The Goodbye Girl (1977)

Director Herbert Ross capably directs Marsha Mason and Richard Dreyfuss in a very enjoyable romantic comedy.

Paula (Marsha Mason) and her young daughter Lucy (the very funny Quinn Cummings) have just been abandoned by Paula's married lover, an actor who suddenly flies to Europe after promising to take them to Hollywood with him. He also forgot to tell Paula that he sublet their New York City apartment to Elliot (Richard Dreyfuss), an actor from Chicago who arrives to do an off-Broadway version of "Richard III." As with all good romantic comedies, Paula and Elliot cannot stand each other, but agree to share the apartment. Paula is trying to make a comeback as a dancer in musical theater, and Elliot is ordered by his director (Paul Benedict) to play Richard III as a flamboyant homosexual. Will the two get together? What do you think?

Ross and playwright Neil Simon open up Simon's original script, shooting on location in New York City. For the apartment scenes, Ross does a wonderful job of keeping his camera moving, never letting anyone stand too still for too long. Simon's script is very Simonesque. There are some fall-down funny lines, but there is also a lot of pointless yelling, an ingredient of many Simon productions. Cummings is hilarious, who would have thought a ten year old was capable of flawless comic timing? Mason is sometimes drab as Paula, she changes moods quicker than changing clothes. Dreyfuss won the Oscar for his Elliot, deservedly, since he lifts his goofy character to another level entirely- a romantic leading man who meditates and sleeps in the nude.

"The Goodbye Girl" is a very good, and very funny, romantic comedy. Aside from some lame lines and Paula's mood swings, it would stack up well to any rom-com out there today.

Stats:
(1977) 111 min. (8/10)
-Directed by Herbert Ross
-Written by Neil Simon
-Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha Mason, Quinn Cummings, Paul Benedict, Barbara Rhoades, Theresa Merritt, Michael Shawn, Patricia Pearcy, Marilyn Sokol, Robert Costanzo, Gene Castle, Daniel Levins, Anita Dangler
(PG)
*Academy Awards*
-Best Picture (lost to "Annie Hall")
-Best Actor- Richard Dreyfuss (won)
-Best Actress- Marsha Mason (lost to Diane Keaton- "Annie Hall")
-Best Supporting Actress- Quinn Cummings (lost to Vanessa Redgrave- "Julia")
-Best Original Screenplay (lost to "Annie Hall")
*BAFTA*
-Best Actor- Richard Dreyfuss (won)
-Best Actress- Marsha Mason (lost to Jane Fonda- "Julia")
-Best Screenplay (lost to "Julia")