Author! Author! (1982)

While facing the stress of his play being produced on Broadway, a playwright deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writer:

Israel Horovitz

Stars:

Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Ivan Travalian
Dyan Cannon	...	Alice Detroit
Tuesday Weld	...	Gloria Travalian
Bob Dishy	...	Morris Finestein
Bob Elliott	...	Patrick Dicker
Ray Goulding	...	Jackie Dicker
Eric Gurry	...	Igor
Elva Josephson	...	Bonnie (as Elva Leff)
B.J. Barie	...	Spike
Ari Meyers	...	Debbie
Benjamin H. Carlin	...	Geraldo
Alan King	...	Kreplich
Ken Sylk	...	Roger Slessinger
James Tolkan	...	Lt. Glass
Tony Munafo	...	Officer Kapinsky

Storyline

Playwright Travalian feels pulled limb from limb these days. He has a Broadway play in rehearsal and they want rewrites. His tramp wife is leaving him, leaving him as well with four children from her previous marriages plus his own son. And his lead actress wants to move in with him but isn't used to kids.

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Plot Keywords:

exclamation point in title | marital separation | rooftop | male protagonist | playwright | 

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Taglines:

Anyone can be a father. But not every father deserves a standing ovation.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ray Goulding: As Jackie Dicker. Goulding teamed with regular comic partner Bob Elliott for a 'Bob and Ray' cameo.

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Goofs

When Ivan and Alice meet at the plaza, Alice has 3 glasses of champagne and 3 aspirin in front of her, which she sips from and swallows during the conversation. She takes more than 3 aspirin, although 3 are clearly shown. And the liquid levels in the champagne glasses change from shot to shot.

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Quotes

Ivan: Okay, Gloria!
[picking up a table]
Ivan: Sit down or I'm gonna hit you with this chair!
Gloria Travalian: That's a table.

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Alternate Versions

The 2005 Region 2 DVD, and the 2007 Region 1 DVD, which were both released by Fox Video, contains the following changes: Alternate opening title credits (white titles over black background). No title credit to both the song 'Coming Home To You' and the song's vocalist and writers (Michael Franks, Alan and Marilyn Bergman). Johnny Mandel credited as the film's composer. Film ending with Ivan and the kids at the newstand. Previous video releases by 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video, and Fox Video contains the opening credits in white text playing over the NYC skyline backdrop to the set in the playhouse, a title credit to both the song Coming Home To You, and its vocalist and writers (Michael Franks, Alan and Marilyn Bergman), David Grusin credited as the film's composer, and the film ending with the kids celebrating Ivan's success by pouring champagne and cake on him while he is in bed. David Grusin was hired to rescore Johnny Mandel's original score. David Grusin's score is heard in the final film.

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Connections

Referenced in Happy Days: Arthur, Arthur (1983)

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Soundtracks

Comin' Home To You
Music by Dave Grusin
Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
Performed by Michael Franks

User Reviews

Nice light-hearted Comedy

Some comments would have you believe that this movie is annoying and stupid. Don't believe that for a minute. It is an unfair assessment of what movies were like in the 80's (not 70's as was indicated in a previous comment).

It seems pretty obvious that if you were old enough during the early 80's, goof-ball comedy and romantic comedy were at its peak (Check out some Neil Simon, Blake Edwards, Dudley Moore, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis, Goldie Hawn to name a few). The theme songs are soft and melodic. This movie is no exception. If you expect something much more, then you are in for a disappointment.

Synopsis: Ivan Trevellan (Al Pacino), a playwright, has a deadline to finish his play. Along the way, he struggles to keep his marriage, provide support to five children (in which four of the five are his wife's from previous marriages) and deal with his demanding producer and director.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Author! Author!

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,279,260, 20 June 1982

Gross USA:

$13,111,101

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,111,101

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1