The Goodbye Girl – 1977
Director
Herbert Ross

Writer
Neil Simon

Cast
Richard Dreyfuss
Marsha Mason
Quinn Cummings

Review by Wayne Malin

Totally unbelievable–but LOTS of fun!,

Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) and her 10 year old daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings) are abandoned in NYC by her married boyfriend. He also sublets the apartment they share to a young actor, Eliot Garfield (Richard Dreyfuss). They agree to live together even though they hate each other. Naturally, they fall in love.

Totally predictable but I really enjoyed it! I loved in back in 1977 and I still love it now! Neil Simon’s script is basically just a series of one liners–but they ARE funny and Dreyfuss, Mason and Cummings deliver they perfectly. They come fast and furious and the movie moves very quickly–it doesn’t seem like it’s 110 minutes long. Dreyfuss deservedly won the Best Actor Award for this film–he’s ‘on’ non-stop and is full of energy and fun. Mason was nominated for Best Actress and she’s almost as good as Dreyfuss (she was a little too whiny for me). Cummings isn’t that good–but she WAS only 10 when she did this. It’s just that her character is one of those screen kids that talks and acts like an adult–I didn’t think having her swear occasionally was cute or funny. Nonetheless she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The movie was also up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Also there’s a GREAT title song written and performed by David Gates over the closing credits (it was also a big hit song back in ’77). Also Nicol Williamson pops up (unbilled) in a short but VERY funny cameo.

The only debit–the romance scenes were corny (but they do work) and some of the dramatic scenes were TERRIBLY written (Simon was always better at doing comedy). And he has two thunderstorms pop up out of NOWHERE in this movie during a big romantic and dramatic scene. That was pushing it a little too much! Still the acting carries those scenes through and it’s a minor complaint.

A sweet, very funny, enjoyable film. Just don’t think about it TOO much. I give it a 9.