Misplaced Pages

#87912

44-422: In Venice, California, 15-year-old Michael McPhee awakens his mother, Nora, a widowed high school English schoolteacher, who has fallen asleep grading test papers. They venture from their ramshackle house to school in her dilapidated Volvo, which is stolen later that morning. She notifies police detective Brian Costello, who offers to drive her to work; upon arrival, she informs her students that they will have to redo

88-444: A black co-worker was treated unfairly by the boss, Stanley stood up for him. After his boss responded negatively, Stanley swept dirt on his boss's shoes. If he wants his job back, he has to give the boss an apology letter the next morning. Stanley is conflicted between standing up for what is right and helping the cash-strapped family financially. He decides to discuss the matter with Jack. Jack arrives home from work and tells Kate that

132-448: A cute fantasy, and the players are certainly appealing. But Simon overplays his hand. Having created living and breathing comic characters, he starts to suffocate them inside an increasingly mechanized plot. The cuteness gets a bit out of hand." On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 71% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.6/10. Charley Lau Too Many Requests If you report this error to

176-454: A frank discussion about puberty and masturbation. Downstairs, Blanche tells Kate that she plans to go on a dinner date with a neighbor, Frank Murphy. Kate objects to this idea because of Murphy's ethnicity and his alcohol abuse. When Nora and Jack return home, Nora asks her mother for a final decision, claiming Jack simply advised Nora to finish school, as there will be other auditions in the future. Blanche refuses to give Nora permission to attend

220-580: A long and successful run. When the play was not nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play, producer Emanuel Azenberg called the snub "an outrageous injustice" and "a personal insult," and Variety published an editorial declaring "Neil Simon Deserves Better." In 1983 Dolores Dolan of The New York Times said that after it achieved popularity on Broadway, the community of Brighton Beach "attracted some notice" when it had historically "receive[d] little attention". The New York Times , in analyzing

264-415: A way that many Jews found comforting and reminiscent of their families. According to Dr. Yvette alt Miller, Simon's characters showed real American Jews what they looked like; they offered "an unsettling mirror: one in which we watched our community identify as Jews only in the most cursory ways, through humor and cultural touchstones". Reviews for the original Broadway production were mixed. Clive Barnes of

308-410: A week after Act I. Jack has suffered a mild heart attack and is resting at home. Blanche is preparing for her date with Frank Murphy. Stanley tells Eugene that he has lost his entire week's salary playing poker; he is despondent. Kate tells Stanley to turn over his pay to her so that she can give the money to Blanche in case an emergency arises during her date. Stanley tells her the truth about how he lost

352-540: A week in ticket sales during preview performances — or 15 percent of the maximum possible — an amount that did not even cover running costs." In 1986, the play was adapted into a movie directed by Gene Saks . The screenplay was written by Neil Simon. The cast featured Jonathan Silverman (Eugene), Blythe Danner (Kate), Bob Dishy (Jack), Lisa Waltz (Nora), Brian Drillinger (Stanley), Stacey Glick (Laurie), and Judith Ivey (Blanche). Roger Ebert , in his review for

396-494: Is fast and buoyant, and Herbert Ross's direction shows off the abundant jokes to their best possible advantage. There are certainly some questionable ingredients to the story, but you're not likely to notice them while the film is under way. You're likely to be laughing." Variety described the film as "a consistently happy comedic fable which should please romanticists drawn again to another teaming of Neil Simon, Marsha Mason and Herbert Ross." David Ansen of Newsweek wrote "It's

440-579: Is playing in the World Series. After Kate yells at Eugene to stop playing, he enters the house. Eugene informs the audience that when he grows up, he wants to be a professional baseball player or a writer. Later, he mentions that he is sexually attracted to his older cousin Nora, and that his younger cousin Laurie has a frail heart, that leads to others in the family babying her. Sixteen-year-old Nora enters

484-533: Is the last non-musical play to run over 1,000 consecutive performances on Broadway. A revival opened on Broadway on October 25, 2009 at the Nederlander Theatre . Directed by David Cromer , the cast featured Laurie Metcalf as Kate Jerome and Dennis Boutsikaris as Jack Jerome, with Santino Fontana as Stanley Jerome, Jessica Hecht as Blanche, Gracie Bea Lawrence as Laurie, Noah Robbins as Eugene and Alexandra Socha as Nora. The production

SECTION 10

#1732790537088

528-970: The Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles on December 10, 1982, and following an additional pre-Broadway engagement at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, the play premiered on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on March 27, 1983 and transferred to the 46th Street Theatre , where it closed on May 11, 1986 after 1,299 performances and seven previews. Directed by Gene Saks , the cast featured Matthew Broderick (Eugene Jerome), Elizabeth Franz (Kate Jerome), Peter Michael Goetz (Jack Jerome), Mandy Ingber (Laurie Morton), Željko Ivanek (Stanley Jerome), Jodi Thelen (Nora Morton) and Joyce Van Patten (Blanche Morton). Van Patten joined

572-467: The Chicago Sun-Times wrote: "The movie feels so plotted, so constructed, so written, that I found myself thinking maybe they shouldn't have filmed the final draft of the screenplay. Maybe there was an earlier draft that was a little disorganized and unpolished, but still had the jumble of life in it.... The movie was directed by Gene Saks, who directs many of Simon's plays on both the stage and

616-545: The New York Post called Brighton Beach Memoirs Simon's "best play yet" but also "a slight disappointment" because the playwright "always pulls back from the jugular." Frank Rich of the New York Times judged the play to be "a pleasant evening" that "never quite stops being nice and starts being either consistently involving or entertaining." Nevertheless, the play was popular with Broadway audiences and had

660-467: The Army. Later that evening, Blanche and Nora argue. Nora informs her mother that she does not believe her mother loves her as much as she loves Laurie. The two reconcile. Kate comes downstairs and asks Blanche to continue living in their home until she can find work. The sisters also reconcile. Stanley returns home for dinner the next day. He passed the military physical, but decided not to sign up because he

704-551: The New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Play and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. Brighton Beach Memoirs is the first play in what is known as Simon's Eugene trilogy , and was followed by Biloxi Blues (1984) and Broadway Bound (1986). The play was adapted into a film of the same name in 1986. Brighton Beach Memoirs had a pre-Broadway engagement at

748-490: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.236 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 963852753 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:42:17 GMT Brighton Beach Memoirs Brighton Beach Memoirs is a semi- autobiographical play by Neil Simon . The play is a coming-of-age comedy focused on

792-470: The audition because she wants her to finish high school; Nora is very angry. Stanley tells Jack that he has been fired and explains the situation. His father is initially angered, but understands Stanley's reasons. Stanley chooses to write the apology letter. He goes upstairs and asks for Eugene's help, as Eugene is a talented writer. Eugene agrees to write the letter, but only if Stanley tells him what Nora looked like when he saw her naked. Act II takes place

836-462: The breakneck pacing of the popular farce 'Boeing-Boeing' last year. But the failure also reflects America’s evolving sense of humor and taste... It actually received good reviews, but the play was shuttered because people, for whatever reason, did not want to see the Simon show about a Depression-era family laughing through the tears. The show cost $ 3 million to produce but never grossed more than $ 125,000

880-445: The business where he worked at his second job has gone under. He is concerned about the family's finances. A tense family dinner follows, and Laurie mentions Nora’s potential audition. Later, Nora and Jack take a walk to the beach to discuss the situation. Upstairs, Eugene tells Stanley that he has had an erotic dream that resulted in a nocturnal emission. Stanley assures him that wet dreams are normal for teenaged boys. The brothers have

924-474: The cast after Piper Laurie was let go during rehearsals. Scenic design was by David Mitchell, Costumes were by Patricia Zipprodt and lighting was by Tharon Musser . Cast replacements included Fisher Stevens , Doug McKeon , Jon Cryer , Robert Sean Leonard , and Jonathan Silverman as Eugene and Elizabeth Perkins , Josh Hamilton , Stanley Tucci , Anita Gillette , Patrick Breen , Dick Latessa and Verna Bloom in other roles. Brighton Beach Memoirs

SECTION 20

#1732790537088

968-428: The failure of the 2009 Broadway revival of Brighton Beach Memoirs , wrote that "What went wrong with 'Brighton Beach Memoirs' is a case study in success and failure on Broadway today. There were no big stars like Jude Law in the current commercial hit 'Hamlet,' there was no marketing campaign that framed the Simon play as a can’t-miss theatrical event, and there was no wow factor that brought the period piece to life, like

1012-523: The film 2.5 stars out of 4, calling it "watchable and sort of sweet." Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune also awarded 2.5 stars out of 4 and wrote: This sort of story is the kind of whimsical comedy that would have been made and made memorably in the '30s or '40s. But in this version only Robards has that old style panache to carry it off. He plays Max Dugan seriously, not as a clown, and it works beautifully. Other actors might have had fun with

1056-536: The house in a state of excitement. She has been given the opportunity to audition for a part as a dancer in a Broadway show, and she has been told by the producer that she will get the part if her mother permits her to audition. Blanche states that she is concerned about Nora's idea because she does not want her daughter to drop out of school to do so; nevertheless, Blanche decides to wait until Jack comes home from work to see what he has to say. When Stanley gets home from work, he informs Eugene that he has been fired. After

1100-481: The house. The following afternoon, at a Venice High School baseball game, Nora watches in anguish as Michael strikes out, losing yet another game for the team. Their gloom is compounded upon discovering that Brian's motorcycle has been stolen. However, they find a new Mercedes-Benz sedan in their driveway; she tells Max to return the car, and demands he explain his presence to Michael. Max privately reintroduces himself to Michael as ex-convict "Gus Wittgenstein", cellmate of

1144-404: The late Max Dugan, whose final request was that his grandson inherit his estate and study philosophy at a prominent East Coast university. After finding a diamond necklace on her dressing table, Nora softens her attitude toward her father's largesse, until Michael informs her of Max's latest alias. During a dinner date with Brian, Nora rationalizes her recent acquisitions. Following baseball practice

1188-408: The latter of which they both starred in the leads. Matthew Broderick was cast in this film and Simon's play Brighton Beach Memoirs simultaneously. Broderick's father James (born James Joseph Broderick III), a noted character actor, died on November 1, 1982, around four months prior to the film's release. Co-star Jason Robards , who was a friend of James, helped Matthew through his grief over

1232-488: The loss of his father. Former professional baseball player Charley Lau appears as himself having been hired by Robards' character Dugan to coach Broderick's Michael to hit better for his high school team. At the time of the movie, Lau was the hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox . This was the last movie that Mason and Simon collaborated on before their divorce. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave

1276-612: The main character of Eugene Morris Jerome, a Jewish teenager from a Polish immigrant family. It is set in September 1937 in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, New York during The Great Depression . According to Simon, the play tells its story "through the eyes of a 15-year-old boy who is writing his memoirs—which is what I did when I was 15". Brighton Beach Memoirs premiered in December 1982. In 1983, it received

1320-508: The matter. Nora informs Michael of Max's true identity, then pleads with Max to turn himself in to the police, anticipating leniency because of his poor health. Instead, Max, fearing police might charge Nora as his accomplice, departs the next morning, informing her and Michael via videocassette that he plans to spend his remaining days on a beach in Brazil with part of the money, donating the rest to them. That afternoon, Brian confronts Nora with

1364-645: The money from a mafia-controlled casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, after its owners appropriated his real estate holdings worth that same amount. The next morning, Max introduces himself to Michael as "Mr. Parker", the new tenant in the guest room. Although Nora corroborates Max's story, she later questions his alias; he rationalizes his long absence, to which she responds, "Affection would have been enough." At school, Nora catches Celia, one of her best students, passing answers to her classmate Maria. Nora has conflicted feelings as Celia reveals their relationship as cousins, and

Max Dugan Returns - Misplaced Pages Continue

1408-459: The money. Frank Murphy's mother sends Blanche a note indicating that her son will not be available for their date because has been hospitalized following a car accident that occurred while he was driving drunk. The note added that the Murphys were moving upstate so that Frank could get help with his alcohol problem. Kate and Blanche have a terrible argument in which decades-long resentments come to

1452-494: The next day, Chicago White Sox batting coach Charley Lau , paid by Max, introduces himself to Michael and teaches him proper batting technique. After she and Michael return to a complete remodel of their house and a Great Dane named Plato, courtesy of Max, Nora succumbs to her father's generosity. Trailing him to a bank, Brian learns that Max has deposited $ 400,000 in cash in Nora's name and accuses Nora of being involved in illegal activity, but she feigns outrage and refuses to discuss

1496-410: The parking lot to discover their car missing, but then see Max driving it away and waving goodbye. Additionally, Kiefer Sutherland (in his film debut) briefly appears as Bill, Mike's school friend. Max Dugan Returns marks the first of only three times that Donald Sutherland and his son Kiefer have appeared together in a dramatic film project, the others being A Time to Kill and Forsaken , in

1540-473: The part; Robards may have realized that there would be enough jokes happening around him that he didn't need to be silly. Mason, to her credit, manages to keep her whiny, please-love-me stereotypical movie persona in check; she's almost believable here as a teacher. Young Matthew Broderick is just fine as the son. Donald Sutherland also appears in the film as Mason's love interest, and more than his performance we notice simply that writer Simon has cared enough about

1584-475: The planned production of Broadway Bound was cancelled. The Jerome family includes Eugene's older brother Stanley; his parents Kate and Jack; Kate's sister Blanche; and Blanche's two daughters, Nora and Laurie, who came to live at Kate and Jack's home following the death of Blanche's husband. The play begins outside the Jeromes' home. Fourteen-year-old Eugene is playing baseball by himself, imagining that he

1628-545: The relatives when they arrive. Upstairs, Stanley gives Eugene a postcard of a nude woman. Eugene is transfixed, as he has—for the first time—viewed female genitalia (referred to by Eugene as "the Golden Palace of the Himalayas"). Much of Neil Simon's work ( Brighton Beach Memoirs being a clear example) is semi-autobiographical. Simon infused Jewish humor into Brighton Beach Memoirs and represented Jewish culture in

1672-490: The script to include Sutherland's character as a tension source. Max Dugan Returns is by no means without the trademark Simon touches that can cause one to wince. Wisecrack piles on top of wisecrack in some scenes to the point that you can't see any of the characters. And the film's ending is so predictable that you will be putting on your coat at least two or three minutes before the end credits start to roll. Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote "Simon's original screenplay

1716-483: The surface. Blanche resents Kate's lack of empathy for Frank's issues and Kate claims Blanche shows lack of empathy for Jack, who nearly killed himself for the sake of Laurie's weekly doctor visits, and Nora's dance lessons. Blanche ultimately decides she wants to move in with a friend, get a job, and find lodging for herself and her daughters so that she will no longer be dependent on her sister and Jack. Stanley tells Eugene that he intends to leave home that night and join

1760-508: The test they took earlier. Aware that she cannot afford a replacement car, Brian loans her a motorcycle, and spends the evening teaching her how to operate it. Late that night, her estranged father, Max Dugan, who abandoned his family 28 years earlier, appears at her door; he had been imprisoned when she was 9 years old and disappeared after serving 6 years of his sentence. He surprisingly announces his fatal heart condition and offers his estate of $ 687,000 ($ 2.1 million today), confessing to stealing

1804-513: The transgression occurred out of family duty. When she and Michael arrive home that afternoon to find new appliances in the kitchen and a modern home entertainment system in Michael's room, Nora angrily demands that Max return the items, which he insists are television game show prizes. Increasingly concerned that Max might corrupt Michael's morals and fearing exposure by either Brian or their meddlesome neighbor Mrs. Litke, she forbids Max from leaving

Max Dugan Returns - Misplaced Pages Continue

1848-484: The truth about Max and unsuccessfully inquires about his whereabouts. At a baseball game between the Venice High team and its rival, Santa Monica High, whose star pitcher is Brian's son, Kevin, both Charley and Max observe from a distance as Michael hits the winning homerun. Afterwards, Nora finally tells Brian everything that has occurred but insists that he postpone his manhunt until after lunch. She and Michael reach

1892-490: Was needed at home. Stanley tells Jack about how he gambled away his salary, and Jack is understanding and forgives him. Stanley also mentions he worked the night shift at a bowling alley to earn back some of the money he lost, and promises to continue to work odd jobs until he earns it all back. Jack receives a letter stating that his cousin and his family has escaped from war-torn Poland and are headed to New York City. He and Kate begin to discuss how they will provide lodging for

1936-523: Was planned to run in repertory with Broadway Bound , which was to feature the same cast with the exception of Josh Grisetti , who was to assume the role of the "older" Eugene (played by Noah Robbins in the earlier play) and Allan Miller in the role of Ben. The two plays were produced and promoted as "The Neil Simon Plays". Despite generally positive reviews from New York critics, Brighton Beach Memoirs closed on November 1, 2009 after nine performances and 25 previews due to weak ticket sales. Subsequently,

#87912