X
- 1981
- PG
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 37 m
- 1981
- PG
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 37 m
Summary Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money who he could easily fall in love with.
Directed By: Steve Gordon
Written By: Steve Gordon
- 1981
- PG
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 37 m
- 1981
- PG
- Orion Pictures
- 1 h 37 m
Arthur
69
7.3
Where to Watch
Summary Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money who he could easily fall in love with.
Directed By: Steve Gordon
Written By: Steve Gordon
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
69
58% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
42% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 12 Critic Reviews
69
58% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
42% Mixed
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Arthur is a terrifically engaging, high-spirited screwball comedy about Arthur's more or less accidental salvation, largely through the love of a good, very poor but equally daffy young woman named Linda Marolla (Liza Minnelli).
Arthur is a sparkling entertainment that attempts, with a large measure of success, to resurrect the amusingly artificial conventions of 1930's screwball romantic comedies.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 16 User Ratings
7.3
69% Positive
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
31% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 16 User Ratings
7.3
69% Positive
11 Ratings
11 Ratings
31% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Steve Gordon passed away far too soon. Liza is competent in this even. They just don't make comedies like this any more, despite the great music. It is clear that the value of filmmaking has decreased when compared to the remake. Gielgud's comment that he will "notify the media" is the funniest one ever. The beginning, when he arrives at the stuffy gathering with his hooker date, is the greatest part. The movie might have been cut by roughly ten minutes, like with most movies.
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The first and only film to be both written and directed by Steve Gordon, who tragically passed away at the age of 44 a year after the release of this movie, "Arthur" is one of the very few comedies I've seen that I can say I thoroughly enjoyed, yet sparsely laughed during. Granted, I did smile or at least make a mental note of when I thought the movie was being relatively clever in its comedic stylings. Still, though, I'm shocked at how hand-in-hand the comedy remains with the other elements of the movie, namely the character work and overall spirit of the film. The relationship between Dudley Moore's titular protagonist and Sir John Gielgud's Academy Award winning turn as the wise-cracking butler, "Hobson," was more than just hilarious. You get honest-to-God emotion from the more serious aspects of their bond. And, I have to say, for being a comedy of the more romantic persuasion, it's been a minute since I've seen one where I honestly enjoyed seeing the two leads perform together in the same scene. Sweet and impressive.
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A rich man, perpetually tiddly from drink, gets incompetent self into various muddles; unflappable gentleman's gentleman gets him out. It has always been an excellent joke, and Writer-Director Gordon has added a dash of sentiment to their relationship, trusting Sir John's expertise to keep things taut and tart, which he does admirably.
There's always something bubbling inside Arthur--the booze just adds to his natural fizz. This was the only film directed by Steve Gordon (who also wrote the script); he was a long way from being able to do with images what he could do with words, but there are some inspired bits and his work has a friendly spirit.
Arthur is not the best comedy of the season, which is a pity because it has the best comic team--Dudley Moore as a childish, perpetually soused millionaire named Arthur Bach and John Gielgud as his snobbish, reprimanding and adoring valet, Hobson. [27 July 1981, p.75]
The highly polished production is well paced and imaginatively directed, although the happy union of prince and pauper is harder to swallow in 1981 than it would have been in 1931, when cinematic escapism brought relief to depression-era audiences.
One-joke comedy which indulges Moore's perpetual drunk act as his wastrel playboy attempts to mend his ways in order to get his hands on an inheritance and a blushing bride.
The film dangerously teeters into trifle territory with an obsession of booze humour, a mentality of money is everything, and a predictable odd meets reasonable love story coupled with a disappointing Liza Minelli performance.
Thankfully, "Arthur" manages to reach safe ground by its end as it recognizes the dark side of rich class, shows empathy for its titular character (a difficult performance to make likeable by Dudley Moore), and has touches of wit to string along with (the best lines are delivered by John Gielgud).
These qualities are only enough to provide an average film though.
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Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 4 Wins & 5 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Wins & 4 Nominations
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
