Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Ted Kramer's wife leaves him, allowing for a lost bond to be rediscovered between Ted and his son, Billy. But a heated custody battle ensues over the divorced couple's son, deepening the wounds left by the separation.

Director:

Robert Benton

Writers:

Avery Corman (from the novel by), Robert Benton (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander

Won 5 Oscars. Another 33 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dustin Hoffman	...	Ted Kramer
Meryl Streep	...	Joanna Kramer
Jane Alexander	...	Margaret Phelps
Justin Henry	...	Billy Kramer
Howard Duff	...	John Shaunessy
George Coe	...	Jim O'Connor
JoBeth Williams	...	Phyllis Bernard (as Jobeth Williams)
Bill Moor	...	Gressen
Howland Chamberlain	...	Judge Atkins
Jack Ramage	...	Spencer
Jess Osuna	...	Ackerman
Nicholas Hormann	...	Interviewer
Ellen Parker	...	Teacher
Shelby Brammer	...	Ted's Secretary
Carol Nadell	...	Mrs. Kline

Storyline

Ted Kramer is a career man for whom his work comes before his family. His wife Joanna cannot take this anymore, so she decides to leave him. Ted is now faced with the tasks of housekeeping and taking care of himself and their young son Billy. When he has learned to adjust his life to these new responsibilities, Joanna resurfaces and wants Billy back. Ted, however, refuses to give him up, so they go to court to fight for the custody of their son.

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Plot Keywords:

divorce | voyeurism | no panties | topless female nudity | scantily clad female | 

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Taglines:

There are three sides to this love story!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kramer Versus Kramer

Filming Locations:

The Mall, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$106,260,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$106,260,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Stanley Jaffe Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The set for the apartment was designed to fit exactly within the size of the apartments in the building used for exteriors.

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Goofs

At the job interview Kramer is asked to wait outside while the interviewers discuss him. He leaves the office without carrying anything and is then seen sitting on a chair holding an overcoat and scarf.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Joanna Kramer: I love you, Billy.
Billy Kramer: I love you too, Mommy.

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Alternate Versions

When aired on commercial TV, the shots of Phyllis naked, and her unexpected interaction with Billy, are darkened completely. Most commercial prints also omit the sound of Billy urinating.

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Connections

Featured in Oscar's Greatest Moments (1992)

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Soundtracks

Concerto in C Major for Mandolin and Strings: 1. Allegro
Antonio Vivaldi
Adapted and Conducted by Herb Harris

User Reviews

Very interesting

This was one movie that I always wanted to watch but never got around to it. I have just finished it, and the main thing that caught my attention was how neutral and unjudgmental this movie was, because it would have been very easy, and I would say easier, for the director to give us a more biased view of the happenings on the screen. However, I strongly am sided with one of the parents, but the inner dialogues I had with myself during the movie were very interesting to observe.

Overall, nice story, beautifully scripted and superbly acted. A must watch.