Kramer vs. Kramer
| Kramer vs. Kramer | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster | |
| Directed by | Robert Benton |
| Written by | Avery Corman (novel) Robert Benton |
| Produced by | Richard Fischoff Stanley R. Jaffe |
| Starring | Dustin Hoffman Meryl Streep Justin Henry Jane Alexander |
| Cinematography | Néstor Almendros |
| Edited by | Gerald B. Greenberg Ray Hubley Bill Pankow |
| Music by | Paul Gemignani Herb Harris John Kander Erma E. Levin Roy B. Yokelson Antonio Vivaldi |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date | December 17, 1979 |
Running time | 105 minutes |
| Country | Template:FilmUS |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $104,986,000[1] |
Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 film adapted by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton. The film tells the story of a married couple's divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple's young son. It received the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1979. Music for the film features New York guitarist Frederic Hand.
Plot
Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman), a workaholic advertising executive is just given his agency's biggest new account. After spending the evening drinking with his boss, he returns home to find his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) in the process of leaving him.
Ted is left to raise their son Billy (Justin Henry) by himself. Ted and Billy resent each other as Ted no longer has time to carry his increased workload, and Billy misses the love and attention he received from his mother. After many months of unrest, Ted and Billy begin to cope with the situation and eventually grow to deeply love and care for one another.
Ted befriends his neighbor Margaret (Jane Alexander), who at the beginning had counseled Joanna to leave. Margaret is a fellow single parent and the two become kindred spirits. One day as the two sit in the park watching their children play, Billy falls off the jungle gym and severely cuts his face. Picking him up, Ted sprints several blocks through oncoming traffic to the hospital, truly showing his caring love for his child.
About a year and a half after she walked out, Joanna returns to New York in order to claim Billy, and a custody battle ensues. During the custody hearing, both Ted and Joanna are unprepared for the brutal character assassinations that their lawyers unleash on the other. Eventually, the court awards custody to Joanna.
On the morning that Billy is to move in with Joanna, she comes to the apartment and tells Ted that, while she loves Billy and wants him with her, she knows that he is already home and his true home is with Ted. She does not take him. As she enters the elevator, she asks her ex-husband how does she look. The movie ends with the elevator doors closing on the emotional Joanna, right after Ted answers, "You look terrific," as she heads upstairs to talk to Billy.
Cast
- Dustin Hoffman as Ted Kramer
- Meryl Streep as Joanna Kramer
- Justin Henry as Billy Kramer
- Jane Alexander as Margaret Phelps
- Petra King as Petie Phelps
- Melissa Morell as Kim Phelps
- Howard Duff as John Shaunessy
- George Coe as Jim O'Connor
- JoBeth Williams as Phyllis Bernard (as Jobeth Williams)
- Howland Chamberlain as Judge Atkins
- Dan Tyra as Court Clerk
Production
Kate Jackson was then offered the role played by Meryl Streep but was forced to turn it down. At the time, Jackson was appearing in the TV series Charlie's Angels, and producer Aaron Spelling told her that they were unable to rearrange the shooting schedule to give her time off to do the film.[2]
Cultural impact
Kramer vs. Kramer reflected a cultural shift which occurred during the 1970s and the period of second-wave feminism, when ideas about motherhood and fatherhood were changing. The film was widely praised for the way in which it gave equal weight and importance to both Joanna and Ted's points of view.[3]
The difficulties facing the working single parent are depicted in the film. When Ted is asked by his lawyer to list the "pros and cons" of seeking custody, Ted's "cons" list includes, "work affected, no privacy, no social life, no let up." The film poignantly depicted the dilemmas facing single parents working for an employer insensitive to work-family balance needs.
The film also addresses the predisposition to awarding child custody to the mother.
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
Wins
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Dustin Hoffman
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Meryl Streep
Nominations
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Jane Alexander
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Justin Henry. To date, Henry is the youngest person ever nominated for an Academy Award.
David di Donatello (Italy)
Wins
- Best Foreign Film 1980
- Best Foreign Actor 1980 - Dustin Hoffman
See also
References
- ^ "Kramer vs Kramer (1979)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2008-11-17.
- ^ Spelling, Aaron; Graham, Jefferson (1996). A Prime-Time Life: An Autobiography. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 112. ISBN 0-312-14268-4.
- ^ :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews :: Kramer vs. Kramer (xhtml)
External links
- 1979 films
- Best Picture Academy Award winners
- Films whose director won the Best Director Academy Award
- Films featuring a Best Actor Academy Award winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Drama Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe winning performance
- 1970s drama films
- Films based on novels
- Films directed by Robert Benton
- Films set in New York City
- Films whose writer won the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award
- Best Drama Picture Golden Globe winners