Goodbye, Columbus
Phillip Roth's biting satire of middle-class Jewish life is brought to the screen in Larry Peerce's poignant dramedy. Richard Benjamin (who later went on to star in another Roth adaptation, PORTNOY'S COMPLAINT) makes his film debut as Neil Klugman, a poor librarian from the Bronx who falls in love with Jewish American Princess Brenda Patimkin (Ali MacGraw, also making her film debut). The cross-class love affair displeases Brenda's well-to-do Westchester family and Neil soon finds himself plunged into a maelstrom of class snobbery and elitism that threatens to overwhelm the relationship.
Member Reviews
I'd rather have the money - RobBC
Generic "anti-establishment" love story from the 60's. Young Neil is a man of great integrity; we know this because he is inordinately proud of his dead-end nowhere job AND he talks respectfully to a black child. Brenda comes from a family of nouveau-riche boors; we know this because they have lots of money and they yell at their black maid. Seen in retrospect, the movie's somewhat smug sense of moral superiority seems ironic when you consider the audience of boomers it was aimed at went on to become the yuppies of the 70's. Still, the wedding banquet scene is pretty funny and the 60's fashions are fun to watchCould have had Potential - kaerbaer
In my opinion this was one of the dullest movies I have seen in a long time - it could have had potenial but just as a scene got interesting they jumped to something else - if they had actually completed any scene or resolved any of the issues they brought up - it would have made the story more interesting. instead it seemed very abrupt and cold - and thats how it ended as well - abruptly and cold and left me feeling with a that's it? what was the point? kind of attitude - definetly not one I would recommend to anyone.Money Can't Buy You Love - McStinky
This is a movie that I highly recommend. It’s the story of two kids from opposite sides of the tracks trying to make a relationship work. Richard Benjamin (Neil) plays the poor kid and Ali MacGraw (Brenda) is the rich Jewish princess whose daddy makes everything come true for her. As hard as the two try, by the end of the film we realize what I believe Benjamin’s character knew all along, that it just won’t work.
Neil seems to be a lost soul with no real plans for the future, something that Brenda’s parents (and Brenda herself) just can’t understand. Through the story we learn that Brenda’s family is not so far removed from Neil’s family. In fact they really have a way of showing that money really doesn’t buy happiness. Ultimately it’s Brenda’s deep need to satisfy her parents in every aspect of her life and Neil’s inability to identify with her and her families values that does the relationship in. He simply just walks away.
Although this is a serious story, there are some wonderful comedic elements to it. Brenda’s brother Ron is completely right off the wall and the wedding pig out scene is hilarious.
You know, before I saw Goodbye, Columbus I never really thought much of Richard Benjamin. He always seemed too smartalicky to me. But this movie really changed my opinion of him. His character has so much depth to him and I really believe the performance. It's too bad that I didn't see this, his first movie, before all of the other crap I've seen him in (except Deconstructing Harry of course). I would have looked at his work with a whole different eye if I had.
Same goes for Ali MacGraw. I really didn't like her character in Love Story and I thought that film was way overrated. As a result, I haven't thought much of her work either. But man, in Goodbye, Columbus she just burns the screen up. She was incredible.
Member Reviews
Read All...
I'd rather have the money - RobBC
Generic "anti-establishment" love story from the 60's. Young Neil is a man of great integrity; we know this because he is inordinately proud of his dead-end nowhere job AND he talks respectfully to a black child. Brenda comes from a family of nouveau-riche ...Could have had Potential - kaerbaer
In my opinion this was one of the dullest movies I have seen in a long time - it could have had potenial but just as a scene got interesting they jumped to something else - if they had actually completed any scene or resolved any of the issues they brought ...Money Can't Buy You Love - McStinky
This is a movie that I highly recommend. It’s the story of two kids from opposite sides of the tracks trying to make a relationship work. Richard Benjamin (Neil) plays the poor kid and Ali MacGraw (Brenda) is the rich Jewish princess whose daddy makes everything ...