give up such a great chance to be a classical musician. Why did he reject his talented and maybe wealthy family to hob nob with those having little or no appreciation of classical music or the life style? (As more than one of the reviewers said.) He left his family home and tried to lose himself because he did simply not have the talent to pursue a career as a concert pianist. He clearly could play well, but this is not the same as having the talent to perform professionally. His sister, Partita, gives us the example of one who does meet those standards, as well as his brother, Carl Fidelio.

    What does one do when he just can't do what is expected no matter how hard he tries? He moves from place to place and from person to person because nothing and no one can help him overcome his failure.
    helpful•4
    0
    • hitek-57619
    • Sep 20, 2021

    FAQ10

    • What is "Five Easy Pieces" about?
    • Is "Five Easy Pieces" based on a book?
    • What does the title mean?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 4, 1970 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cinq pièces faciles
    • Filming locations
      • Denny's Restaurant - 3652 Glenwood Drive, Eugene, Oregon, USA
    • Production companies
      • BBS Productions
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Five Easy Pieces Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,600,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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