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IMDbPro

American Dreamer

  • 19841984
  • PGPG
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti in American Dreamer (1984)
Frustrated housewife/writer Cathy Palmer ghostwrites a story about Rebecca Ryan, a dashing international spy, and wins a trip to Paris. While there, she is involved in an accident, and awakens in the hospital believing she IS Rebecca Ryan.
Play trailer1:25
1 Video
29 Photos
ComedyCrimeRomance
Frustrated housewife/writer Cathy Palmer ghostwrites a story about Rebecca Ryan, a dashing international spy, and wins a trip to Paris. While there, she is involved in an accident, and awake... Read allFrustrated housewife/writer Cathy Palmer ghostwrites a story about Rebecca Ryan, a dashing international spy, and wins a trip to Paris. While there, she is involved in an accident, and awakens in the hospital believing she IS Rebecca Ryan. Much craziness ensues as she meets the w... Read allFrustrated housewife/writer Cathy Palmer ghostwrites a story about Rebecca Ryan, a dashing international spy, and wins a trip to Paris. While there, she is involved in an accident, and awakens in the hospital believing she IS Rebecca Ryan. Much craziness ensues as she meets the writer of the Rebecca Ryan books, thwarts real international spies, and eventually gets her... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
    • Rick Rosenthal
    • Ann Biderman(story)
    • David Greenwalt
    • Jim Kouf
  • Stars
    • JoBeth Williams
    • Tom Conti
    • Giancarlo Giannini
    • Rick Rosenthal
    • Ann Biderman(story)
    • David Greenwalt
    • Jim Kouf
  • Stars
    • JoBeth Williams
    • Tom Conti
    • Giancarlo Giannini
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 60User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:25
    Watch Trailer

    Photos29

    American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti in American Dreamer (1984)
    American Dreamer (1984)
    American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti in American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams and James Staley in American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams, Tom Conti, and Coral Browne in American Dreamer (1984)
    Giancarlo Giannini in American Dreamer (1984)
    American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams in American Dreamer (1984)
    JoBeth Williams and Tom Conti in American Dreamer (1984)
    American Dreamer (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    JoBeth Williams
    JoBeth Williams
    • Cathy Palmer…
    Tom Conti
    Tom Conti
    • Alan McMann
    Giancarlo Giannini
    Giancarlo Giannini
    • Victor Marchand
    Coral Browne
    Coral Browne
    • Margaret McMann
    James Staley
    James Staley
    • Kevin Palmer
    Christopher Daniel Barnes
    Christopher Daniel Barnes
    • Kevin Palmer Jr.
    • (as C.D. Barnes)
    Huckleberry Fox
    Huckleberry Fox
    • Karl Palmer
    Jean Rougerie
    Jean Rougerie
    • Don Carlos Dominguez
    Pierre Santini
    • Inspector Klaus
    Léon Zitrone
    • Ivan Stranauvlitch - Russian ambassador
    Alain Flick
    • Train Passenger #1
    Yassan Khan
    • Train Passenger #2
    Christian de Tillière
    • Train Passenger #3
    André Valardy
    • Dimitri
    Robin Coleman
    • Golf Buddy #1
    Alan Haufrect
    • Golf Buddy #2
    Jeffrey Kramer
    Jeffrey Kramer
    • Golf Buddy #3
    Jean-Claude Montalban
    • Bellman
      • Rick Rosenthal
      • Ann Biderman(story)
      • David Greenwalt
      • Jim Kouf
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      JoBeth Williams for this film in 1984 received the Best Actress prize at the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) Awards.
    • Goofs
      When Rebecca is drunkenly conducting the ensemble playing at the embassy party, the musicians are clearly not playing the Strauss waltz that is heard on the sound track.
    • Quotes

      Inspector Klaus: What are you trying to tell me? Is she Rebecca Ryan or is she not Rebecca Ryan?

      Alan McMann: I told you! There is no such person.

      Inspector Klaus: But she sat right here!

      Alan McMann: No! She thinks she's a character in a book. She thinks I'm a character in a book. She even thinks my mother is a character in a book. The woman is crazy!

      Inspector Klaus: She is not the only one.

      Alan McMann: Look, you have got to do something because the priest's death was not an accident. That bullet, and this one, were meant for Rebecca.

      Inspector Klaus: The women that does not exist...

      Alan McMann: No, of course she exists but not as Rebecca!

      Inspector Klaus: Because Rebecca does not exist.

      Alan McMann: Right!

      Inspector Klaus: Wrong!

      [throws Alan out of his office]

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Oh God, You Devil/American Dreamer/Body Double/Crimes of Passion (1984)

    User reviews60

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Hilarious, endearing, brave, warm, surprising
    I first saw this movie on cable and was completely impressed. How did I miss this movie in the theatre? I LOVE mysteries. And this is one. It is also a comedy, drama and love story with a twist. Or two. The characters are well defined and grow. With the slight exception of Giancarlo Giannini, who is a intentionally one dimensional but beautiful to look at, just the same.

    The heroine gets trapped in a mystery lover's dream scenario. She enters a contest to write a chapter for a book about her favorite detective and wins! Then bravely take the trip she wins alone because her husband thinks little of her effort or talent and does his best to stifle her joy. She feels a little guilty but tries to have a good time. She is definitely on the "if this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium" tour. While being rushed through the sites of Paris, she is robbed and hit by a car. Resulting in amnesia. When she wakes up she has become her favorite character. In Paris. On a shopping spree. Involved in an unsuspected plot to save the world.

    It is fabulous to watch all the other people who are caught up in her dilemma because she really is lost but convincing they try to help but keep getting pulled in deeper. Then her husband is told she is missing. The plot thickens. There really are double agents, drug dealers, a chase scene (running), underground passages, ghost writers. No one is what or who they seem to be. And just when you think everything has been concluded, she gets kidnapped. That was the best moment. The director could have ended the movie exactly there and I would have felt complete. But wait, there's more. The game was still afoot!!

    This movie was great!! It is everything you want from a movie. Starting with entertainment. Not predictable. Some real thinking and smart people doing everything right. But once the ball started rolling, it had to finish. Best of all, every one in the family could watch it. It was smart and clean. At this point I have seen it so many times since the 80's I can sing the theme song.
    helpful•24
    0
    • fastflo1st
    • Nov 6, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 26, 1984 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Hotel Crillon 10 Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France
    • Production company
      • CBS Theatrical Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 45 minutes
      • Stereo

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