Author! Author! (1982)

Author! Author! (1982)

Taglines: The play must go on, and so must his family.

Author! Author! movie storyline. Playwright Ivan Travalian has a new Broadway play (English with Tears) in rehearsal and the backers want rewrites. His wife, Gloria, moves out, leaving him with custody of their five children: four from her previous marriage and his own son. His lead actress, Alice Detroit, wants to move in with him, but cannot have children.

Author! Author! is a 1982 American comedy-drama film directed by Arthur Hiller, written by Israel Horovitz, and stars Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon and Tuesday Weld. The film which is loosely autobiographical, concerns a Broadway playwright who strives to solve his family and relationship troubles while trying to get a new play into production.

Dyan Cannon was originally asked to play Gloria, but turned it down because she found the character “bitchy” and had played that kind of role before. She was then asked to play Alice and agreed because she loved the character. Cannon enjoyed making the film and compared the experience to “being on a cruise”. Alan King also enjoyed filming, and said that his character was a cross between Hal Prince and Zero Mostel.

Pacino did not get along with Hiller while filming. Pacino said, “sometimes people who are not really meant to be together get together in this business for a short time. It’s very unfortunate for all parties concerned.” Pacino told that he made the film, because he thought he would enjoy making a film “about a guy with his kids, dealing with New York and show business. I thought it would be fun.” Pacino said that he enjoyed working with the actors, who spend time with his children.

Author! Author! Movie Poster (1982)

Author! Author! (1982)

Directed by: Arthur Hiller
Starring: Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld, Bob Dishy, Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding, Elva Josephson, Ari Meyers, Benjamin H. Carlin
Screenplay by: Israel Horovitz
Production Design by: Gene Rudolf
Cinematography by: Victor J. Kemper
Film Editing by: William Reynolds
Costume Design by: Gloria Gresham
Set Decoration by: Alan Hicks, Harold McConnell Jr.
Music by: Dave Grusin
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: June 18, 1982

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