Max Dugan Returns (1983)

An English teacher and struggling single mother has her life disrupted when the father who abandoned her as a child comes back into her life.

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writer:

Neil Simon

Stars:

Jason Robards, Marsha Mason, Donald Sutherland

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marsha Mason	...	Nora McPhee
Jason Robards	...	Max Dugan
Donald Sutherland	...	Brian Costello
Matthew Broderick	...	Michael McPhee
Dody Goodman	...	Mrs. Litke
Sal Viscuso	...	Coach Roy
Panchito Gómez	...	Luis (as Panchito Gomez)
Charley Lau	...	Charley Lau
Mari Gorman	...	Pat
Brian Part	...	Kevin Costello
Billie Bird	...	Older Woman
Tessa Richarde	...	Blonde at Shoe Store
Jim Staahl	...	Man at Shoe Store (as James Staahl)
Duke Stroud	...	Teacher
Sondra Blake	...	Teacher

Storyline

Nora is a single mother who lives with her son Michael in a small house. They don't have much money but at least they have each other. Out of the blue comes Nora's father Max Dugan, who left her and her mother when Nora was nine years old. He brings a suitcase with dollar bills and showers her and Michael with gifts, trying to make up for lost time, knowing that he has a fatal heart ailment. The money comes from his shady career in Las Vegas and Nora is dating a police who is very interested in meeting him...

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Plot Keywords:

police officer | gift | teacher | lunchroom | high school | 

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Taglines:

Prices are double. Your love life's in trouble. The car won't start. Your boss has no heart. The door squeaks. The roof leaks. Your stereo just went mono. All you need is a little Max Dugan.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Como caído del cielo

Filming Locations:

Alexander Hamilton High School - 2955 S. Robertson Blvd., Palms District, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,791,002, 27 March 1983, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$17,613,720

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first of three movies that Donald Sutherland and his son Kiefer Sutherland have appeared together. The others are A Time to Kill (1996) and Forsaken (2015). They only share scenes in the latter film.

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Goofs

When Brian Costello is interrogating Nora McPhee at her school she is walking away from him in an empty gymnasium. She stops standing on the green floor of the free throw lane. The shot cuts and she is suddenly standing in a different position on the court not on the green floor area before she turns around to face him.

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Quotes

Nora McPhee: Michael, go do your homework...
[to Max]
Nora McPhee: There isn't something in his room that does his homework is there?

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Neil Simon/Joe Garagiola/Bill Maher (1982)

User Reviews

Slightly corny, quite "80's", but very pleasant movie experience.

I always enjoy watching this movie during those (rare) times that it comes on TV. I realize now that this movie makes an ideal holiday film, one that should best be seen around either Christmas/New Year's, or Thanksgiving holiday time. Why? Simply because it has such a strong "family values" theme to it. (Oh, and Max Dugan (Jason Robards) is also very generous with giving splendid gifts to his daughter and grandson (Marsha Mason and Matthew Broderick) in the film).

Perhaps a bit corny by today's film standards, I would nevertheless recommend this film to anyone who lived through the 80's - at least to those who were cognizant of everything that was going on around them. It should stimulate a few memories of the zeitgeist of the 80's (like, think "materialism" and "philosophy") - and it's all done without special effects or smoke and filter-lens photography.

This film shows Jason Robards in one of his best roles, with that deep, smooth, mellifluous voice of his just hitting all the right notes. Matthew Broderick is fun to watch in this film as well; it's an early peek at his big-screen work before he hit it big as Ferris Bueller in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". Donald Sutherland is interesting as always, and Marsha Mason is excellent as the single mom trying to cope with all the crazy stuff happening to her.

If you like this film, I would recommend you rent "Rocket Gibraltar" (1988) starring Burt Lancaster. Another excellent family film that showcases a well-known actor in one of his last film roles.