The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972)

From the Pullizer Prize winning play by Paul Zindel, this is the story of Beatrice Hunsdorfer and her daughters, Ruth and Matilda. A middle-aged widowed eccentric, Beatrice is looking for ... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Newman

Writers:

Paul Zindel (play), Alvin Sargent (screenplay)

Stars:

Joanne Woodward, Nell Potts, Roberta Wallach

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joanne Woodward	...	Beatrice
Nell Potts	...	Matilda
Roberta Wallach	...	Ruth
Judith Lowry	...	Nanny
David Spielberg	...	Mr. Goodman
Richard Venture	...	Floyd
Carolyn Coates	...	Mrs. McKay
Will Hare	...	Junk Man
Estelle Omens	...	Caroline
Jess Osuna	...	Sonny
Ellen Dano	...	Janice Vickery
Lynne Rogers	...	Miss Hanley
Roger Serbagi	...	Charlie
John Lehne	...	Apartment Mgr.
Michael Kearney	...	Chris Burns

Storyline

From the Pullizer Prize winning play by Paul Zindel, this is the story of Beatrice Hunsdorfer and her daughters, Ruth and Matilda. A middle-aged widowed eccentric, Beatrice is looking for her life in the classified ads while all about her is the rubble of an unkempt house. All she needs is the right opportunity, she says puffing on a cigarette. Poorly equipped to survive the vagaries of modern life, she has nonetheless always managed to muddle through. Ruth, epileptic and making her way through the rebellious phase of adolescence, seems doomed to make the same mistakes as her mother. Quiet Matilda, on the other hand, seeks refuge in her animals and her schoolwork. "Jesus, don't you hate the world, Matilda?" Beatrice asks her youngest daughter. The title of the film is also the subject of Matilda's science project at school and serves as a metaphor for the way life affects each of us differently -- how some are able to find opportunity in adversity and thrive and how some succumb when ...

---

Plot Keywords:

pulitzer prize source | science project | connecticut | mother daughter relationship | based on play | 

---

Taglines:

Life's been a real bitch to Beatrice Hunsdorfer. And vice versa.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Certain dialog from Paul Zindel's play remained in the script for the movie. Even though the movie was filmed in Bridgeport, Connecticut, certain references to the location of the play, which takes place in Staten Island, New York (Zindel's hometown) remain. Ruth mentions "Prince's Bay" when reading a classified ad about some property for sale, and Matilda tells her mother that a photographer is going to take pictures of the Science Fair finalists for "The Advance". Prince's Bay is a neighborhood located on the South Shore of Staten Island, and the Staten Island Advance is the local newspaper.

---

Goofs

When Beatrice arrives at her sister-in-law Caroline's house, we see Caroline and her three bridge-playing friends in one shot. Later, when Beatrice yells at her brother-in-law through the bathroom door, we see the three ladies a second time in a reaction shot. Only one of them appears in both shots, although wearing a different outfit each time. The other two card-playing friends were played by different extras in each shot.

---

Quotes

Beatrice: [as Nanny Annie slurps her honey/water] If anybody had ever told me when I was younger I'd end up feeding honey to a zombie I'd have told them they were crazy. I'd be better off driving a cab.

---

Connections

Version of New York Television Theatre: The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1966)

---

Soundtracks

The Stars and Stripes Forever
(uncredited)
Written by John Philip Sousa

User Reviews

An interesting drama

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (Wow! Long title...) is an interesting drama about an awful mother and her two teenage daughters. The mother, Beatrice (Joanne Woodward), is a widow who doesn't really work. She instead chain smokes, complains about everything, insults everyone, including her kids, and doesn't seem to know how to raise children. Her oldest daughter Ruth (Roberta Wallach) is a popular cheerleader, who occasionally has convulsions. Youngest daughter Matilda (Nell Potts, Woodward's real life daughter) is good at science, but is very shy and has no friends (despite being more attractive, in my opinion). They have an old woman as a border to earn some money. This movie is very sweet and deals realistically with family problems. Beatrice is obnoxious and self-centered and Ruth is the same. The only character one can sympathize with is shy Matilda. The film was directed by Paul Newman, husband of Woodward and father of Potts. It was based on a play by Paul Zindel, who wrote a book, "The Pigman", that I had to read for high school. I think the movie was once available on VHS, but it's probably out-of-print. I hope someday the Newman family will take some time off from making spaghetti sauce to collaborate with 20th Century Fox to give this movie the deluxe DVD treatment.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 May 1973 (France)

Also Known As:

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

Filming Locations:

Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$84,462

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Newman-Foreman Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1