Arthur (1981 film)

Arthur is a 1981 American comedy film written and directed by Steve Gordon. The film stars Dudley Moore as the eponymous Arthur Bach, a drunken New York City millionaire who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, but ends up falling for a common working-class girl from Queens. It was the first and only film directed by Gordon, who died in 1982 of a heart attack at age 44.

Arthur earned nearly $96 million domestically, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1981.^[2] Its title song, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", won the Best Original Song. Co-written by Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen, it was performed by Christopher Cross. Sir John Gielgud also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The film was nominated for two other Academy Awards.

Plot

Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore) is a spoiled alcoholic from New York City who likes to be driven in his chauffeured Rolls-Royce through Central Park. Arthur is heir to a portion of his family's vast fortune, which he is told will be his only if he marries the upper class Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry), the daughter of a business acquaintance of his father. He does not love Susan, but his family feels she will make him finally grow up. During a shopping trip in Manhattan, accompanied by his valet Hobson (John Gielgud), Arthur witnesses a young woman, Linda Morolla (Liza Minnelli), shoplifting a necktie. He intercedes with the store security guard (Irving Metzman) on her behalf, and later asks her for a date. Despite his attraction to her, Arthur remains pressured by his family to marry Susan.

While visiting his grandmother Martha (Geraldine Fitzgerald), Arthur shares his feelings for Linda, but is warned again that he will be disowned if he does not marry Susan. Hobson, who has been more like a father to him than Arthur's real father, realizes that Arthur is beginning to grow up and secretly encourages Linda to attend Arthur's engagement party (where Moore, an accomplished pianist, entertains his guests). Hobson confides in Linda that he senses Arthur loves her. Linda crashes the party, held at the estate of Arthur's father, and she and Arthur eventually spend time alone together - which was noticed by both families. Hobson is later hospitalized and Arthur rushes to his side, vowing to care for the person who has long cared for him. After several weeks, Hobson dies and then Arthur, who has been sober the entire time, goes on a drinking binge. On his wedding day, he visits the diner where Linda works at and then proposes to her. At the church, he jilts Susan, resulting in her abusive father, Burt Johnson (Stephen Elliott), attempting to stab Arthur with a cheese knife, though he is prevented by Martha.

A wounded and groggy Arthur announces in the church that there will be no wedding then passes out soon after. Later Linda attends to his wounds and they discuss living a life of poverty. A horrified Martha tells Arthur that he can have his fortune because no Bach has ever been working class. Arthur declines, but at the last minute, talks privately to Martha. When he returns to Linda's side, he tells her that he declined again – Martha's dinner invitation, he means - but he did accept $750 million. Arthur's pleased chauffeur Bitterman (Ted Ross) drives the couple through Central Park.

Cast

• Dudley Moore as Arthur Bach
• Liza Minnelli as Linda Marolla
• John Gielgud as Hobson
• Geraldine Fitzgerald as Martha Bach
• Jill Eikenberry as Susan Johnson
• Stephen Elliott as Burt Johnson
• Thomas Barbour as Stanford Bach
• Ted Ross as Bitterman
• Barney Martin as Ralph Marolla
• Paul Gleason as Executive
• Phyllis Somerville as Saleslady
• Lou Jacobi as Plant store owner
• Justine Johnston as Aunt Pearl
• Irving Metzman as store security guard
• Anne De Salvo as Gloria
• Lawrence Tierney as Man in Diner Demanding Roll
• Mark Margolis (uncredited) as Wedding guest

Production

Gordon originally wrote the titular character with an American actor in mind to portray. Prior to the casting of Moore, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Richard Dreyfuss and James Caan were all considered for the role. In addition, Alec Guinness and David Niven were considered for the role of Hobson.^[3][4] According to Splitsider, John Belushi was also considered for Arthur.^[5]

Soundtrack

Pop singer Christopher Cross was initially asked to score the film, however writer/director Steven Gordon did not feel comfortable with his lack of experience in composing for film, instead the job was given to Burt Bacharach.^[6] However Cross was asked to compose a song for the film which he did, "Arthur's Theme", which he wrote with Bacharach along with Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen.^[6]

Reception

The film received critical acclaim upon its release and is considered by many as one of the best films of 1981. It currently holds a 90% "Fresh" rating on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Related films

Sequel

Arthur was followed by a sequel in 1988, Arthur 2: On the Rocks. Lead players Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, and John Gielgud, reprised their roles, as well as many supporting players such as Geraldine Fitzgerald, Barney Martin, and Ted Ross.^[11] However, the film was enough of a failure for star Dudley Moore to disown it.

Remake

It was first reported in 2008 that Arthur was to be remade by Warner Bros., with British actor/comedian Russell Brand in the lead role.^[12] Brand confirmed this during his March 10, 2009 appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

On April 22, 2010 it was announced that Helen Mirren would star opposite Brand, taking on John Gielgud's part. On June 11, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Jennifer Garner and Nick Nolte had also joined the cast.^[13] Garner plays the heiress while Nolte is her ruthless father. Greta Gerwig stars as a charismatic tour guide with whom Arthur falls in love. Jason Winer directed the remake and Peter Baynham penned the script. Filming began in July 2010. It was released in the US on April 8, 2011.

The remake was a critical and financial failure.^[14]

Foreign versions

This film was also remade in India twice, as the Hindi language film Sharaabi (1984) starring Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role and in the Kannada language as Nee Thanda Kanike (1985).

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Wins

• Best Actor in a Supporting Role – John Gielgud
• Best Original Song – Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" which was performed by Cross

Nominations

• Best Actor in a Leading Role – Dudley Moore
• Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen – Steve Gordon

Golden Globe

Wins

• Best Film - Musical or Comedy
• Best Actor - Musical or Comedy – Dudley Moore
• Best Supporting Actor in a Supporting Role – John Gielgud
• Best Original Song – Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"

Nominations

• Best Actress – Musical or Comedy- Liza Minnelli

Honors

The film is #10 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies," and #53 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years... 100 Laughs.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

• 2000: AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – #53^[15]
• 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – Nominated^[16]
• 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
  • "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" – #79^[17]

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Arthur (1981 film)

• Arthur at the Internet Movie Database
• Arthur at AllMovie
• Arthur at Box Office Mojo
• Arthur at Rotten Tomatoes