Pennies from Heaven (1981)

During the Great Depression, a sheet music salesman seeks to escape his dreary life through popular music and a love affair with an innocent school teacher.

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writers:

Dennis Potter (written for the screen by), Dennis Potter (based on original material by)

Stars:

Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Jessica Harper

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Martin	...	Arthur
Bernadette Peters	...	Eileen
Jessica Harper	...	Joan
Vernel Bagneris	...	The Accordion Man
John McMartin	...	Mr. Warner
John Karlen	...	The Detective
Jay Garner	...	The Banker
Robert Fitch	...	Al
Tommy Rall	...	Ed
Eliska Krupka	...	The Blind Girl
Christopher Walken	...	Tom
Francis X. McCarthy	...	The Bartender (as Frank McCarthy)
Raleigh Bond	...	Mr. Barrett
Gloria LeRoy	...	A Prostitute
Nancy Parsons	...	The Old Whore

Storyline

In Chicago during the 1930s depression, sheet music salesman Arthur Parker is trying to sell his products, but it's not easy to convince unwilling music store owners to buy them. Although he's already married to the somewhat drab Joan, when he meets school teacher Eileen in a music store, he falls in love with her.

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Plot Keywords:

police | vengeful wife | blinking light | movie theater | finger snap | 

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Taglines:

There's a world on both sides of the rainbow where songs come true and every time it rains, it rains...

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 January 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dinheiro do Céu

Filming Locations:

4th Street Bridge, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$9,179,289

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), SLM Production Group, Hera Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White ("Follow the Fleet" dream sequence) Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "pennies" that are seen raining down from heaven were penny sized sequins. After filming, they blew out the stage door, and could be found in the corners in the streets at MGM studios for almost a year.

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Goofs

Bar codes on railroad box cars.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Arthur Parker: Joan... Joanie? Sugar? C'mon, Joan... sugar... wake up, baby.
Joan Parker: No, Arthur, don't.
Arthur Parker: Oh, baby... come on, sugar.
Joan Parker: No, it's too early, Arthur.
Arthur Parker: Oh, Joan.
Joan Parker: Arthur, there isn't time.
Arthur Parker: Oh, there's always time for this. Joan, come on.
Joan Parker: Stop it, Arthur! No, don't!
Joan Parker: [getting out of bed] No... I said no!
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Chicago (2002)

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Soundtracks

It's the Girl
(1931)
Music by Abel Baer (uncredited)
Lyrics by Dave Oppenheim (uncredited)
Performed by The Boswell Sisters with The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra
Courtesy of MCA Records
Mimed and Danced onscreen by Steve Martin (uncredited), Tommy Rall (uncredited) and Robert Fitch (uncredited)

User Reviews

Not exactly your typical Steve Martin/Bernadette Peters vehicle.

Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters star in this musical that is anything buy light in subject matter. The film is set in Depression-era America with Martin as a sheet music salesman who lives day to day through music and dreams. He is married, but takes up Peters as a mistress. The musical numbers are unique in that the actors do not sing, except in the end, for themselves, but merely lip-sync and dance to the music of the 30s. The desperation of the times is apparent everywhere, other than in the fantasy world that the characters create for themselves, which enable them to escape the harsh realities of life. Christopher Walken fans take note. He does a dance of exuberant decadence that should knock most people's socks off due to his surprising ability.