# The Sterile Cuckoo

The Sterile Cuckoo (released in the UK as Pookie) is a 1969 American comedy-drama film by producer-director Alan J. Pakula that tells the story of an eccentric young couple whose relationship deepens despite their differences and inadequacies. It stars Liza Minnelli, Wendell Burton, and Tim McIntire.
The film was adapted by Alvin Sargent from the 1965 novel by John Nichols, directed by Pakula in his directing debut, and was released by Paramount Pictures.
The film received two Oscar nominations for the 42nd Academy Awards: Liza Minnelli for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Fred Karlin and Dory Previn's song "Come Saturday Morning" (performed by the Sandpipers) for Best Original Song.

## Plot

Mary Ann ("Pookie") Adams is a quirky oddball who meets quiet, reserved Jerry Payne while waiting for a bus heading to their colleges; both are first-year students and their colleges are near each other. Jerry notices that Pookie is different, unpredictable: she even lies to a nun on the bus so she can sit closer to him.
As Jerry settles into college life, the aggressive Pookie arrives unannounced one Saturday morning. The two spend time together over the weekend, and soon see each other regularly. Jerry falls for Pookie but their different personalities keep them apart. They agree to have sex. Later, Pookie tells Jerry she might be pregnant. When the pregnancy scare is over, Jerry decides to spend spring break alone to catch up on studies. But Pookie pleads with him to stay until he relents.
A week alone with the needy, somewhat unstable Pookie makes Jerry realize they need time apart. Later he discovers she has dropped out of school. In time, he finds her in the same boarding house she had rented the first time she visited him. He puts her on a bus for home and, for now, the young lovers part ways.

## Cast

* Liza Minnelli as Mary Ann "Pookie" Adams
* Wendell Burton as Jerry Payne
* Tim McIntire as Charlie Schumacher

## Production

Much of The Sterile Cuckoo was filmed at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. Some of it was filmed in Sylvan Beach, New York, including the Sylvan Beach Union Chapel. Some scenes, including the later bus-stop scenes, were filmed at the central park in Vernon Center, New York. The first bus-stop scene was filmed in front of the Ontario State Bank Block at 300 South Euclid Avenue in Ontario, California.

## Reception

The film was well-received by critics. It grossed $14 million in the United States and Canada, making it the 13th highest-grossing film of 1969.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| Academy Awards | Best Actress | Liza Minnelli | Nominated |
| Academy Awards | Best Song – Original for the Picture | "Come Saturday Morning" Music by Fred Karlin Lyrics by Dory Previn | Nominated |
| British Academy Film Awards | Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles | Liza Minnelli | Nominated |
| David di Donatello Awards | Best Foreign Actress | Liza Minnelli | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Liza Minnelli | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special | Fred Karlin | Nominated |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Actress | Liza Minnelli | Won |
| Mar del Plata International Film Festival | Best Film | Alan J. Pakula | Nominated |
| Mar del Plata International Film Festival | Best Actress | Liza Minnelli | Won |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | Best Screenplay | Alvin Sargent | 3rd Place |