My Dinner with Andre (1981)

Two old friends meet for dinner; as one tells anecdotes detailing his experiences, the other notices their differing worldviews.

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Wallace Shawn (screenplay), Andre Gregory (screenplay)

Stars:

Andre Gregory, Wallace Shawn, Jean Lenauer

2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Andre Gregory	...	Andre Gregory
Wallace Shawn	...	Wallace Shawn
Jean Lenauer	...	Waiter
Roy Butler	...	Bartender

Storyline

Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, apparently playing themselves, share their lives over the course of an evening meal at a restaurant. Gregory, a theater director from New York, is the more talkative of the pair. He relates to Shawn his tales of dropping out, traveling around the world, and experiencing the variety of ways people live, such as a monk who could balance his entire weight on his fingertips. Shawn listens avidly, but questions the value of Gregory's seeming abandonment of the pragmatic aspects of life.

---

Plot Keywords:

dialogue driven | restaurant | two hander | cult favorite | coffee | 

---

Genres:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

11 October 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Dinner with André

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,073, 16 May 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,250,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Saga Productions Inc.,The Andre Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In his performance in The Princess Bride, Wallace Shawn is known for a phrase that he uses during the Battle of Wits scene with Cary Elwes "Inconceivable". He uses this word (six years earlier) during his conversation with Andre Gregory, about half way through this film.

---

Goofs

In some of the scenes where the back of Wally's head facing the camera, the shadow of the boom mic can be seen reflected on Wally's bald head.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Wally: The life of a playwright is tough. It's not easy as some people seem to think. You work hard writing plays and nobody puts them on. You take up other lines of work to try to make a living. I became an actor and people don't hire you. So, you just spend your days doing the errands of your trade.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Baxter (2005)

---

Soundtracks

First Gymnopédie
Written by Erik Satie
Performed by Joseph Villa
[performed over the end credits]

User Reviews

A miracle of a film!

This film is a miracle -- that anyone would even make a film about little more than a dinner conversation is incredible enough, but the play of paradigms between Shawn and Gregory is such a Gurdjieffian tour de force that it creates a compelling crossroads for any astute viewer. This is a challenging flick!

Also, be it hereby said that the brilliant and understated performance of Jean Lenauer as The Waiter should have won an Oscar for the best supporting role. Watch again and see if you don't agree! The old gent passed on two years after this film was made, but, man, was he great! Thanks, Jean.