The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
BBBB
(out of 5)
Without a doubt one of the funniest movies ever made. Charles Grodin is magnificent as a lonely singleton who marries a nice Jewish girl (Jeannie Berlin, who is director Elaine May’s daughter and unbelievably good) but is already frustrated with her perpetually clingy ways before they get to their honeymoon in Miami. Arriving at their beach resort, Grodin meets gorgeous, WASPy Cybill Shepherd and realizes he has found his perfect mate and has to end things with his wife. The process by which this constantly frazzled man screws up his life and follows Shepherd back to her home town, where resides an equally unforgettable Eddie Albert as her exasperated father, makes for non-stop laughs. Neil Simon’s witty script is kept from any kind of contrived comedy nonsense by intelligent, razor-sharp direction by May, who keeps things on a realistic level at all times and, as a result, only makes the film that much funnier. Her portrayal of Berlin’s character in particular is wondrously complex, for while her grating characteristics make it easy to understand why Grodin is ready to move on so quickly, there’s no way you could possibly stomach the idea of anyone being cruel to her. You’ll never look at an egg salad sandwich the same way again.
USA, 1972
Directed by Elaine May
Story by Bruce Jay Friedman, Screenplay by Neil Simon
Cinematography by Owen Roizman
Produced by Edgar J. Scherick
Music by Garry Sherman
Production Design by Richard Sylbert
Costume Design by Anthea Sylbert
Film Editing by John Carter
Cast Tags: Art Metrano, Audra Lindley, Augusta Dabney, Charles Grodin, Cybill Shepherd, Doris Roberts, Eddie Albert, Erik Lee Preminger, Greg Scherick, Jack Hausman, Jean Scoppa, Jeannie Berlin, Marilyn Putnam, Mitchell Jason, Tim Browne, William Prince
Academy Award Nominations
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Eddie Albert as “Mr. Corcoran”)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jeannie Berlin as “Lila”)
Golden Globe Award Nominations
Best Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy/Musical (Charles Grodin)
Best Supporting Actress (Jeannie Berlin)
Best Screenplay
National Society of Film Critics Awards
Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Albert) (tie)
Best Supporting Actress (Jeannie Berlin)
Nomination
Best Supporting Actress (Cybill Shepherd)
New York Film Critics Award
Best Supporting Actress (Jeannie Berlin)
Nomination
Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Albert)
Writers Guild Award Nomination
Best Comedy Adapted from Another Medium
