John and Mary (film)

John and Mary
Directed by Peter Yates
Produced by Ben Kadish
Written by John Mortimer
Mervyn Jones (Novel)
Starring Dustin Hoffman
Mia Farrow
Michael Tolan
Music by Quincy Jones
Cinematography Gayne Rescher
Editing by Frank P. Keller
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Running time 92 minutes
Country USA
Language English

John and Mary is a 1969 American romantic drama film directed by Peter Yates. It stars Mia Farrow as Mary, and Dustin Hoffman as John, directly on the heels of Rosemary's Baby and Midnight Cowboy, respectively (as well as Bullit for Yates). The screenplay was adapted by John Mortimer from the Mervyn Jones novel.

It was released theatrically in North America on December 14, 1969.[1] It received an R rating upon its original release,[2] which was later downgraded to a PG rating.

Contents

Synopsis

John and Mary begins the morning after John and Mary meet in a bar, during a conversation about Jean-Luc Godard's Week End, and go home with each other. The story unfolds during the day as they belatedly get to know each other over breakfast, lunch and dinner. Flashbacks of their previous bad relationships are interspersed throughout when something in their conversation brings the thought up.

Cast

Actor Role
Mia Farrow Mary
Dustin Hoffman John
Michael Tolan James
Olympia Dukakis John's Mother
Stanley Beck Stanley

Critical reception

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times says, "John and Mary is supposed to be a contemporary movie, I guess, and yet it's curiously out of touch. John and Mary shadow box uneasily with the American language, trying to sound like all people their age without sounding too much like any particular person."[3] John Thompson of the Orlando Weekly calls it "a delectable New Wave–inspired dish for thoughtful viewers tired of the same old menu."[4] Vincent Canby of The New York Times concludes, "There is nothing wrong with the idea of John and Mary, just with its execution."[5]

The film holds a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[6]

Awards

Won:

Nominated:

References

External links