Lovers and Other Strangers

{{Infobox film

| name = Lovers and Other Strangers

| image = Lovers and other strangers.jpg

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| screenplay = Joseph Bologna
David Zelag Goodman
Renée Taylor

| based_on = {{Based on|Lovers and Other Strangers (play)|Joseph Bologna and Renée Taylor}}

| starring = Beatrice Arthur
Bonnie Bedelia
Michael Brandon
Richard Castellano
Bob Dishy
Harry Guardino
Marian Hailey
Anne Jackson
Cloris Leachman
Anne Meara
Gig Young

| music = Fred Karlin

| cinematography = Andrew Laszlo

| editing = David Bretherton
Sidney Katz

| studio = ABC Pictures

| distributor = Cinerama Releasing Corporation

| released = {{Film date|1970|08|12}}

| runtime = 104 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $2.5 million{{cite news|title=ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses |work=Variety |date=31 May 1973 |page=3}}

| gross = $7.7 million

}}

Lovers and Other Strangers is a 1970 American romantic comedy film directed by Cy Howard, adapted from the 1968 Broadway play by Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna. The cast includes Richard S. Castellano, Gig Young, Cloris Leachman, Anne Jackson, Bea Arthur, Bonnie Bedelia, Michael Brandon, Harry Guardino, Anne Meara, Bob Dishy, Marian Hailey, Joseph Hindy, and, in her film debut, Diane Keaton. Sylvester Stallone was an extra in this movie.{{Cite web|url=http://www.stallonezone.com/main/1970/10/sly-scores.html|website = StalloneZone |title= Sly Scores}}

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards (it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song), and was one of the top box-office performers of 1970. It established Richard S. Castellano as a star (receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance) and he and Diane Keaton were cast in The Godfather (1972). The Oscar-winning song, "For All We Know", was composed by Fred Karlin, with lyrics by Bread's Jimmy Griffin and Robb Royer. It was famously covered by The Carpenters.

Lovers and Other Strangers was originally distributed by Cinerama Releasing Corporation. The film was released on VHS in 1980 by Magnetic Video, but was soon deleted. The Magnetic Video release was a collector's item for many years, but the film was eventually re-released on VHS by CBS/Fox Video in the 1990s. It is now available on DVD from MGM Home Entertainment, and on Blu-ray by Kino-Lorimer.{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Other-Strangers-Blu-ray-Arthur/dp/B07LDNGRSX |title=Lovers and Other Strangers |website=www.amazon.com |date=19 March 2019 |access-date=7 August 2020}}

Taylor and Bologna followed up with their second screenplay the following year, Made for Each Other in which they also starred.

Plot

Mike Vecchio and Susan Henderson are engaged to be married. Mike wants to call off the wedding, arguing that it would be hypocritical for them to get married when they have already been living together for one year and a half. Mike relents on calling off the wedding after learning that Susan went to her first Halloween party dressed as a bride.

Mike's brother Richie and his wife Joan have grown "incompatible" and are considering divorce. Mike's Italian-American parents, Frank and Bea, are relentlessly trying to dissuade Richie and Joan from divorcing.

Cast

Beatrice Arthur as Bea Vecchio
Bonnie Bedelia as Susan Henderson
Michael Brandon as Mike Vecchio
Richard Castellano as Frank Vecchio
Bob Dishy as Jerry
Harry Guardino as Johnny
Marian Hailey as Brenda
Joseph Hindy as Richie Vecchio
Anne Jackson as Kathy
Diane Keaton as Joan Vecchio
Cloris Leachman as Bernice Henderson
Anne Meara as Wilma
Gig Young as Hal Henderson
Anthony Holland as Donaldson
Bob Kaliban as Hotel Clerk
Amy Stiller as Flower Girl / Carol
Charlotte Jones as Johnny's Mother
Morton Marshall as Father Gregory
Conrad Bain as Priest In Confessional (uncredited)
Connie Mason as Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Jerry Stiller as Jim (uncredited)
Sylvester Stallone as Groomsman (uncredited)

Release

=Home media=

The vinyl LP soundtrack of the film was released by ABC Records in 1971, catalogue #ABCS 0C 15.{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/Fred-Karlin-Lovers-And-Other-Strangers/release/7035438 |title=Fred Karlin - Lovers and Other Strangers |website=www.discogs.com |date=1971 |access-date=3 September 2019}} It has not been released on compact disc. The film was released by MGM on DVD on July 6, 2004 in full-screen format. The film was released on Blu-ray by KL Studio Classics on March 19, 2019 in anamorphic format with an HD master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, and includes an audio commentary by film historian Lee Gambin.{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.com/Lovers-Other-Strangers-Gig-Young/dp/B00020X87U |title=Lovers and Other Strangers |website=www.amazon.com |date=6 July 2004 |access-date=3 September 2019}} The aspect ratio for the Blu-ray is 1.85.1 (i.e., the screen dimensions of the original film).{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Lovers-and-Other-Strangers-Blu-ray/133415/ |title=Lovers and Other Strangers Blu-ray |website=www.blu-ray.com |access-date=3 September 2019}}

Reception

=Box office=

The film was popular at the box office, earning $7.7 million in gross rentals in North America. It recorded an overall profit of $790,000.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/americanfilmdist0000dona/page/293/mode/1up|title= American film distribution : the changing marketplace|last=Donahue|first= Suzanne Mary|year=1987 |publisher=UMI Research Press |page=293|isbn= 978-0-8357-1776-2}} Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada

=Accolades=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
Award ! Category ! Nominee(s) ! Result ! Ref.
rowspan="3"\| Academy Awards \| Best Supporting Actor \| Richard S. Castellano \| {{nom}} \| align="center" rowspan="3"\| {{Cite web \|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1971 \|title=The 43rd Academy Awards {{!}} 1971 \|access-date=28 December 2017 \|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences \|work=Academy Awards\|date=4 October 2014 }}
Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium \| Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna, and David Zelag Goodman \| {{nom}}
Best Song – Original for the Picture \| "For All We Know" Music by Fred Karlin; Lyrics by Robb Royer and Jimmy Griffin \| {{won}}
Golden Globe Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\| {{Cite web \|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/lovers-other-strangers \|title=Lovers and Other Strangers \|work=Golden Globe Awards \|access-date=28 December 2017 \|publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association}}
rowspan="2"\| Laurel Awards \| colspan="2"\| Best Picture \| {{draw\|9th Place}} \| align="center" rowspan="2"\|
Top Male Supporting Performance \| rowspan="2"\| Richard S. Castellano \| {{draw\|4th Place}}
New York Film Critics Circle Awards \| Best Supporting Actor \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1970 \|title=1970 New York Film Critics Circle Awards \|website=New York Film Critics Circle \|access-date=3 June 2021}}
Writers Guild of America Awards \| Best Comedy – Adapted from Another Medium \| Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna, and David Zelag Goodman \| {{nom}} \| align="center"\| {{cite web \|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 \|title=Awards Winners \|work=wga.org \|publisher=Writers Guild of America \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 \|archive-date=2012-12-05 \|access-date=2010-06-06}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

Award

! Category

! Nominee(s)

! Result

! Ref.

rowspan="3"| Academy Awards

| Best Supporting Actor

| Richard S. Castellano

| {{nom}}

| align="center" rowspan="3"| {{Cite web |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1971 |title=The 43rd Academy Awards {{!}} 1971 |access-date=28 December 2017 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |work=Academy Awards|date=4 October 2014 }}

Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium

| Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna,
and David Zelag Goodman

| {{nom}}

Best Song – Original for the Picture

| "For All We Know"
Music by Fred Karlin;
Lyrics by Robb Royer and Jimmy Griffin

| {{won}}

Golden Globe Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{Cite web |url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/lovers-other-strangers |title=Lovers and Other Strangers |work=Golden Globe Awards |access-date=28 December 2017 |publisher=Hollywood Foreign Press Association}}

rowspan="2"| Laurel Awards

| colspan="2"| Best Picture

| {{draw|9th Place}}

| align="center" rowspan="2"|

Top Male Supporting Performance

| rowspan="2"| Richard S. Castellano

| {{draw|4th Place}}

New York Film Critics Circle Awards

| Best Supporting Actor

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{cite web|url=https://www.nyfcc.com/awards/?awardyear=1970 |title=1970 New York Film Critics Circle Awards |website=New York Film Critics Circle |access-date=3 June 2021}}

Writers Guild of America Awards

| Best Comedy – Adapted from Another Medium

| Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna,
and David Zelag Goodman

| {{nom}}

| align="center"| {{cite web |url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |title=Awards Winners |work=wga.org |publisher=Writers Guild of America |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551 |archive-date=2012-12-05 |access-date=2010-06-06}}