Themes: Alcoholism, Servants and Employers, Opposites Attract
Main Cast: Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jill Eikenberry
Release Year: 1981
Country: US
Run Time: 117 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
The ads for Arthur suggested that this was an obnoxious film about an obnoxious man, an eternally drunken millionaire indulging his every whim. Instead, Arthur (Dudley Moore) is a sweet, somewhat pathetic character whose millions have left him lonely and with no motivation in life. When the film opens, Arthur is on the threshold of an arranged marriage with simpering socialite Susan (Jill Eikenberry), whom he does not love. Everyone expects Arthur to behave himself, but nobody truly cares for his well-being, with the exception of father-figure butler Mr. Hobson (John Gielgud, who won an Oscar for his performance) and blue-collar shoplifter Linda (Liza Minnelli). Arthur would prefer to marry the lowly Linda, but his iron-willed grandmother (Geraldine Fitzgerald) threatens to pull the plug on his huge inheritance if he doesn't honor his position in life and go through with his marriage to Susan. A sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks, followed in 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Arthur -- both the movie and its lead character -- is an anachronism. The tag line for the movie says it all: "I race cars, I play tennis, I fondle women, but I have weekends off and I am my own boss!" Not since the genial, sophisticated comedies of the '30s has a central character been so happy to spend his time getting sloshed and living the high life. Unfortunately, humorous drinking and hangover scenes (see the last quarter of The Philadelphia Story) went out of favor sometime around 1950. Arthur does its best to recapture the tone of drunken frivolity, but it's more than just the consequence-free drinking that makes it a tribute to those glory days. The eternal conflicts between tradition and freedom, class and happiness, and youth and age are also reminiscent of that time. There's even a crazy father-in-law-to-be straight out of a Leo McCarey movie. But, everything is sure to stay nice and light, and Dudley Moore and his grinning English sensibility are perfectly cast in the title role. He is funny (if slightly annoying after a while) in his manic moments and endearing in his quieter ones. British veteran John Gielgud finally won an Oscar for his perfectly measured performance as Arthur's long-suffering father figure/butler. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Stephen Elliott - Burt Johnson; Ted Ross - Bitterman; Barney Martin - Ralph Marolla; Thomas Barbour - Stanford Bach; Anne de Salvo - Gloria; Marjorie Barnes - Hooker; B. Constance Barry - Wedding Guest; John Bentley - Perry; Jonathan Coleman; Maurice Copeland - Uncle Peter; Dillon Evans - Oak Room Maitre D'; Peter Evans - Preston; Paul Gleason - Executive; Richard Hamilton - Bill; Helen Hanft - Perry's Wife; Lou Jacobi - Plant Store Owner; Bobo Lewis - Lady in Coffee Shop; Marcella Lowery - Harriet; Bob Maroff - Prize Man; Irving Metzman - Security Guard; Ron Moody; Ray Serra - Racetrack Owner; Phyllis Somerville - Saleslady; Lawrence Tierney - Man in Coffee Shop; Edgard Mourino - Stuntman; Paul Vincent - Oak Room Waiter; Jerome Collamore - Johnson Butler; Gordon Press - Prize Man; Jeremy Ritzer; Juliet Taylor; Howard Feuer; Florence Tarlow - Mrs. Nesbitt; Mary Alan Hokanson - Secretary; Justine Johnston - Aunt Pearl
Credit
Jeremy Ritzer - Casting, Juliet Taylor - Casting, Howard Feuer - Casting, Jane Greenwood - Costume Designer, Robert Greenhut - First Assistant Director, Thomas A. Reilly - First Assistant Director, Steve Gordon - Director, Susan E. Morse - Editor, Charles H. Joffe - Executive Producer, Peter Allen - Composer (Music Score), Carole Bayer Sager - Composer (Music Score), Christopher Cross - Songwriter, Burt Bacharach - Songwriter, Fern Buchner - Makeup, Stephen Hendrickson - Production Designer, Fred Schuler - Cinematographer, Robert Greenhut - Producer, Carol Joffe - Set Designer, Steven Jordan - Set Designer, James J. Sabat - Sound/Sound Designer, Steve Gordon - Screenwriter
Arthur (1981) is a film set in New York City which tells the story of drunken millionaire playboy Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore), who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress, Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry).
Arthur earned over $82 million at the box office in the United States, placing it fourth on the box office charts for the year. It was notable for its title song, Best That You Can Do, co-written and sung by Christopher Cross. It was followed by a 1988 sequel, Arthur 2: On the Rocks, which was enough of a failure for star Dudley Moore to disown it.
Arthur Bach is a spoiled playboy, and the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but his family thinks that she will make something of him. Arthur heeds to his family's needs and proposes to Susan but then meets a poor working-class woman, Linda Marolla (Liza Minnelli) and falls in love with her. When his family threatens to cut off Arthur's inheritance if he does not marry Susan, Arthur asks his valet, Hobson (John Gielgud), to help out.
Production
For the role of Arthur, Steve Gordon had originally considered George Segal; however, after the success of 10 he was replaced with Dudley Moore. Bud Cort originally accepted the role of Arthur, but he dropped out before production began.
Remake
It is reported that Arthur is to be remade at Warners with the British actor/comedian Russell Brand in the lead role.[1] Brand confirmed this during his March 10, 2009 appearance on The Howard Stern Show.
