Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)

A dedicated schoolteacher spends her nights cruising bars, looking for abusive men with whom she can engage in progressively violent sexual encounters.

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writers:

Judith Rossner (based on the novel by), Richard Brooks (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Tuesday Weld

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diane Keaton	...	Theresa
Tuesday Weld	...	Katherine
William Atherton	...	James
Richard Kiley	...	Mr. Dunn
Richard Gere	...	Tony
Alan Feinstein	...	Martin
Tom Berenger	...	Gary
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Dunn
Laurie Prange	...	Brigid
Joel Fabiani	...	Barney
Julius Harris	...	Black Cat
Richard Bright	...	George
LeVar Burton	...	Cap Jackson
Marilyn Coleman	...	Mrs. Jackson
Carole Mallory	...	Marvella

Storyline

Theresa is a successful teacher of deaf children during the day but after a short unhappy affair starts to spend her nights cruising bars. Her craving first for sex but later also for drugs leads into increasingly demeaning and dangerous situations at odds with her daytime commitment to her children.

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Plot Keywords:

murder of a nude woman | sex in car | female nudity | sexual humiliation | 69 sex position | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Features Tuesday Weld's only Oscar nominated performance.

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Goofs

In the book, Theresa's sister Katherine goes to Puerto Rico to procure an abortion during a scene that takes place in the mid-1960s. In the movie, the timeline is changed so that this scene is set in 1975, two years after abortion was legalized by the Roe v. Wade ruling, making the trip to Puerto Rico unnecessary.

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Quotes

Gary: In my neighbourhood if you didn't fight you were a fruit. In prison if you didn't fight you spread ass.

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Crazy Credits

A still version of the Paramount logo is seen at the beginning, in black and white.

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Connections

Referenced in Profiler: Insight (1996)

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Soundtracks

Love Hangover
(1975)
Written by Marilyn McLeod (uncredited), Pamela Sawyer (uncredited)
Performed by Diana Ross
Courtesy of Motown Records

User Reviews

A MEMORABLE ONE OF A KIND FILM.DIANE KEATON IS SUPERB

DIANE KEATON IS MAGNIFICENT IN RICHARD BROOKS' OUTSTANDING ADAPTATION OF JUDITH ROSSNER'S NOVEL. A quarter of a century later, this unforgettable film still packs quite a wallop. Only slightly dated,it's the story of a sexually repressed, disabled young Roman Catholic girl and her sexual awakening in the wild '70s. In virtually every scene, Keaton gives one of the greatest performances in film history. Aided by a great soundtrack and superb support from Tuesday Weld and Richard Kiley, the film also features the breakthrough performances by Richard Gere and Tom Berenger, destined to become two of our biggest actors of the '80s. You'll never forget them, especially Berenger in an offbeat role that was quite a risk for an up-and-coming actor. Like it or hate it, you've got to admit there has never been a film like this on the screen.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Looking for Mr. Goodbar

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,540,635, 23 October 1977

Gross USA:

$22,512,655

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$22,512,655

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor) Black and White (still photograph montages)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1