Girlfriends (1978)

A photographer and her girlfriend are roommates. She is stuck with small-change shooting jobs and dreams of success. When her roommate decides to get married and leave, she feels hurt and has to learn how to deal with living alone.

Director:

Claudia Weill

Writers:

Claudia Weill (story), Vicki Polon (story)

Stars:

Melanie Mayron, Eli Wallach, Adam Cohen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melanie Mayron	...	Susan Weinblatt
Eli Wallach	...	Rabbi Gold
Adam Cohen	...	Bar Mitzvah Boy
Anita Skinner	...	Anne Munroe
Jean De Baer	...	Terry
Christopher Guest	...	Eric
Nancy Mette	...	Denise
Kenneth McMillan	...	Cabbie
Bob Balaban	...	Martin
Albert Rogers	...	Hair Dresser
Jane Anderson	...	Omega Receptionist
Gina Rogak	...	Julie
Russell Horton	...	Photo Editor
Regina David	...	Rabbi's Receptionist
Amy Wright	...	Ceil

Storyline

In New York City, Susan Weinblatt and Anne Munroe are longtime roommates and friends. Susan is a struggling photographer who wants to get out of the wedding and bar mitzvah racket, those jobs which she primarily gets through her friend, Rabbi Gold, to selling the photographs she wants to take, but she realizes that she has to pay the rent. Anne is an aspiring poet and academic who looks to Susan as her primary guidance. As they move into a new apartment, Anne drops the news that she will not be moving in as she is getting married to her boyfriend, Martin. This news is bittersweet for Susan who is somewhat happy for her friend, but isn't sure if she likes all that Martin now represents to her. Both Susan and Anne will have to make professional and personal adjustments to their new situations, especially in what it means for not having the other as a constant in each their lives. While Anne has a "Martin", Susan has no one currently to replace all that Anne has been in her life. So ...

---

Plot Keywords:

title directed by female | title written by female | feminist film | tequila | chess | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Susan y Ana

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cyclops

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stanley Kubrick raved about this film in an interview with Vicente Molina Fox, which was conducted during the production of The Shining (1980), and named it his favorite film of 1978.

---

Quotes

Susan Weinblatt: I don't know what's going on anymore.

---

Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: The Wiz/Who is Killing The Great Chefs of Europe?/Girlfriends/The Big Fix/Days of Heaven (1978)

User Reviews

New York indie

Susan Weinblatt (Melanie Mayron) is a struggling photographer hoping to stop doing weddings and such. She lives with aspiring writer best friend Anne Munroe in New York City. They are moving into a new apartment when Anne tells Susan that she's marrying Martin (Bob Balaban). Susan struggles professionally and personally. She's lonely with less of her best friend. She takes in hitchhiker Ceil and has an aborted fling with Rabbi Gold (Eli Wallach).

It's a New York indie about the single modern girl. It's not a sitcom where the cute blonde just can't find Prince Charming. It's more truthful and yearning than that. Her need to find her place in the modern world is palpable. Mayron has a great sense of a New York girl. The visual work is a bit flat which is excusable for an indie. Eric is a bit of a frustrating nothing. I'd rather have more awkward drama with Rabbi Gold or Ceil. The plot unfolds rather than builds drama.