Crossing Delancey

Crossing Delancey

DVD cover
Directed by Joan Micklin Silver
Produced by Michael Nozik
Written by Susan Sandler (based on her play)
Starring Amy Irving
Peter Riegert
Jeroen Krabbé
Sylvia Miles
Music by Paul Chihara
The Roches (songs)
Sergei Prokofiev (from "Kije's Wedding")
Cinematography Theo Van de Sande
Edited by Rick Shaine
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release dates
  • August 24, 1988
Running time
 97 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $16,262,415 (USA)[1]

Crossing Delancey is a romantic comedy film starring Amy Irving and Peter Riegert that was released in 1988. It is directed by Joan Micklin Silver and was based on a play by Susan Sandler, who also wrote the screenplay. Amy Irving was nominated for a Golden Globe for the movie, for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical".

Plot

Isabelle Grossman works for a New York bookstore which supports authors through public readings. When author Anton Maes (Jeroen Krabbé), comes to the bookstore to give a reading, he shows an interest in Isabelle who is enamored with the intellectual world that is very different from her traditional Jewish upbringing.

Isabelle pays frequent visits to her Bubbie, (grandmother) Ida (played by Yiddish theatre star Reizl Bozyk in her only film role), who lives in the lower east side of Manhattan. Anxious for her granddaughter to settle down, Ida turns to the local marriage broker (Sylvia Miles). Although shocked and annoyed, Isabelle allows the matchmaker to introduce her to Sam Posner (Peter Riegert), who owns the pickle shop.

At first Isabelle is not interested in Sam, believing that he is too working-class for her. Instead, she sets her sights on Anton and the New York intelligentsia. But she also feels sorry for Sam and tries to set him up with her girlfriend Marilyn. In the process, she learns that he did not hire a matchmaker out of desperation and in fact has admired Isabelle from afar for several years. Deeply touched, Isabelle agrees to meet him at her grandmother's house.

After work, however, she is sidelined by Anton and, believing that he is romantically interested in her, goes to his apartment. She discovers instead that Anton wants the convenience of an assistant, not a true partner. Finally seeing through him, the disgusted Isabelle races to her grandmother's apartment, finding it empty with Ida sleeping on the couch. Heartbroken, she believes she has ruined her chances with the honest and caring Sam. As she cries, Sam enters from the balcony. The two finally are united and Ida feigns confusion but is gleeful that her plan has succeeded.

Cast

Reception

The movie received positive reviews.[2][3][4] It currently holds a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Box office

The movie was a modest arthouse success.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Box Office Champs, Chumps : The hero of the bottom line was the 46-year-old 'Bambi' - Page 2 - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1989-01-08. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  2. ↑ Maslin, Janet (1988-08-24). "Movie Review - Crossing Delancey - Review/Film; Learning to Appreciate a Mr. Right Who Sells Pickles and Tells Jokes - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  3. ↑ "Crossing Delancey - Reviews". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  4. ↑ "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Moonstruck' Glow Lights 'Delancey' - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1989-04-14. Retrieved 2012-06-26.

External links