All Night Long(1981 film)
All Night Long | |
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Directed by | Jean-Claude Tramont |
Written by | W. D. Richter |
Produced by | Associate producers: Terence A. Donnelly Fran Roy Producers: Leonard Goldberg Jerry Weintraub |
Starring | Gene Hackman Barbra Streisand Diane Ladd Dennis Quaid Kevin Dobson |
Cinematography | Philip H. Lathrop |
Edited by | Rachel Igel Marion Rothman |
Music by | Richard Hazard Ira Newborn Maestro Padilla |
Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $15 million |
Box office | $4,454,295 |
All Night Longis a 1981 Americanromantic comedy filmdirected byJean-Claude Tramontand starringGene Hackman,Barbra Streisand,Diane Ladd,Dennis Quaid,Kevin Dobson,andWilliam Daniels.It was written byW. D. Richter.[1][2]
Plot
[edit]George Dupler (Gene Hackman), a married man nearing middle age, is demoted after a temper tantrum at work (throwing a chair out of his Boss 's window) and reduced to working as the midnight-shift manager of an all-nightpharmacy/convenience store.
George's 18-year-old son, Freddie (Dennis Quaid), is having an affair with an older, married woman, who also happens to be Freddie's fourth cousin. George advises Freddie to stop the affair before it leads to any trouble, but Freddie declares that he might love her. One night at the store, George finally meets the woman, Cheryl (Barbra Streisand), an untalented singer-songwriter married to a volatile firefighter, Bobby (Kevin Dobson), and she begins to show an interest in him. After a while, the interest is mutual.
George goes to Cheryl's house to return her cigarette lighter. She offers to show George the paint job Freddie has done in her bedroom. George and Cheryl are about to get intimate, when Freddie comes over to see Cheryl for another tryst. George escapes before Freddie could see him, but Cheryl decides to tell Freddie about the affair she is having with his dad. The next day, when George is trying to sleep, and his wife, Helen (Diane Ladd), is having a French class, Freddie confronts his father, trying to fight him. Helen hears about the affair and George leaves. When she demands a divorce, George agrees.
George ends up quitting his job and leasing a loft where he can pursue his dream of being an inventor. George goes to an anniversary party where everybody he knows is there, including his family, plus Cheryl and Bobby. He realizes Bobby is aware of the affair with his wife. George takes Cheryl away from the party and her husband. Even though Cheryl loves him, she thinks he is too good for her.
Cheryl goes to the fire station where Bobby works to talk to him. Bobby ends up yelling at her and is about to hit her when the fire alarm goes off. He and all of the firemen leave, whereupon we see that it was George who reported the nonexistent fire.
Cheryl moves into George's place. Freddie has accepted the situation and helps her move in, showing that he and his dad have reconciled.
Cast
[edit]- Gene Hackmanas George Dupler
- Barbra Streisandas Cheryl Gibbons
- Dennis Quaidas Freddie Dupler
- Diane Laddas Helen Dupler
- Kevin Dobsonas Bobby Gibbons
- William Danielsas Richard H. Copleston
- Hamilton Campas Buggoms
- Faith Mintonas Holdup Woman
- Terry Kiseras Ultra-Save Day Manager
- Charles Siebertas Nevins
- Vernee Watson-Johnsonas Emily (as Vernee Watson)
- Raleigh Bond as Ultra-Save Doctor
- Annie Girardotas French Teacher
- Ann Doranas Grandmother Gibbons
- James Nolanas Grandfather Gibbons (as Jim Nolan)
- Judy Kerr as Joan Gibbons
- Marlyn Gates as Jennifer Gibbons
Production
[edit]The film was originally planned as a low-budget release, with Hackman andLisa Eichhorn.Streisand's then-agent,Sue Mengers,who was married to the film's director,Jean-Claude Tramont,suggested Barbra for the part instead of Eichhorn, even though filming already was under way. Streisand was paid $4 million for starring in this film, the highest salary for an actor up to that time.[3]Several biographies suggest that because of the film's subsequent failure at the box office, Streisand fired Mengers, but this is not true.
Prominent in the musical soundtrack is "La Violetera",a composition byJosé Padillawhich had been featured previously inCharlie Chaplin'sCity Lights.[4]
Reception
[edit]The film received mostly negative reviews,[5]though some critics cited Streisand's performance as one of her best. On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,33% of 9 reviews are positive, and the average rating is 5.4/10.[6]
Stephen Holden,inRolling Stonemagazine, gave the film a positive review, adding that Streisand's performance suggestedMarilyn Monroe.Pauline KaelinThe New Yorkerwas full of praise: "The director, Jean-Claude Tramont, a Belgian who has worked in American television, is a sophisticated jokester. There may be a suggestion ofLubitschand ofMax Ophülsin his approach, and there is more than a suggestion ofJacques Tati.Gene Hackman,whose specialty has been believable, lived-in characters, gives one of his most likable performances. "[7]Gary Arnold ofThe Washington Postalso praised Hackman's performance, calling it "the most endearing of his career, an impression of frustrated but resilient middle-class masculinity that should evoke as much recognition and rooting interest among men as women seemed to derive fromEllen Burstyn's role inAlice Doesn't Live Here Anymore."[8]
Awards
[edit]Streisand was nominated for aGolden Raspberry Award for Worst Actressfor her performance.Gene Hackmanwas nominated for a 2nd placeNational Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actorfor his performance.
Box office
[edit]The movie was aflop.It opened at No. 1 on the American film charts with an opening weekend of $1,391,000. The Independent Movie Data Base website lists the film's total U.S. gross as less than $4.5 million. InWilliam Goldman'sAdventures in the Screen Trade,Goldman states the budget, originally $3 million, ballooned to $15 million, in part because of the addition of Streisand. With prints and advertising costs, Goldman states the studio lost at least $20 million on the film.
References
[edit]- ^Nickens & Swenson 2000,pp. 152–160.
- ^"All Night Long".Turner Classic Movies.RetrievedApril 25,2016.
- ^"All Night Long (1981) - IMDb".IMDb.
- ^Kael, Pauline(2011) [1991].5001 Nights at the Movies.New York: Henry Holt and Company. p. 17.ISBN978-1-250-03357-4.
- ^review by Vincent Canby,New York Times,6 March 1981
- ^"All Night Long".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.RetrievedDecember 1,2022.
- ^Pauline Kael,Taking it all Inp.156ISBN0-7145-2841-2
- ^Gary Arnold, "Savory Surprise," The Washington Post, Page C1, 7 March 1981
Sources
[edit]- Nickens, Christopher; Swenson, Karen (2000).The Films of Barbra Streisand.Citadel Press. pp. 152–160.ISBN978-0806519548.
External links
[edit]- 1981 films
- 1981 romantic comedy films
- American romantic comedy films
- Universal Pictures films
- Films with screenplays by W. D. Richter
- Films scored by Richard Hazard
- Films scored by Ira Newborn
- Films scored by José Padilla
- 1980s English-language films
- 1980s American films
- Films produced by Jerry Weintraub
- English-language romantic comedy films