Heartburn (1986)

She's a magazine writer who gives up her career for love and family. He's a playboy newspaper columnist who can't quite give up his old tricks. And if that combination doesn't give a relationship Heartburn, nothing will.

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Nora Ephron (novel), Nora Ephron (screenplay)

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Rachel
Jack Nicholson	...	Mark
Jeff Daniels	...	Richard
Maureen Stapleton	...	Vera
Stockard Channing	...	Julie
Richard Masur	...	Arthur
Catherine O'Hara	...	Betty
Steven Hill	...	Rachel's Father
Milos Forman	...	Dmitri
Mamie Gummer	...	Annie (as Natalie Stern)
Karen Akers	...	Thelma Rice
Aida Linares	...	Juanita
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Della
Ron McLarty	...	Detective O'Brien
Kenneth Welsh	...	Dr. Appel

Storyline

An autobiographical look at the break-up of Screenwriter Nora Ephron's marriage to Carl "All the President's Men" Bernstein that was also a best-selling novel. The Ephron character, Rachel Samstat (Meryl Streep), is a food writer at a New York City magazine who meets Washington, D.C. columnist Mark Forman (Jack Nicholson) at a wedding and ends up falling in love with him despite her reservations about marriage. They buy a house, have a daughter, and Rachel thinks they are living happily ever after until she discovers that Mark is having an affair while she is waddling around with a second pregnancy.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | washington monument washington d.c. | reference to baby it's cold outside the song | marriage | wedding | 

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Taglines:

Sex... Love... Marriage. Some people don't know when to quit!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie that Rachel Samstat and Mark Forman are watching in bed on their first date is The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962).

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Goofs

After saying she was making a key lime pie for dinner, Rachel is seen at a produce dept buying regular limes, rather than key limes.

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Quotes

Mark Forman: He has an unlisted address.
Rachel Samstat: What are you talking about?
Mark Forman: Oh, well, it's the latest thing.
Rachel Samstat: What kind of person has an unlisted address?
Mark Forman: I'll tell you what kind person. The kind that doesn't want to be dead. The kind people are trying to kill all the time.
Rachel Samstat: Why are you angry at me for?
Mark Forman: I'm not angry at you.
Rachel Samstat: Then what you shouting at me for?
Mark Forman: Because you're the only one that's here.

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Connections

Spoofs Masterpiece Classic (1971)

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Soundtracks

Isn't It Romantic
Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

User Reviews

Oscar winners galore!

When I watch a movie I always find myself looking at the number of Oscar winners, for acting & directing, are in the movie. The Oscar winners could be for performances either prior to or subsequent to their performance in the movie I'm watching. This one features Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Mercedes Ruehl, Maureen Stapleton, Kevin Spacey, Milos Forman [acting not directing] and Mike Nichols. Just goes to show that outstanding actors and directors need a good story and/or script to make a good movie. Although Nora Ephron has been nominated for 3 Oscars for screenplays she has written, this one just didn't do it for me and, from the tone of most of the comments, for many other people. Of course, I'd enjoy watching Streep & Nicholson reading the phonebook.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heartburn

Filming Locations:

Apthorp Apartments - 2211 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,783,079, 27 July 1986

Gross USA:

$25,314,189

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,314,189

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1