Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The King of Marvin Gardens

  • 1972
  • R
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
5.8K
YOUR RATING
Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
Official Trailer
Play trailer3:28
1 Video
99+ Photos
Drama

A daydreamer convinces his radio personality brother to help fund one of his get-rich-quick schemes.A daydreamer convinces his radio personality brother to help fund one of his get-rich-quick schemes.A daydreamer convinces his radio personality brother to help fund one of his get-rich-quick schemes.

  • Director
    • Bob Rafelson
  • Writers
    • Jacob Brackman
    • Bob Rafelson
  • Stars
    • Jack Nicholson
    • Bruce Dern
    • Ellen Burstyn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    5.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Writers
      • Jacob Brackman
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Stars
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Bruce Dern
      • Ellen Burstyn
    • 62User reviews
    • 37Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro

    • Videos1

    The King of Marvin Gardens
    Trailer 3:28
    Watch The King of Marvin Gardens

    Photos135

    Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Scatman Crothers in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Arnold Williams in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Ellen Burstyn in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Ellen Burstyn in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson and Ellen Burstyn in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Ellen Burstyn in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Nicholson
    Jack Nicholson
    • David Staebler
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Jason Staebler
    Ellen Burstyn
    Ellen Burstyn
    • Sally
    Julia Anne Robinson
    Julia Anne Robinson
    • Jessica
    Scatman Crothers
    Scatman Crothers
    • Lewis
    • (as Benjamin 'Scatman' Crothers)
    Charles LaVine
    Charles LaVine
    • Grandfather
    Arnold Williams
    Arnold Williams
    • Rosko
    John P. Ryan
    John P. Ryan
    • Surtees
    • (as John Ryan)
    Sully Boyar
    Sully Boyar
    • Lebowitz
    Josh Mostel
    Josh Mostel
    • Frank
    William Pabst
    • Bidlack
    Garry Goodrow
    • Nervous Man
    • (as Gary Goodrow)
    Imogene Bliss
    • Magda
    Ann Thomas
    • Bambi
    Tom Overton
    • Spot Operator
    Maxwell 'Sonny' Goldberg
    • Sonny
    Van Kirksey
    • Messenger #1
    Tony King
    Tony King
    • Messenger #2
    • Director
      • Bob Rafelson
    • Writers
      • Jacob Brackman
      • Bob Rafelson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Five Easy Pieces
    7.4
    Five Easy Pieces
    Head
    6.4
    Head
    The Last Detail
    7.5
    The Last Detail
    Drive, He Said
    5.7
    Drive, He Said
    Carnal Knowledge
    6.9
    Carnal Knowledge
    A Safe Place
    5.0
    A Safe Place
    The Passenger
    7.5
    The Passenger
    The Postman Always Rings Twice
    6.6
    The Postman Always Rings Twice
    The Border
    6.4
    The Border
    The Fortune
    5.7
    The Fortune
    The Last Tycoon
    6.3
    The Last Tycoon
    The Rebel Rousers
    4.1
    The Rebel Rousers

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This was Julia Anne Robinson's only major film role. She died in an apartment fire two years after its release.
    • Goofs
      David listens to tape recording he made but during close-up of tape recorder, none of the buttons that would allow it to play are depressed.
    • Quotes

      [Lewis and David in the kitchen of Lewis' nightclub. A guy in the door empties a whole bag of glass bottles on the ground, breaks them with a hammer and jumps into it]

      Lewis: Hey! What do they call you?

      Teddy the Wonderboy: Teddy the Wonderboy.

      Lewis: I wonder why the hell you don't stay outta my kitchen!

    • Crazy credits
      The Columbia Pictures logo does not appear on this film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Coneheads/Benefit of the Doubt/Poetic Justice/Another Stakeout/Hocus Pocus (1993)
    • Soundtracks
      Steppin' Out With My Baby
      (uncredited)
      Written by Irving Berlin
      Heard when Jessica dances

    User reviews62

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Under-rated Rafelson flick!
    I thought this superior to CARNAL KNOWLEDGE and am a bit surprised by the reaction to it at time of release. After FIVE EASY PIECES and before STAY HUNGRY this '72 film was thrown aside and dismissed. I guess Nicholson wasn't using his eyebrows enough for public taste. Bruce Dern gives a superb performance as his shyster-dreamer brother with big plans. Ellen Burstyn is paranoid justifiably and gives a lovely performance. The young girl Julie Ann Robinson is terrible.

    A 7 out of 10. Best performance = Bruce Dern. Throw in Scatman and John Ryan and you have a fascinating mood piece. What happened to Bob Rafelson?
    helpful•32
    12
    • shepardjessica-1
    • Nov 10, 2004

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 13, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • The Philosopher King
    • Filming locations
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • BBS Productions
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern in The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.