Ordinary People (1980)

The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son.

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

Judith Guest (novel), Alvin Sargent (screenplay)

Stars:

Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch

Won 4 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donald Sutherland	...	Calvin
Mary Tyler Moore	...	Beth
Judd Hirsch	...	Berger
Timothy Hutton	...	Conrad
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Swim Coach
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Jeannine
Dinah Manoff	...	Karen
Fredric Lehne	...	Joe
James Sikking	...	Ray (as James B. Sikking)
Basil Hoffman	...	Sloan
Quinn K. Redeker	...	Ward (as Quinn Redeker)
Mariclare Costello	...	Audrey
Meg Mundy	...	Grandmother
Elizabeth Hubbard	...	Ruth
Adam Baldwin	...	Stillman

Storyline

Beth, Calvin, and their son Conrad are living in the aftermath of the death of the other son. Conrad is overcome by grief and misplaced guilt to the extent of a suicide attempt. He is in therapy. Beth had always preferred his brother and is having difficulty being supportive to Conrad. Calvin is trapped between the two trying to hold the family together.

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Plot Keywords:

psychiatrist | mother son relationship | suicide | boating accident | plea for understanding | 

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Taglines:

some films you watch, others you feel.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1981 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Gente como uno

Filming Locations:

1199 Lincoln Avenue South, Highland Park, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$54,800,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures,Wildwood Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dr. Tyrone C. Berger (Judd Hirsch) tells Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) that he looks like something out of "The Body Snatchers", referring to the 1955 science fiction novel by Jack Finney. Two years earlier, Donald Sutherland (Calvin Jarrett) played Dr. Matthew Bennell in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), the second film adaptation of the novel.

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Goofs

When Conrad lies down on his bed before calling Jeannine, there is a bulletin board behind his head, on the wall above the bed. The bulletin board is missing in all other bedroom scenes, both before and after this scene. Also, taking these scenes at face value, Conrad's bedroom is maybe 5 or 6 yards wide with windows on opposite walls. None of the front or back exterior shots of the house show a space that could include this room configuration.

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Quotes

Conrad "Con" Jarrett: [Berger is pretending to be Buck, Con's older brother] Bucky, I didn't mean it! Bucky, I didn't mean it!
Dr. Berger: What?
Conrad "Con" Jarrett: I said put the sail down, but you said keep it starboard, and then we go over! And you say "Hang on, Hang on!", but then you let go! Why'd you let go?
Dr. Berger: Because I was tired!
Conrad "Con" Jarrett: Oh yeah? Well, screw you, you jerk!
Dr. Berger: [Back in reality] It hurts to be mad at him, doesn't it?
Conrad "Con" Jarrett: God, I loved him. It's not fair. You just do one wrong thing, and...
Dr. Berger: And what was the one wrong thing you did? You know. You ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Robert Redford (1992)

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Soundtracks

(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden
(1969) (uncredited)
Written by Joe South
Sung a cappella a bit by Judd Hirsch

User Reviews

Impressive until the last minute.

I saw this movie in a very old theatre in Maastricht, Netherlands. I was astonished by the beauty of the plot, the character played by Timothy Hutton and Donald Sutherland. The most impressive thing was at the end. Everybody left the theatre in complete silence. People were touched and had tears in their eyes. This movie moves people. It is a story so close to reality and so well played by the actors. One really hates Mary Tyler-Moore at the end for being a bitch first class, a mother with no feelings for her youngest son. Judd Hirsch is very funny in acting as a psychologist. He plays it so naturally as if he had seen one for several years. In my opinion Robert Redford directed his best movie ever in Ordinary People.