The Pursuit of Happiness

• Director: Robert Mulligan
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Crime Drama, Prison Film
• Themes: Prison Life, Escape From Prison
• Main Cast: Barbara Hershey, Michael Sarrazin, Ruth White
• Release Year: 1970
• Country: US
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• MPAA Rating: GP

Plot

William Popper (Michael Sarrazin) is the son of a stockbroker and is thoroughly disenchanted with "the system." So much so that even though he can prove that he ran over a woman in his car entirely by accident, he accepts a sentence for manslaughter. His participation in some prison violence motivates him to attempt to escape, though he has only a week to go on his sentence. Having escaped, he and his old girlfriend (Barbara Hershey) make a run for Canada. The story is adapted from the novel The Pursuit of Happiness by Thomas Rogers. As William's starchy grandmother, Ruth White, notable for her work in To Kill a Mockingbird and Midnight Cowboy makes her last film appearance. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Cast

William Devane - Pilot; David F. Doyle - James Moran; Charles Durning - 2nd Guard; Beulah Garrick - Josephine; Albert Henderson - McArdle; Barbara Hershey - Jane Kauffman; Arthur Hill - John Popper; Barnard Hughes - Judge Vogel; Robert Klein - Melvin Lasher; Gilbert Lewis - Convict; E.G. Marshall - Daniel Lawrence; Rue McClanahan - Mrs. O'Mara; Tom Rosqui - Defense Attorney Keller; Michael Sarrazin - William Popper; Ed Setrakian - Policeman; Jack Somack - Judge Palumbo; Sada Thompson - Ruth Lawrence; Peter White - Terence Lawrence; Ruth White - Mrs. Popper; Ralph Waite - Detective; Ted Beniades - Traffic Cop; Joseph Attles - Holmes; Ed Kovens - 1st Guard

Credit

George Jenkins - Art Director, Alan Shayne - Associate Producer, Ann Roth - Costume Designer, Peter R. Scoppa - First Assistant Director, Robert Mulligan - Director, Folmar Blangsted - Editor, Dave Grusin - Composer (Music Score), Randy Newman - Songwriter, Robert Laden - Makeup, Richard C. Kratina - Cinematographer, David Susskind - Producer, Randy Newman - Singer, Ben Rutter - Set Designer, Dennis L. Maitland - Sound/Sound Designer, Arthur Piantadosi - Sound/Sound Designer, Jon Boothe - Screenwriter, George L. Sherman - Screenwriter, Thomas Rogers - Book Author