The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974)

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writers:

Mordecai Richler (novel)
Lionel Chetwynd (adaptation)

Release Date:

11 April 1974 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

There's a little bit of Duddy Kravitz in everyone.

Plot:

The younger son of a working-class Jewish family in Montreal, Duddy Kravitz yearns to make a name for himself in society...

Plot Keywords:

Nipple Slip | Semi Autobiographical | Copped Feel | Film In Film | Groping

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Duddy
Micheline Lanctôt	...	Yvette
Jack Warden	...	Max
Randy Quaid	...	Virgil
Joseph Wiseman	...	Uncle Benjy
Denholm Elliott	...	Friar
Henry Ramer	...	Dingleman
Joe Silver	...	Farber
Zvee Scooler	...	Grandfather
Robert Goodier	...	Calder
Alan Rosenthal	...	Lenny (as Allan Rosenthal)
Barry Baldaro	...	Paddy
Allan Kolman	...	Irwin (as Allan Migicovsky)
Barry Pascal	...	Bernie Farber
Susan Friedman	...	Linda

Also Known As:

L'apprentissage de Duddy Kravitz (Canada: French title)
Den lille Rockefeller (Denmark) [da]
Duddy will hoch hinaus (West Germany) [de]
Encontro Com a Sorte (Portugal) [pt]
Född smart (Sweden) [sv]
L'apprentissage de Duddy Kravitz (France) [fr]
O katafertzis (Greece) [el]
Soldi ad ogni costo (Italy) [it]
Syntymäfiksu (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

120 min | Canada:94 min (TV)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Astral Bellevue Pathé

Trivia:

According to Richard Dreyfuss, he believed his performance in this film was so bad that his career would be over when it was released. This fear caused him to aggressively pursue the role of Matt Hooper in Jaws (1975).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Although film is set in early Fifties, in scene immediately following roulette game, logo on Pepsi-Cola sign outside café dates from much later - late Fifties or early Sixties.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Richard Dreyfuss/Jimmy Buffett, Gary Tigerman (#3.19)" (1978)

Soundtrack:

Wonder Boy

Too Bad!

Am I a jerk or what? I loved Duddy Kravitz. Even though he's a back stabbing, robbing crook of a shmuck, who has every right to be despised, I wound up rooting for him anyways. Do I feel guilty? Absolutely not! And here's why. Richard Dreyfuss.

Based on Mordechai Richler's novel about growing up in 1950's Montreal. He's got the world coming to him. Well, at least he thinks he does. Quick to take advantage of every opportunity thrown at him, sometimes he gets way over his head, but that doesn't let him down for long, for soon he's after his next big score. Whether it be independent movies. Pinball, or a giant lakeside property.

My god, Richard Dreyfuss is the heart and soul of this movie. I am clearly lacking any idea of who else could have pulled this performance off so flawlessly. The supporting cast, including Micheline Lanctôt, Jack Warden, and, in a stunning performance, Randy Quaid, are all great. But Dreyfuss just steamrolls over them, literally and figuratively.