Arthur (1981 film)
| Arthur | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Steve Gordon |
| Written by | Steve Gordon |
| Starring | Dudley Moore Liza Minnelli John Gielgud Geraldine Fitzgerald Jill Eikenberry Stephen Elliott Ted Ross Barney Martin Helen Hanft |
| Music by | Burt Bacharach |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Orion Pictures Corporation |
Release dates | July 17, 1981 |
Running time | 97 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7,000,001 |
Arthur (1981) film set in New York City which tells the story of drunken millionaire playboy Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry).
The movie was written and directed by Steve Gordon, and was based in part on the characters Jeeves and Wooster, created by P. G. Wodehouse.
Arthur earned over $82 million at the box office in the United States, placing it fourth on the box office charts for the year. It was notable for its title song, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)", co-written and sung by Christopher Cross. It was followed by a 1988 sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks.
This film is number 10 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies," and was number 53 on the American Film Institute's 100 Years...100 Laughs.
Plot summary
Arthur Bach is a spoiled playboy, and the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but his family thinks that she will make something of him. Arthur heeds to his family's needs and proposes to Susan but then meets a poor working-class woman, Linda Marolla (Liza Minnelli) and falls in love with her. When his family threatens to cut off Arthur's inheritance if he does not marry Susan, Arthur asks his valet, Hobson (John Gielgud), to help out.
Remake
It is reported that Arthur is to be remade at Warners with the British Actor/Comedian Russell Brand in the lead role.[1] Brand confirmed this during his March 10, 2009 appearance on the Howard Stern Show.
Academy Awards
Wins:
- Best Supporting Actor - John Gielgud
- Best Music, Song - Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross and Peter Allen for "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)" which was performed by Christopher Cross
Nominations:
- Best Actor in a Leading Role - Dudley Moore
- Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - Steve Gordon
Honors
American Film Institute recognition
- 2000: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs #53
- 2004: AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs #79
References
- ^ www.empireonline.com 04/12/2008