The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

Director:

Elaine May

Writers:

Bruce Jay Friedman (story)
Neil Simon (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 February 1973 (Argentina)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Plot:

Three days into his Miami honeymoon, New York Jewish Lenny meets tall, blonde Kelly. This confirms him...

Plot Keywords:

Honeymoon | Jewish | Unfaithfulness | Male Female Relationship | Swimsuit

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Charles Grodin	...	Lenny Cantrow
Cybill Shepherd	...	Kelly Corcoran
Jeannie Berlin	...	Lila Kolodny
Audra Lindley	...	Mrs. Corcoran
Eddie Albert	...	Mr. Corcoran
Mitchell Jason	...	Cousin Ralph
William Prince	...	Colorado Man
Augusta Dabney	...	Colorado Woman
Doris Roberts	...	Mrs. Cantrow
Marilyn Putnam	...	Mrs. Kolodny
Jack Hausman	...	Mr. Kolodny
Erik Lee Preminger	...	Pecan Pie Waiter
Art Metrano	...	Entertainer
Tim Browne	...	Kelly's Boyfriend
Jean Scoppa	...	Flower Girl
Greg Scherick	...	Young Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joel Thingvall	...	College Student (uncredited)
Jim Westcott	...	College Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Elaine May

Writing credits
Bruce Jay Friedman		(story "A Change of Plan")
Neil Simon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Hausman	....	associate producer
Erik Lee Preminger	....	associate producer
Edgar J. Scherick	....	producer

Original Music by
Garry Sherman

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman

Film Editing by
John Carter

Art Direction by
Richard Sylbert

Set Decoration by
William G. O'Connell

Costume Design by
Anthea Sylbert

Makeup Department
Irving Buchman	....	makeup artist
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist (as Robert Grimaldi)

Production Management
Michael Hausman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Larry Y. Albucher	....	second assistant director (as Larry Albucher)
Peter R. Scoppa	....	first assistant director (as Peter Scoppa)

Art Department
Thomas Wright	....	prop master (as Tom Wright)

Sound Department
Edward Beyer	....	sound editor
Richard P. Cirincione	....	sound editor (as Richard Cirincione)
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Robert M. Reitano	....	sound editor
John Strauss	....	supervising sound editor
Pasquale Suraci	....	boom operator
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recordist (as Richard Vorisek)
Maurice Schell	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	foley editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Enrique Bravo	....	camera operator
Henry Harrison	....	second assistant camera
Michael Mahony	....	key grip
Milton Moshlak	....	gaffer
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	first assistant camera (as Tom Priestley)
Stephen Wever	....	still photographer
Al Reiners	....	gaffer: Florida (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michael Chinich	....	casting: New York
Don Phillips	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marilyn Putnam	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Patricia Davidson	....	assistant film editor
Linda Nunn	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Garry Sherman	....	conductor

Other crew
Fran Boehm	....	production office coordinator
Patricia Churchill	....	production staff (as Pat Churchill)
Maxwell Meltzer	....	location auditor
Nola Safro	....	production staff
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor
John H. Starke	....	production staff (as John Starke)
David Streit	....	production staff

Production Companies

• Palomar Pictures (I)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV)
• Media Home Entertainment (1985) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (video)
• Video Treasures (????) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Neil Simon's The Heartbreak Kid" - USA (complete title)
"Pferdewechsel in der Hochzeitsnacht" - Austria, West Germany
"Casei-me por Engano" - Portugal
"Der Herzensbrecher" - West Germany (TV title)
"El rompecorazones" - Spain
"Hjärtekrossaren" - Sweden
"Il rompicuori" - Italy
"Kid zlamane serce" - Poland
"Le brise coeur" - France
"Relaciones prohibidas" - Argentina
"Sydäntenmurskaaja" - Finland
"To paraxeno taxidi tou melitos" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)

Runtime:

106 min | West Germany:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:AA (1972) | UK:PG (1986) | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company:

Palomar Pictures (I)

Trivia:

Jeannie Berlin is the daughter of director Elaine May.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene in Duane Corcoran's office after the family dinner, the phone on the desk next to Mr Corcoran moves between shots.

Quotes:

Lenny Cantrow:There's no insincerity in those potatoes. There's no deceit in the cauliflower. This is a totally honest meal.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pitch (1997)

Soundtrack:

The Theme From the Heartbreak Kid

Grow up, Kid

Remember the "women's pictures" of the 30s and 40s, often starring Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyck? A powerful identification element for members of the female audience aspiring to love, wealth, status, even if the leading lady, now fallen or abandoned, is left wondering whether she might have been better off before her quest.

What does this have to do with "The Heatbreak Kid"? Everything! Here is a "men's picture" for our times, even though it is now nearly thirty years old. Happiness is the next woman you meet, because the one you have is not what you imagined her to be. She never will be. If Lenny, married to Lila for three days, decides he has made a mistake, the appropriate downbeat ending of this picture suggests that, on the day of his wedding to Kelly, he has reached the same conclusion.

Sometimes happiness lies in being satisfied with less than the ideal. That's what you're going to end up with anyway.