Only When I Laugh (1981)

Directed by

Glenn Jordan

Genre

comedy drama

Country

United States

Runtime

2h

Rated

R

Rating

5.7 of 10 from 21 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An actress returns from rehab and tries to stay sober while caring for her teenage daughter and managing friendships with a vain socialite and a struggling actor. She also seeks a new role on Broadway.

poignantwryintimateearnestbittersweetconversationalgroundedgentle

What happens

Only When I Laugh is a 1981 American comedy-drama film based on Neil Simon's 1970 play The Gingerbread Lady. The story is about alcoholic Broadway actress Georgia Hines who reenters society after a long stay in a rehab clinic. As she tries to stay sober there are the triple responsibilities of raising her estranged teenaged daughter Polly, getting a new acting role and maintaining her co-dependent relations with two close friends; Toby Landau, a wealthy, vain socialite who fears the loss of her youthful looks, and Jimmy Perrino, a gay, middle-aged actor who is frequently relegated to small roles in third-rate stage plays. Simon changed the main character's name to Georgia Hines for the film adaptation; the character was named Evy Meara in the stage version. The main character went from being a cabaret singer to a Broadway stage actress. The film, written by Simon and directed by Glenn Jordan, stars Marsha Mason, Joan Hackett, James Coco, and Kristy McNichol. It also features two short scenes with then-unknowns Kevin Bacon and John Vargas. Simon's next release, I Ought to Be in Pictures, was released just six months later, and its plot was similar. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Marsha Mason), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Coco), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Joan Hackett). Only When I Laugh proved to be very successful at the box office. Hackett would go on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture, while Coco was also nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor for his role. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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