The story takes place in New York City and centers around an incredibly rocky but charming living arrangement:
To make matters worse, the ex-boyfriend secretly sublets the Upper West Side apartment to Elliot Garfield, an ambitious actor arriving from Chicago.
is a landmark American romantic comedy-drama directed by Herbert Ross and written by legendary playwright Neil Simon. It stands as one of the most celebrated and financially successful romantic comedies of its era, expertly blending Simon's signature quick-witted dialogue with genuine emotional depth. 🎬 Core Information Director: Herbert Ross Screenplay: Neil Simon Producer: Ray Stark Cinematography: David M. Walsh Release Date: November 30, 1977 The Goodbye Girl(1977)
On a rainy night, Elliot arrives to claim his apartment. After a fiery argument, the cynical, exhausted Paula and the eccentric, health-conscious Elliot agree to share the space.
It became the first romantic comedy to gross over $100 million at the box office. 🎭 The Cast Richard Dreyfuss as Elliot Garfield Marsha Mason as Paula McFadden Quinn Cummings as Lucy McFadden Paul Benedict as Mark (the eccentric Off-Broadway director) 📖 Plot Summary The story takes place in New York City
Paula McFadden, a 30-something former Broadway dancer, is abruptly dumped by her live-in boyfriend. He flees to Europe for a movie role, leaving her and her precocious 10-year-old daughter, Lucy, stranded.
🎭 One of the film's funniest subplots involves Elliot's Off-Broadway production of Shakespeare's Richard III . The avant-garde director forces Elliot to play the tyrannical king as an exaggerated, flamboyant gay man, leading to a hilariously disastrous opening night. It became the first romantic comedy to gross
📝 The script originally started as a much darker project titled "Bogart Slept Here" , intended to star Robert De Niro. When the chemistry didn't work, Simon rewrote it from scratch to be lighter and more romantic.