There are a precious few writers in Hollywood who have gained name recognition among audience members. Those who have entered the upper echelons of critical and popular recognition include such names as Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino and Aaron Sorkin. Yet hidden among this elite group is the consistently under-appreciated Neil Simon; a playwright turned occasional screenwriter who along with Mel Brooks and the Zucker/Abrahams team modernized the way we see comedy on the screen. In fairness to those who don't know his name, he was much more of a playwright in the Noel Coward, George Bernard Shaw stripe. My first experience with Simon was reading Lost in Yonkers in grade school, and I immediately fell in love with his sophisticated yet workman-like brand of comedy.The Goodbye Girl starts with Paula (Mason) and Lucy (Cummings) a mother and daughter pair living in a quaint New York City apartment. Paula has been seeing a married actor who jilts her to go to Italy to shoot a movie. Unable to pay rent and struggling with a re- ignited dancing career, Paula's troubles are compounded with the arrival of an unwelcome house guest (Dreyfuss). Elliot happens to be a struggling actor as well and happened to have subleased the apartment out from under her nose. Having the choice between moving out or dealing with the neurotic but kindhearted actor, Paula and Lucy choose to stay. Thus begins an uncommon living arrangement that turns into a budding romance.For every grounded hardship the characters face, Simon is quick to add a one-liner to break the tension and further endear the audience to the characters. The dialogue is so sharp and bursting at the seems with goofy, quick-witted, verbal sparring that it's easy to assume the movie was adapted from a play. Yet the movie is an original. Simon did not adapt one of his plays as he so often does but instead tried to adapt a movie partially based on the overnight success of Dustin Hoffman (starring Robert De Niro). The original script was much darker than Simon would have liked so he tinkered until he came up with The Goodbye Girl's adept mix of humor, romance and pathos.The movie has the added bonus of having three very good central actors who take full advantage of the dialogue. Dreyfuss is truly charming as the scruffy, wayward Elliot struggling to make a splash in New York's stage scene. His natural amiability and occasionally goofy demeanor brings the perfect balance and achieves a high level of energy that Mason and Cummings reach and exceed with aplomb. Mason likewise is a vision as Paula, approaching a similar balance between forlorn neuroticism and strength. The real show-stealer however is Cummings as the young Lucy. At times the dialogue makes her a bit too precocious for her own good yet between two very strong veteran actors at the top of their game, her standing out seems like a miracle. It's important to note that all three actors received an Academy Award nomination for their portrayals, Dreyfuss becoming the youngest winner at the time.If there is one sticking point to be expanded on it's the ending which leaves the relationship between Elliot and Paula a little strained yet hurriedly resolved. Perhaps Simon ran out of material or perhaps I found the characters so relatable I simply wanted to see more. Both adults have managed to survive and even thrive in 1970's New York despite the odds being completely against them; I for one would have loved the 15 minute denouement to be more of a victory lap. I suppose Neil Simon was reminded of the old showman saying "always leave the audience wanting more."

After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer (Marsha Mason) and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor (Richard Dreyfuss).This is Richard Dreyfuss at perhaps his most offbeat. Sure, Marsha Mason plays the lead and the film is called "the goodbye girl", but I think the movie passes or fails with Dreyfuss. For me, it passes, as he is strangely interesting and fun to watch.The film as a whole is not that amazing. It seems to have secured a few Oscar nominations but few wins. Today (2016), it is not one that most people have heard of. Heck, even Mason is not a household name. Worth a look, but not essential.

I can't help but channel another favorite film of mine, "Star Wars" as I compare the outrageous but more comported and more intelligent film of yesteryear to today's offerings. A film made for adults, about adults, acting like adults, with adult problems, and solving them like adults might, and did before the market reshift of the 80s and 90s to a pure teenage audience (or audience with teenage taste)."The Goodbye Girl" is the kind of film I like to see and watch. It's a more comported film about people behaving like mature adults, without succumbing to the urge to be a child with raging hormones. But the theatre of the 70s was a different animal than today's teenage market model.Neil Simon's play, translated to the screen, is full of wit and verve. It is funny without condescending to body functions, nor explicit sex for the sake of shock (which has lost its shock altogether). We're seeing the courting of a couple, both of whom are fighting to hold onto their dreams and stay in the world they know and love without succumbing to defeat.Challenges are made and met, mostly from the couple that fight, vie and come to a state of détente and acceptance. Both Dreyfus and Mason are high energy and outrageous without being stupid and insulting (again, unlike so many of today's contemporary films). Watching this film I'm reminded of the adults that used to pervade society on all levels. I can also feel, see, sense and smell the set of the small apartment in New York; the art direction and lighting design are that good. Throw in some very competent actors, and you got yourself one great photplay waiting to be shown. I used to hate and bemoan the 70s, but this film reminded me that those years weren't so bad. If I had a critique of the film, it's Simon's writing style. It's full of more wit than I think most people can readily absorb. He's almost too funny at times. It's the kind of thing that's both his trademark and his bane. Referencing a non-sexual double entente and political ongoings of the era were zestful. It was an age when information was more filtered, though prevalent, yet delivered at a wiser pace to allow for mental digestion. But Simon bucks the trend of the time by delivering wit fast and furious. It was, and still is, considered great art and genius. Though at times it can be silly.An actor and a former hoofer with a daughter? Can it work? Well, you probably know the answer to that one, but it's the journey that's the actual joy. An old fashioned film for an old fashioned time, when technology, though present, didn't pigeon hole personality types into discreet demographics. In short, this film is made for most everyone.Ah, and I haven't given one of these in a while, there are a couple of marginally racy scenes. After all, it is a PG film, and I would urge the parent or would be parent who's interested in watching this with their children, to pre-screen it first, and then decide.Again, overall an inviting film with some funny, witty and tender scenes. It's also marginally cliché in a Neil Simon kind of way, but it's what you expect, and you love the man for it.A decent watch.

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.