Saturday Night Fever (1977)

Anxious about his future after high school, a 19 year old Italian American from Brooklyn tries to escape the harsh reality of his bleak family life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Nik Cohn (story "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night"), Norman Wexler (screenplay)

Stars:

John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, Barry Miller

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Tony Manero
Karen Lynn Gorney	...	Stephanie
Barry Miller	...	Bobby C.
Joseph Cali	...	Joey
Paul Pape	...	Double J.
Donna Pescow	...	Annette
Bruce Ornstein	...	Gus
Julie Bovasso	...	Flo
Martin Shakar	...	Frank Jr.
Sam Coppola	...	Dan Fusco (as Sam J. Coppola)
Nina Hansen	...	Grandmother
Lisa Peluso	...	Linda
Denny Dillon	...	Doreen
Bert Michaels	...	Pete
Robert Costanzo	...	Paint Store Customer (as Robert Costanza)

Storyline

Nineteen-year-old Brooklyn native Tony Manero lives for Saturday nights at the local disco, where he's king of the club, thanks to his stylish moves on the dance floor. But outside of the club, things don't look so rosy. At home, Tony fights constantly with his father and has to compete with his family's starry-eyed view of his older brother, a priest. Nor can he find satisfaction at his dead-end job at a small paint store. However, things begin to change when he spies Stephanie Mangano in the disco and starts training with her for the club's dance competition. Stephanie dreams of the world beyond Brooklyn, and her plans to move to Manhattan just over the bridge soon change Tony's life forever.

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Plot Keywords:

intolerance | dancing | homophobia | love | sex | 

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Taglines:

...Catch it!

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, sexuality/nudity and some drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

16 December 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Saturday Night

Filming Locations:

94th St. and Fifth Avenue, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,878,099, 18 December 1977, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$94,213,184

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$237,113,184

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Robert Stigwood Organization (RSO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min 113 min (PG)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

More than 40% of the cast made their feature debuts in this film including, Joseph Cali, Shelly Batt, Denny Dillon, Fran Drescher, Donald Gantry, Adrienne King, Ellen March, Bruce Ornstein, Paul Pape, Lisa Peluso, Donna Pescow, Ann Travolta and mother Helen Travolta (her only feature cameo).

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Goofs

The story that Tony tells Stephanie that a worker was buried in the Verrazano Bridge is false.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Pizza Girl: Hi ya, Tony. Two or three?
Tony Manero: Two. Two. Give me two. That's good.

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Crazy Credits

When the title appears on screen, it is done in the style of a neon sign. The word "Fever" is blinking.

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Alternate Versions

The following deleted scenes appear on the DVD:

• Tony and Stephanie talking in a car.
• Tony's dad gets his job back.
• A scene where Tony goes to Stephanie's apartment.

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Connections

Referenced in Charlie Rose: Quentin Tarantino (1994)

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Soundtracks

Disco Duck
Courtesy of RSO Records, Inc. and Stafree Music
Written and performed by Rick Dees

User Reviews

Blue Collar frustration

Watched Saturday Night Fever again last night. It's one of those movies I watch everytime it's on & never get bored by it. This movie perfectly captures the feeling of everyday life in a Blue Collar neighborhood, & the frustration that goes with it. Your caught in the middle not rich by any means, but just getting by & the feeling that your never going to get beyond it. Just existing and getting by is an everyday struggle & in this movie it shows how disco is an outlet. I remember 2001 Odyessy was a real club in Brooklyn. Saturday Night Fever is one of those rare movies you can watch & just enjoy yourself. How can you get tired of watching John Travolta walking down the street with a paint can? That opening captured your attention right from the start. You know where these characters are coming from. Tony's friends have basically given up on doing any better & have accepted there fate. Tony & Stephanie know there's something more out there for them & their going for it the best way they can. By the end of the movie I'm rooting for them to "make it big". Being a big John Travolta fan I am a little bit biased. I'll watch anything he's in. '