Four Friends (1981)

This story of four working-class kids in a small industrial town--who go their separate ways after high school in the innocence of 1961 and come together again at the end of the turbulent ... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writer:

Steve Tesich

Stars:

Craig Wasson, Jodi Thelen, Michael Huddleston

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Craig Wasson	...	Danilo
Jodi Thelen	...	Georgia
Michael Huddleston	...	David
Jim Metzler	...	Tom
Scott Hardt	...	Young Danilo
Elizabeth Lawrence	...	Mrs. Prozor
Miklos Simon	...	Mr. Prozor
Michael Kovacs	...	Prozor Neighbor
Beatrice Fredman	...	Mrs. Zoldos
Pier Calabria	...	Conductor
Zaid Farid	...	Rudy
David Graf	...	Gergley
Felix Shuman	...	Principal
George Womack	...	Mr. Bellknap
Todd Isaacson	...	Senior Kid

Storyline

This story of four working-class kids in a small industrial town--who go their separate ways after high school in the innocence of 1961 and come together again at the end of the turbulent Sixties--is as much about the coming of age of America as it is about the changes the characters go through. The four friends of the title are thoughtful Danilo, a Yugoslavian immigrant with dreams of being a writer and a scholar; Tom, good-looking and athletic, who is bound for the army; cautious David who has mixed feelings about staying in town and joining the family mortuary business; and lovely, ditzy, exasperating Georgia, who tries to inspire all of them with her longings for a life of Bohemian adventure. It is told through the eyes of Danilo, whose story is loosely based on the writer Tesich's own life growing up in Bloomington, Indiana.

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Plot Keywords:

sex scene | female nudity | bare breasts | male nudity | sex on beach | 

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Taglines:

All the boys love Georgia...and Georgia loves all the boys!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Gary Sinise had an uncredited role.

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Goofs

As Danilo Prozor is fighting with Gergley in the bar, one can see the shape of knee pads worn under Prozor's trousers.

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Quotes

Georgia: Shouldn't you be at work?
Danilo: I called in sick.
Georgia: Then you should call a doctor.
Danilo: I'm fine.
Georgia: Then you should be at work.

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Connections

Features You Bet Your Life (1950)

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Soundtracks

Mr. Blah-Blah
Words & Music by Ray Barretto
© 1963 Little Dipper Music Corp.
Performed by Ray Barretto
Courtesy of Musica Latina International, Inc.

User Reviews

A very fine film, too easily overlooked

This is one of the best presentations of the 60's put on film. Arthur Penn, director of Bonnie and Clyde and Little Big Man, saw that Steve Tesich's outstanding script rang with truth, and from these two talents comes solid cinema. Jodi Thelin's Georgia Miles gives male viewers a hit of pained nostalgia for the archetypal beauty who is almost within our grasps, but, always just out of reach. Just see it, or you cinematic education will be incomplete.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 December 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Georgia

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$29,881

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinema 77, Filmways Pictures, Florin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1