Avec les compliments de l'auteur

Original title: Author! Author!

1982
PG
1h 50m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

YOUR RATING

Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld, Bob Dishy, and Alan King in Avec les compliments de l'auteur (1982)

While facing the stress of his play being produced on Broadway, a playwright deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.

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Comedy Drama Family Romance

While facing the stress of his original play being produced on Broadway, playwright Ivan Travalian deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.While facing the stress of his original play being produced on Broadway, playwright Ivan Travalian deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.While facing the stress of his original play being produced on Broadway, playwright Ivan Travalian deals with having to raise his son, his stepdaughters, and his stepsons.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:38

Trailer

Photos38

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User reviews55

6.26K

Featured reviews

6LIND77777

Stupid

Stupid plot, featuring adults who are 90% unbelievable, especially the wife. The kids are engaging at times, however. There is much too much about this totally contrived situation, and far too little about the theatre. Disappointing.

7dgordo63

Nice light-hearted Comedy

Some comments would have you believe that this movie is annoying and stupid. Don't believe that for a minute. It is an unfair assessment of what movies were like in the 80's (not 70's as was indicated in a previous comment).

It seems pretty obvious that if you were old enough during the early 80's, goof-ball comedy and romantic comedy were at its peak (Check out some Neil Simon, Blake Edwards, Dudley Moore, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Harold Ramis, Goldie Hawn to name a few). The theme songs are soft and melodic. This movie is no exception. If you expect something much more, then you are in for a disappointment.

Synopsis: Ivan Trevellan (Al Pacino), a playwright, has a deadline to finish his play. Along the way, he struggles to keep his marriage, provide support to five children (in which four of the five are his wife's from previous marriages) and deal with his demanding producer and director.

7lee_eisenberg

Al Pacino can do comedy after all

Taking a break from his serious roles, Al Pacino stars in this light comedy as playwright Ivan Travalian, trying to cope with putting on a play while raising his children and his son's friend. In a way, "Author! Author!" seems like the sort of movie that they just made for fun, but it's an interesting look at the vicissitudes of that particular lifestyle. It's not a masterpiece by any stretch (certainly not Pacino's best), but still worth seeing, if only to see the man known as Michael Corleone and Tony Montana doing comedy - although I doubt that you'll shout the title when the movie ends. Also starring Dyan Cannon, Tuesday Weld and Alan King.

7Travis_Bickle01

Highly enjoyable

The only reason I saw this movie, was because Al Pacino was starring in it. I'm a huge fan of him and I don't want to miss any of his movies. "Author! Author!" is a highly enjoyable comedy-drama about a family guy and his many kids. Al Pacino plays a writer of stage plays who is dealing with some personal problems with his wife which also affects his writing.

Of course, "Author! Author!" isn't the best Al Pacino movie ever made, but it's certainly worth watching. This movie was a pleasant surprise. The director Arthur Hiller has also directed the timeless romantic classic "Love Story" with Ryan O'Neal. I think Al Pacino was worth his Golden Globe nomination.

Fine and well acted comedy-drama.

7,5/10

10koyanisqatsi

Great family entertainment!!!

This is a wonderful, heart-warming film! It is funny, sweet, honest, and touching. If as a child you experienced divorce or some other circumstance that placed you in a non- traditional family environment, you will appreciate this film. If you grew up without turmoil and without experiencing loss or the pain of divorce/death of a parent, you may not relate to the subject matter of this film (like some of the other IMDb users who deemed it unwatchable or boring). Oh yeah, and it doesn't contain any explosions. It's not that type of film.

Trivia
Actress Dyan Cannon was initially offered the part of Gloria Travalian but Cannon turned down the role because she felt the character was too "bitchy" and had played a "bitch" before. Later on, Cannon was given the role of Alice Detroit, and thoroughly enjoyed making this film and likened the experience to like "being on a cruise". And Tuesday Weld was cast as Gloria.

Goofs
In the theater scene immediately following meeting with Alice, Ivan sports an entirely new hair do. The play's director acknowledges it. Then the very next scene has Ivan exiting the subway station with his old hair do.

Quotes
Travalian: No ex-husband of Gloria's ever has to apologize to me about anything. We're like a little club.

Alternate versions
The 2005 Region 2 DVD, and the 2007 Region 1 DVD, which were both released by Fox Video, contains the following changes: Alternate opening title credits (white titles over black background). No title credit to both the song 'Coming Home To You' and the song's vocalist and writers (Michael Franks, Alan and Marilyn Bergman). Johnny Mandel credited as the film's composer. Film ending with Ivan and the kids at the newstand. Previous video releases by 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video, and Fox Video contains the opening credits in white text playing over the NYC skyline backdrop to the set in the playhouse, a title credit to both the song Coming Home To You, and its vocalist and writers (Michael Franks, Alan and Marilyn Bergman), David Grusin credited as the film's composer, and the film ending with the kids celebrating Ivan's success by pouring champagne and cake on him while he is in bed. David Grusin was hired to rescore Johnny Mandel's original score. David Grusin's score is heard in the final film.