Arthur (1981)

Arthur spends his time with booze and whores. His dad has a wife lined up for him that he keeps rejecting - until it's her or being cut off from $750,000,000. Then he goes shopping where he falls in love with a shoplifter.

Director:

Steve Gordon

Writer:

Steve Gordon

Stars:

Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dudley Moore	...	Arthur Bach
Liza Minnelli	...	Linda Marolla
John Gielgud	...	Hobson
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Martha Bach
Jill Eikenberry	...	Susan Johnson
Stephen Elliott	...	Burt Johnson
Ted Ross	...	Bitterman
Barney Martin	...	Ralph Marolla
Thomas Barbour	...	Stanford Bach
Anne De Salvo	...	Gloria
Marjorie Barnes	...	Hooker
Dillon Evans	...	Plaza Maitre D'
Maurice Copeland	...	Uncle Peter
Justine Johnston	...	Aunt Pearl
Paul Vincent	...	Plaza Waiter

Storyline

Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money, with whom he could easily fall in love.

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Plot Keywords:

drunkenness | heir | butler | 1980s | inheritance | 

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Taglines:

Not everyone who drinks is a poet, some of us drink because we're not.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to his widow, John Belushi was offered the role of Arthur, but ultimately turned it down, fearing typecasting.

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Goofs

During the proposal scene, the ring is sitting in its box on the table, then it suddenly appears in Arthur's hand without him taking it out of the box.

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Quotes

Burt Johnson: [smiling broadly] When I was 11 years old, I KILLED a man.
Arthur: Well, when you're 11 you probably don't even know there's a law against that. Is Susan here?
Burt Johnson: I knew what I was doing. We were poor. He came into our house to steal our food.
Arthur: Well, he was asking for it.
Burt Johnson: I took a knife, and I killed him in the kitchen.
Arthur: You, uh... probably ate out that night, what with that man lying in your kitchen.
Burt Johnson: You seem to find humor in everything.
Arthur: Yeah, sorry.

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Connections

Referenced in You're Driving Me Crazy (1990)

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Soundtracks

If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)
(uncredited)
Written by Buddy G. DeSylva / Joseph Meyer
Performed by Dudley Moore

User Reviews

Trapped...

As drunken millionaire playboy Arthur Bach, Dudley Moore is perfect as a grown man trapped in childhood. As it turned out, the role fit Moore so perfectly, it trapped him as an actor as well. Many disappointments soon followed (including this film's pale sequel), yet that doesn't diminish the charm or appeal of this picture, which is cleverly written and directed. Some of Moore's drunk scenes are forced, parts of the film are wobbly, but the cast performs with so much relish it's a difficult movie to resist. It has a very big heart and gives Oscar-winner John Gielgud a sly, dryly amusing role as Arthur's valet, Hobson; his relationship with Arthur is delicious and they have a miraculous rapport. Liza Minnelli (as a blue-collar love-interest) is sassy in a low-key and Moore is brash, but deft and lively; he never shook off the shadow of Arthur, but at least we have this document of a career high-point to cherish. *** from ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arthur

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,719,534, 19 July 1981

Gross USA:

$95,461,682

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$95,461,682

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures, Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1