Goodbye, Columbus (1969)
- Starring:
- Richard Benjamin, Ali MacGraw, (more)
- Director(s):
- Larry Peerce
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Goodbye, Columbus
Based on one of author Phillip Roth's shorter works, Goodbye Columbus stars Richard Benjamin as Neil, a young man of humble means who falls in love with Jewish-American-princess Brenda (Ali MacGraw). Their romance is out of the question so far as Brenda's suburbanite parents are concerned, so Neil and Brenda rendezvous in some of the sleaziest motels ever seen in a 1960s film (and that assessment includes The Bates Motel). Unwilling to take birth control pills because they upset her tummy, Brenda opts for a diaphragm, which unfortunately is discovered by her mother. Their rocky relationship comprises the bulk of the film. The trendy, New Wave-influenced direction by Larry Peerce gained a great deal of critical attention in 1969, notably such self-indulgent devices as having a close-up of a girl's navel dissolve into a long-shot of a swimming pool. Far more memorable is Peerce's amusingly straight-on depictions of upper-class Jewish/American social functions. In their film debuts, Richard Benjamin and Ali MacGraw are appealingly awkward; the more memorable performance is delivered by Michael Meyers as MacGraw's adenoidal younger brother. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 101 mins
Complete Cast of Goodbye, Columbus
- Richard Benjamin - Neil
- Jack Klugman - Mr. Patimkin
- Michael Meyers - Ron
- Royce Wallace - Carlotta
- Kay Cummings - Doris
- Monroe Arnold - Uncle Leo
- Richard Wexler - Busboy
- Mari Gorman - Simp
- Jaclyn Smith - Model
- Bill Deeringer - John McKee
- Ali MacGraw - Brenda
- Nan Martin - Mrs. Patimkin
- Lori Shelle - Julie
- Sylvie Strauss - Aunt Gladys
- Michael Nurie - Don Farber
- Elaine Swain - Sarah Ehrlich
- Rube Schaffer - Uncle Max
- Gail Ommerle - Harriet
- Betty Grayson - Aunt Molly
- Jan Peerce - Wedding Guest
- Director(s):
- Larry Peerce
- Writer(s):
- Arnold Schulman
- Producer(s):
- Stanley Jaffe
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG(Adult Situations, Brief Nudity, Adult Language, Not For Children)
- Categories:
- Romance
- 1969 - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - New Star of the Year - Female
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