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:

sex | slut | slutty character | love making | intolerance | 

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Taglines:

He is Tony Manero, king of the discos. Every guy wants to dance like him. Every girl wants to be with him.

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

A dance sequence between Tony and Stephanie was choreographed and shot to the song "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs, which was a hit at the time of filming. However, when the producers subsequently approached Scaggs' management for clearance to use the song in the film and on the soundtrack album, they refused. Composer David Shire had to compose a new piece of music with the exact same tempo in order for it to sync with the dance as shot. It was later estimated that the decision to refuse permission for use of the song in the film and on the album cost Scaggs around $5 million in royalties.

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Goofs

When Tony talks with Stephanie in her apartment after the "lonesome subway ride" scene.

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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

In Belgium, due pressure from younger audiences, the 'rape' scene was cut. This permitted people younger than 16 to go and watch the movie. This happened a few months after it's initial release, giving Saturday Night Fever a second life.

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: The Twisted World of Marge Simpson (1997)

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Soundtracks

K-Jee
Courtesy of Philadelphia International Records Inc., Dunbar Music Inc. and Rutri Music, Inc.
Written by Harvey Fuqua and Charlie Hearndon
Performed by MFSB (as M.F.S.B.)

User Reviews

They Do Not make Them Like This Anymore

Firstly, the music is great. It is a 'music' film but not making you feel repelled like Mamma Mia or whatever.

The men are men and there is some action. Women are sexy and there is a skank in the backs eat. There is some fighting and fun and you are interested in the city and the locale.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

16 December 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

La fièvre du samedi soir

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

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 (as Dolby System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1