Four Friends (film)

Infobox Film
name = Four Friends

---

image_size =
caption = Original poster
director = Arthur Penn
producer = Michael Tolan
Gene Lasko
Julia Miles
Arthur Penn
writer = Steve Tesich
narrator =
starring = Craig Wasson
Jodi Thelen
Michael Huddleston
Jim Metzler
music = Elizabeth Swados
cinematography = Ghislain Cloquet
editing = Marc Laub
Barry Malkin
distributor = Filmways Pictures
released = December 11, 1981 USA
runtime = 114 minutes
country = United States
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0082404

"Four Friends" is a 1981 American drama film directed by Arthur Penn. The semi-autobiographical screenplay by Steve Tesich follows the path of the title characters from high school to college during the often turbulent 1960s and beyond.

Plot synopsis

The titular quartet are Yugoslavian-born Danilo Prozor, who arrived in America at the age of twelve and ever since has been trying to distinguish between the reality of his adopted homeland and the idealistic vision of it he brought with him; overweight, Jewish mama's boy David; Tom, the attractive WASP jock who has a way with the ladies; and free-spirited, self-assured Georgia, who fancies herself the reincarnation of Isadora Duncan, dreams of a successful career as a dancer, and is loved in turn by each of her three friends.

The film is a series of vignettes whose primary focus is on Danilo - his conflicts with his father, his struggles with his heritage, his courtship and ultimately failed marriage to Long Island debutante Adrienne Carnahan (sister of his college roommate Louie), and his lingering relationship with Georgia.

Production notes

The film was shot on location in East Chicago, Hammond, and Whiting in Indiana; Chicago and Elgin in Illinois; Philadelphia; and on the campus of Northwestern University.

The soundtrack includes "Georgia On My Mind," written by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell and performed by Ray Charles; the theme song from "Bonanza" by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans; "Hit The Road Jack" by Percy Mayfield; "Shop Around" by Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson; "Blue Moon" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart; and the theme from "The Third Man" by Anton Karas, performed by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians.

Principal cast

*Craig Wasson ..... Danilo
*Jodi Thelen ..... Georgia
*Michael Huddleston ..... David
*Jim Metzler ..... Tom
*Miklos Simon ..... Mr. Prozor
*Elizabeth Lawrence ..... Mrs. Prozor
*Julia Murray ..... Adrienne
*Reed Birney .... Louie
*James Leo Herlihy ..... Mr. Carnahan
*Lois Smith ..... Mrs. Carnahan
*Glenne Headly ..... Lola

Critical reception

In his review in the "New York Times", Vincent Canby called it "the best film yet made about the sixties" and added, "It has the quality of legend, a fable remembered . . . [It] is one of Mr. Penn's most deeply felt achievements, ranking alongside "Bonnie and Clyde", "Alice's Restaurant", and "Little Big Man". For Mr. Tesich, it is another original work by one of our best young screenwriters." [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=EE05E7DF173AE565BC4952DFB467838A699EDE "New York Times" review] ]

Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" described it as "a very good movie" and commented, "The wonder is not that "Four Friends" covers so much ground, but that it makes many of its scenes so memorable that we learn more even about the supporting characters than we expect to." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19810101/REVIEWS/101010328/1023 "Chicago Sun-Times" review] ]

"TV Guide" rates the film three out of a possible four stars, saying it "attempts to cover so much ground that at times the film becomes frustratingly muddled," and adding, "Though [it] runs out of gas toward the end, it's filmed with obvious love for the characters and features outstanding performances from the underrated Wasson, Thelen and Simon. Well worth seeing." [ [http://www.tvguide.com/movies/friends/review/123662 "TV Guide" review] ]

"Time Out New York" says, "Although its episodic narrative entails a certain lack of unity, it's nevertheless an ambitious and impressive work . . . A dense but never pretentious film that manages to convey the atmosphere of the '50s and '60s succinctly, it offers delights galore, not least a light, perceptive wit and an unsentimental ability to touch the emotions." [ [http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/66969/Four_Friends.html "Time Out New York" review] ]

Channel 4 calls it a "stodgy, sentimental brew" and "a well-meaning film that doesn't really amount to much in the long run." [ [http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=103572 Channel 4 review] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082404/ "Four Friends" at the Internet Movie Database]