Arthur (1981)

Director:

Steve Gordon

Writer:

Steve Gordon (written by)

Release Date:

7 August 1981 (Brazil)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Not everyone who drinks is a poet, some of us drink because we're not.

Plot:

Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Inheritance | Domestic Servant | New York City | Alcoholic

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Dudley Moore	...	Arthur Bach
Liza Minnelli	...	Linda Marolla
John Gielgud	...	Hobson
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Martha Bach
Jill Eikenberry	...	Susan Johnson
Stephen Elliott	...	Burt Johnson
Ted Ross	...	Bitterman
Barney Martin	...	Ralph Marolla
Thomas Barbour	...	Stanford Bach
Anne De Salvo	...	Gloria - Hooker
Marjorie Barnes	...	Hooker
Dillon Evans	...	Plaza Maitre d'
Maurice Copeland	...	Uncle Peter Bach
Justine Johnston	...	Aunt Pearl Bach
Paul Vincent	...	Plaza Waiter
Mary Alan Hokanson	...	Secretary
Paul Gleason	...	Executive
Phyllis Somerville	...	Saleslady
Irving Metzman	...	Security Guard at Clothing Store
Joe Doolan	...	Kid in Street
John Doolan	...	Kid in Street
Melissa Ballan	...	Kid in Street
Florence Tarlow	...	Mrs. Nesbitt
Lou Jacobi	...	Plant Store Owner
Gordon Press	...	Prize Man
Bob Maroff	...	Prize Man
Marcella Lowery	...	Harriet - Martha's Maid (as Marcella Lowry)
Jerome Collamore	...	Johnson Butler
Mark Fleischman	...	Waiter
Helen Hanft	...	Perry's Wife
John Bentley	...	Perry
Raymond Serra	...	Racetrack Owner
Peter Evans	...	Preston Langley - Party Guest
Dominic Guastaferro	...	Party Guest
Phil Oxnam	...	Orderly
Richard Hamilton	...	Bill
George Riddle	...	Bartender
Lawrence Tierney	...	Man in Coffee Shop
Bobo Lewis	...	Lady in Coffee Shop
B. Constance Barry	...	Wedding Guest
Kurt Schlesinger	...	Wedding Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bella Jarrett
Tony Devon	...	Linda's Chauffeur (uncredited)
Steve James	...	Man outside Tie Store (uncredited)
Mark Margolis	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Judi Passeltiner	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Gordon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Steve Gordon		written by

Produced by
Robert Greenhut	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Burt Bacharach

Cinematography by
Fred Schuler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Susan E. Morse

Casting by
Howard Feuer
Jeremy Ritzer
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Stephen Hendrickson

Set Decoration by
Carol Joffe
Steven J. Jordan		(as Steven Jordan)

Costume Design by
Jane Greenwood

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist
Jay Cannistraci	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael Peyser	....	production manager
Ezra Swerdlow	....	assistant unit production manager
Joel Chernoff	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Greenhut	....	first assistant director
Jerry Olinick	....	dga trainee
Thomas A. Reilly	....	second assistant director (as Thomas Reilly)

Art Department
Joseph Badalucco Jr.	....	chief set dresser
Paul Eads	....	assistant art director
W. Steven Graham	....	assistant art director
James Mazzola	....	property master (as Jim Mazzola)
Arne Olsen	....	construction grip
Cosmo Sorice	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Edward Swanson	....	construction coordinator
Carl Landi	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Louis Bertini	....	assistant sound editor
Marjorie Deutsch	....	sound editor
Melissa A. Higgins	....	apprentice sound editor
Vito L. Ilardi	....	boom operator (as Vito Ilardi)
Sanford Rackow	....	supervising sound editor
James Sabat	....	sound mixer
Louis Sabat	....	sound recordist
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Richard Vorisek)
Bob Olari	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Edgard Mourino	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ricki-Ellen Brooke	....	second assistant camera
Sandy Brooke	....	assistant camera
Norman Buck	....	key grip
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
David L. Quaid	....	additional photographer (as David Quaid)
William Ward	....	gaffer (as Bill Ward)

Casting Department
Navarro Bertoni	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
William A. Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Bill Campbell)
David Charles	....	assistant costume designer
Patricia Eiben	....	wardrobe supervisor
Helen Tarr	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Pamela Scott Arnold	....	assistant film editor (as Pamela S. Arnold)
Jonathan Oppenheim	....	associate editor
Meri Weingarten	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Jim Boyer	....	music recording engineer
Randy Brecker	....	musician: Flugelhorn solo
Ron Dante	....	musician: vocal soloist
Richard Hazard	....	orchestrator (as Dick Hazard)
Artie Kaplan	....	music contractor
Bernie Leighton	....	musician: piano solo
George Marge	....	musician: oboe solo
Dan Pinsky	....	music editor
Toots Thielemans	....	musician: harmonica solo
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recording engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Walter Charleston	....	transportation captain
Michael Lindgren	....	vehicle consultant
Bobby Marsh	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Nicholas Bernstein	....	production assistant
Ruth Bonomo	....	production assistant
Jack Brubach	....	assistant location auditor
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Peggy Crago	....	production assistant
Steven Giovinco	....	production assistant
Wendi Lazar-Pillot	....	location supervisor
Ellen Levene	....	unit publicist
Gail Matthews	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon
Louis Phillips	....	production assistant
Helen Robin	....	production coordinator
Margaret Roiphe	....	location auditor
Todd M. Thaler	....	production assistant (as Todd Thaler)

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1982) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Technicolor  prints by
• Halston  select wardrobe: for Liza Minnelli
• Mayor's Office for Motion Pictures & Television  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• New York State Office for Motion Picture and Television Development  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Netherlands:6 | New Zealand:PG | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Iceland:L | Norway:12 (1981) | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

5th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The scene where Arthur drives his "racing car" around a track was shot at the now defunct Danbury Fair Racearena in Connecticut. The type of car that Arthur drove was never raced there, it was primarily for Modified stock cars and was one of America's great short tracks. Sadly, despite its great success, the land became too valuable and it gave way to a shopping mall. The Danbury Fair Racearena closed on October 12, 1981, shortly after the movie was filmed.

Goofs:

Continuity: Arthur grabs his martini glass twice in the bath tub.

Quotes:

Arthur: I race cars, play tennis, and fondle women, BUT! I have weekends off, and I am my own boss.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Critic: Sherman of Arabia (#2.7)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Arthur's Theme 'Best That You Can Do'

The laughs never get old.

From the beginning of this movie it seems apparent that the role of Arthur was meant to be played by a much younger actor. By the end, it's clear that nobody other than Dudley Moore could have done it so well. Looking back, one remembers the sappy Christopher Cross theme song (does anyone remember Christopher Cross?) and oh-so-80's clothing and sets with an unavoidable nostalgia. But the triumvirate of Moore as Arthur, Liza Minnelli as Linda, and Sir Johnny G as the butler Hobson, dripping with sarcasm and at the pinnacle of his considerable talent, make this more than a throw-away farce.

All the best lines belong to Gielgud, and the Academy Award was hardly adequate for such a legendary performance. Moore's lovable drunk would wear thin in later years, but here it is a fresh and delightful tour de force in the most politically incorrect way. Liza is flawless, but one hates to see her in a non-musical role, for fear of squandering such an immense talent. But the chemistry, the synergy between these legends is palpable.

The laughs never get old. It is, however, a tragedy that the DVD is not available in cinematic aspect.