Falling in Love
Theatrical release poster
Directed byUlu Grosbard
Written byMichael Cristofer
Produced byMarvin Worth
Starring
CinematographyPeter Suschitzky
Edited byMichael Kahn
Music byDave Grusin
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • November 21, 1984 (1984-11-21)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12 million
Box office$11.1 million
(domestic)[1]

Falling in Love is a 1984 American romantic drama film directed by Ulu Grosbard, written by Michael Cristofer, and starring Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep. The film received mixed reviews, and was a box office bomb.

Plot

On Christmas Eve, commercial artist Molly Gilmore and architectural engineer Frank Raftis are both, separately, doing last-minute Christmas shopping in Manhattan. Frank meets his colleague Ed for drinks; Ed tells Frank he is getting divorced. Molly sees her friend Isabelle, who is married, but plans to spend Christmas with another man; Molly also visits her sick father. Later that day, at the counter in a hectic bookstore, Frank and Molly get their packages mixed up, and on Christmas Day, Molly's husband, Brian, and Frank's wife, Ann, each opens the book that was meant for the other.

Three months later, Frank and Molly, who commute into Manhattan from adjacent stops on the Metro-North Hudson Line, run into each other on the morning train. They struggle to place each other, but eventually Frank remembers, and reminds her of the confusion over the books. Later that day, Frank's boss asks him to take a post in Houston. Molly visits her father in hospital. Molly tells Isabelle about Frank; Frank tells Ed about Molly. That evening, Frank waits for Molly at Grand Central Terminal. They talk, and agree to meet on the morning train later that week.

Against their better judgement, Frank and Molly grow closer. They see more and more of each other until, one afternoon, Frank takes Molly to Ed's apartment. They begin to make love, but Molly cannot go through with it. They agree that they must stop seeing each other.

When Molly returns home that day, Brian gives her the news that her father has died. At the funeral, she has a panic attack. Convalescing, she tells Isabelle that it isn't grief for her father that she is suffering, but the loss of Frank. Meanwhile, Frank agrees to take the job in Houston. He tells Ann about Molly, throwing the future of their marriage into question.

On the night he is due to leave, Frank calls Molly at home. Frank asks to see her before he goes, but as Brian stands listening, she ends the call. Unable to resist, she tells Brian she must see Frank one more time, and rushes to her car. Driving fast in the pouring rain, she nearly collides with a train at a crossing, and misses her chance. Meanwhile Frank tries to call her again but her husband answers the phone and says she doesn't want to talk to Frank.

Some time later, once more in the run up to Christmas, Frank meets Ed and tells him that he and Ann are now separated. Molly meets Isabelle, and it is clear from their conversation that her marriage to Brian has failed too. Frank makes a stop at the bookstore where he and Molly first met. Molly is there at the same time. They talk but, uncertain how things now stand between them, go their separate ways. Walking away from the store, Frank stops, turns, and runs after her. A short time later on a crowded train out of Grand Central, he finds her again. They embrace.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

As of August 2022, Falling in Love holds a rating of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 13 reviews.[2]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
1985 David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Actress Meryl Streep Won [3]
1986 Sant Jordi Awards Best Foreign Actor Robert De Niro Won [4]

Filming locations

The entire film takes place in the New York City metropolitan area and suburbs. There are scenes in locations including Manhattan Place, Rizzoli Bookstore, the Hudson River train line, Englewood, New Jersey[5] and Dobbs Ferry, New York.[6]

Remake

The film was remade in Hindi as Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, directed by Karan Johar on 2006.

References

  1. ↑ Falling in Love - Box Office Mojo
  2. ↑ "Falling in Love" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  3. ↑ David di Donatello Awards 1985 - Best Foreign Actress
  4. ↑ Sant Jordi Awards | 1986 Awards
  5. ↑ Sampson, Peter J. for United Press International. "Banner Year For N.J. Film Industry Production Companies Spent $15.4 Million In '84", The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 3, 1985. Accessed April 27, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Falling in Love, the DeNiro-Streep love story, in Englewood."
  6. ↑ "Falling in Love Film Locations - [otsoNY.com]". onthesetofnewyork.com.
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