After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, unemployed dancer Paula McFadden and her ten-year-old daughter Lucy are forced to live with struggling off-Broadway actor Elliot Garfield, who is... Read allAfter being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, unemployed dancer Paula McFadden and her ten-year-old daughter Lucy are forced to live with struggling off-Broadway actor Elliot Garfield, who is subletting their apartment.After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, unemployed dancer Paula McFadden and her ten-year-old daughter Lucy are forced to live with struggling off-Broadway actor Elliot Garfield, who is subletting their apartment.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 10 wins & 10 nominations total
- Dance Instructor
- (as Daniel Levans)
- Mugger
- (as José Machado)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRichard Dreyfuss won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role as Elliot Garfield. At 30, he was the youngest actor to win this Oscar. This record was broken by Adrien Brody when he won the Best Actor Oscar in 2003 for his lead role in The Pianist (2002) at age 29.
- GoofsPaula makes sandwiches with Best Foods mayonnaise, but in the eastern U.S., the Best Foods brand is called Hellman's.
- Quotes
Elliot Garfield: I just met Lucy.
Paula McFadden: What did you tell her?
Elliot Garfield: That I was moving into the other room. She seemed to take it in stride.
Paula McFadden: You grow up fast in this apartment. The john is right over there. I'll get the rest of her things out in the morning.
Elliot Garfield: Would you like to stop grinding your teeth for two seconds? The noise is driving me crazy.
Paula McFadden: A dripping stranger from Chicago with a wet beard and dirty shoes moves into my daughter's room and you expect smiles?
Elliot Garfield: I think you're dynamite, you know that? I love listening to you talk. I hate living with you but your conversation is first class.
Paula McFadden: This is your room. I do not clean or make beds. You may use the kitchen or the bathroom when I am not in it and wash it up when you are through. You pay for your own food, laundry, linens and phone bills. I would appreciate some quiet between six and nine as that is when Lucy does her homework and I don't care what you drink or smoke. As long as it is not grass in front of my 10 year old daughter. Now, we have everything straight?
Elliot Garfield: No.
Paula McFadden: No?
Elliot Garfield: No. I'm not crazy about the arrangements.
Paula McFadden: You're not.
Elliot Garfield: Definitely not. I am paying the rent, I will make-a-da rules. I like to take showers every morning and I don't like the panties drying on the rod. I like to cook so I will use the kitchen whenever I damn well please and I am very particular about my condiments so, keep your salt and pepper to yourself. I also play the guitar in the middle of the night whenever I cannot sleep and I meditate every morning complete with chanting and burning incense so if you've got to walk around I'd appreciate a little tip-toeing. Also, I sleep in the nude. Au buffo. Winter and summer, rain or snow with the windows open and because I may have to go to the potty or to the fridge in the middle of the night and because I don't want to put on jammies which I do not own in the first place... unless you're looking for a quick thrill or your daughter an advanced education I would keep my door closed. Thems my rules and regulations, how does that grab you?
Paula McFadden: And if I say no?
Elliot Garfield: I've got this lawyer acquaintance downtown.
Paula McFadden: Errr, I accept.
Elliot Garfield: We're movin' right along.
Paula McFadden: I don't like it and I don't think I like you.
Elliot Garfield: Because I'm an actor?
Paula McFadden: Coupled with your personality.
Elliot Garfield: Well, that's probably why we were thrown together. One of God's little jests. Now if you will move your shapely little fanny out of my room I will unpack and dry my beard. Miss McFadden, you forgt to say goodnight.
Paula McFadden: I was working on good-bye.
Elliot Garfield: [muttering under his breath] Unbelievable!
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Making of 'the Goodbye Girl' (1977)
- SoundtracksGoodbye Girl
Written and Performed by David Gates
Totally predictable but I really enjoyed it! I loved in back in 1977 and I still love it now! Neil Simon's script is basically just a series of one liners--but they ARE funny and Dreyfuss, Mason and Cummings deliver them perfectly. They come fast and furious and the movie moves very quickly--it doesn't seem like it's 110 minutes long. Dreyfuss deservedly won the Best Actor Award for this film--he's 'on' non-stop and is full of energy and fun.
Mason was nominated for Best Actress and she's almost as good as Dreyfuss (she was a little too whiny for me). Cummings isn't that good--but she WAS only 10 when she did this. It's just that her character is one of those screen kids that talks and acts like an adult--I didn't think having her swear occasionally was cute or funny. Nonetheless she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The movie was also up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Also there's a GREAT title song written and performed by David Gates over the closing credits (it was also a big hit song back in '77). Also Nicol Williamson pops up (unbilled) in a short but VERY funny cameo.
The only debit--the romance scenes were corny (but they do work) and some of the dramatic scenes were TERRIBLY written (Simon was always better at doing comedy). And he has two thunderstorms pop up out of NOWHERE in this movie during a big romantic and dramatic scene. That was pushing it a little too much! Still the acting carries those scenes through and it's a minor complaint.
A sweet, very funny, enjoyable film. Just don't think about it TOO much. I give it a 9.
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- Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl
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Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $102,000,000