Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) and her 10 year old daughter Lucy (Quinn Cummings) are abandoned in NYC by her married boyfriend. He also sublets the apartment they share to a young actor, Eliot Garfield (Richard Dreyfuss). They agree to live together even though they hate each other. Naturally, they fall in love.

Totally predictable but I really enjoyed it! I loved in back in 1977 and I still love it now! Neil Simon's script is basically just a series of one liners--but they ARE funny and Dreyfuss, Mason and Cummings deliver them perfectly. They come fast and furious and the movie moves very quickly--it doesn't seem like it's 110 minutes long. Dreyfuss deservedly won the Best Actor Award for this film--he's 'on' non-stop and is full of energy and fun.

Mason was nominated for Best Actress and she's almost as good as Dreyfuss (she was a little too whiny for me). Cummings isn't that good--but she WAS only 10 when she did this. It's just that her character is one of those screen kids that talks and acts like an adult--I didn't think having her swear occasionally was cute or funny. Nonetheless she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The movie was also up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Also there's a GREAT title song written and performed by David Gates over the closing credits (it was also a big hit song back in '77). Also Nicol Williamson pops up (unbilled) in a short but VERY funny cameo.

The only debit--the romance scenes were corny (but they do work) and some of the dramatic scenes were TERRIBLY written (Simon was always better at doing comedy). And he has two thunderstorms pop up out of NOWHERE in this movie during a big romantic and dramatic scene. That was pushing it a little too much! Still the acting carries those scenes through and it's a minor complaint.

A sweet, very funny, enjoyable film. Just don't think about it TOO much. I give it a 9.

Neil Simon is consistent. He loves to use and reuse the "ODD COUPLE" plot with variations in one play or another: in the original ODD COUPLE, it's female version (shown in the early 1990s),the sequel film with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, the play (and movie) THE SUNSHINE BOYS - where the apartment is a lifelong comedy team partnership, and this one. Here it is Marcia Mason and her daughter, Quinn Cummings, who are always being deserted by Mason's husband or her series of boy-friends who usually are actors. Mason has become determined never again to trust or date an actor. But the apartment happens to be in the name of her last boyfriend, and he has made a subletting deal with out-of-town actor Richard Dreyfus. Dreyfus is determined to stay in the apartment while in New York (he is starring in a production within the city - off Broadway). He and Mason gradually agree to cease their hostilities and to share the apartment, but Mason finds Dreyfus weird: he is only eating special food, and he chants and plays the guitar at night. On the other hand Quinn Cummings finds he's not such a bad guy (he helps her when she has a headache, relaxing her to sleep).

The play that Dreyfus is appearing in the lead role in is Shakespeare's RICHARD III. It is being produced by Paul Benedict (a rare big part for that good comic actor),but his ideas about the production are upsetting Dreyfus. Dreyfus is approaching the role in the classical, "Olivier" form - the master, evil Machiavellian monarch. Machiavellian to be sure in Benedict's version, but also gay. As Benedict pushes it, it is the story of "the Queen who would be King". Dreyfus's performance of the play within the film, following Benedict's direction, is an everlasting comic joy.

The highs and lows of the two warring suite mates follows a romantic course, as they gradually fall in love with each other. Will this actor prove to be another one of those typically selfish actors that Mason resents, or will he prove to be different to her and Cummings - will he be the real love of her life?

A first rate comedy, and Dreyfus' Oscar - a well earned one.

Hold on tight, I am going on a bit of a rant. "The Goodbye Girl" was a very frustrating movie for me to watch. While it's clearly a very good film and I liked Richard Dreyfus' character very much, the writing irritated me as it seemed a bit irresponsible.

My problem is with Marsha Mason's character. The film begins and her live-in has apparently dumped her--moving out and leaving a 'Dear Jane' letter (nice guy, huh?). You feel a bit sorry for her until you soon learn that this bum was STILL married and she knew it! And, she'd been married once before. Now it's obvious she's not good at making decisions involving guys. BUT, here's what really bothered me...she had a young daughter and seemed to have no problem with her kid seeing all this chaos. And, in a weird twist, the little girl sounds like the mother--dispensing wisdom and rolling with the punches. And, Mason often seemed to expect her kid to parent her--making her feel good about herself when bad things happen. Considering how wildly popular the film was, obviously most folks didn't feel the way I did. I just found her character difficult to like and the film could have been better had she had failed relationships BUT they were not caused by her own stupidity. Sleeping with a married man?! What man would want a lady like this? To me, this does NOT seem to be the makings for a romantic film! It's sad, really, as the rest of the film was excellent. Richard Dreyfus was exceptional and I could see why he got the Oscar--he was likable but flawed and quite charming. Mason, on the other hand, seemed like an emotional basket-case in need of saving--not a woman a reasonable man would want in his life. So, as a result of loving and hating the film, I was left VERY emotionally torn--frustrated and touched at the same time (which is a very strange feeling!). Well worth seeing but I can't help but wonder if folks watching the film internalized this weird message and perhaps thought Mason's parenting wasn't that bad and might have unconsciously emulated this. Kids need a lot more security in their lives than the one in this film got. It sure seemed like a case of child neglect in order for the mother to make herself feel good.