Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC Ted Kramer's wife leaves her husband, allowing for a lost bond to be rediscovered between Ted and his son, Billy. But a heated custody battle ensues over the divorced couple's son, deepening the wounds left by the separation. Director: Avery Corman (from the novel by), Robert Benton (written for the screen by) Stars: a list of 44 titles created 22 Mar 2012 a list of 32 titles created 10 Aug 2012 a list of 42 titles created 10 Feb 2013 a list of 37 titles created 02 Jan 2015 a list of 34 titles created 04 Oct 2015 Title: Kramer vs.

Kramer (1979) 7.8/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Won 5 Oscars. Another 32 wins & 23 nominations. See more awards » Videos Selfish yuppie Charlie Babbitt's father left a fortune to his savant brother Raymond and a pittance to Charlie; they travel cross-country. Director: Barry Levinson An old Jewish woman and her African-American chauffeur in the American South have a relationship that grows and improves over the years. Director: Bruce Beresford The accidental death of the older son of an affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son. Director: Robert Redford In 20th-century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate love affair with a free-spirited big-game hunter. Director: Sydney Pollack A naive hustler travels from Texas to New York to seek personal fortune but, in the process, finds himself a new friend.

Director: John Schlesinger Follows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems. Director: James L. Brooks Lt. John Dunbar, exiled to a remote western Civil War outpost, befriends wolves and Indians, making him an intolerable aberration in the military. Director: Kevin Costner At the close of WWII, a young nurse tends to a badly-burned plane crash victim. His past is shown in flashbacks, revealing an involvement in a fateful love affair. Director: Anthony Minghella Michael Dorsey, an unsuccessful actor, disguises himself as a woman in order to get a role on a trashy hospital soap. Director: Sydney Pollack The story of the final Emperor of China. Director: Bernardo Bertolucci A young Shakespeare, out of ideas and short of cash, meets his ideal woman and is inspired to write one of his most famous plays. Director: John Madden Murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago. Director: Rob Marshall Edit Storyline Ted Kramer is a career man for whom his work comes before his family.

His wife Joanna cannot take this anymore, so she decides to leave him. Ted is now faced with the tasks of housekeeping and taking care of himself and their young son Billy. When he has learned to adjust his life to these new responsibilities, Joanna resurfaces and wants Billy back. Ted, however, refuses to give him up, so they go to court to fight for the custody of their son. Written by Leon Wolters <wolters@strw.LeidenUniv.nl> There are three sides to this love story! Genres: 19 December 1979 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Kramer Versus Kramer See more » Filming Locations: The first cut ran 43 minutes longer than the eventual film. See more » Goofs When they meet over wine; the ashtray changes position on the table from when he walks in & is then sitting down. See more » Quotes Joanna Kramer : I love you, Billy. Billy Kramer : I love you too, Mommy. (Chicago, Illinois) – See all my reviews I consider myself lucky that I got to view a wonderful movie with two marvelous actors. "Kramer vs.

Kramer" was great to me because I think I could relate to it. Unfortunately, my parents are divorced. Even though I was older than Billy in this movie, I felt his pain and confusion. Having two parents who you thought were happy and end up hating each other is the worst. Through this movie, actually, I think it made me realize that my parents are people too, and they had as just much pain as my sister and I had. Back to the movie, this was a good one. Yes, it's dated and Meryl and Dustin are very young. But I would recommend this for a lot of people, because I think most can relate in some way. There are funny, sad, happy, and relieving moments that are carried away terrificly by these great actors. It's a good movie and deserves more credit than a 7.5. 9/10 52 of 62 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes It was Hoffman vs. Streep in making of ‘Kramer vs. Kramer' - NY Daily News It was Hoffman vs. Streep during making of ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ It was Hoffman vs.

Streep in making of ‘Kramer vs. Kramer' Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep confront each other in a scene from the 1979 film 'Kramer vs. Kramer.' (Instagram/Getty Images) Tuesday, March 29, 2016, 3:34 PM During the shooting of “Kramer vs. Kramer,” it was more like Hoffman vs. Streep. Meryl Streep was 27, fresh out of Yale School of Drama. Dustin Hoffman was 41, already a star. The film would make her a star and the film would win five Oscars. But it wouldn't come easy. Streep was initially not considered for the role of Joanna, the wife and mother who leaves her husband and child. She was up for a minor role. Yet she showed up at a meeting for the lesser role but had a keen understanding of Joanna. Hoffman knew instinctively that she was his leading lady. He also knew that Streep had just suffered a horrid loss. Months earlier, Streep sat at the bedside of her dying fiancé, John Cazale.

Streep had moved into Cazale’s Tribeca loft months earlier, when he was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. Hoffman had every intention of using that raw grief. “That’s what would fix the Joanna problem: an actress who could draw on a still-fresh pain, who was herself in the thick of emotional turmoil,” Michael Schulman writes in the April issue of Vanity Fair. “It was Meryl’s weakness, not her strength, that convinced him.” Schulman wrote the biography, “Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep,” hitting stores April 26. As the film began shooting, “Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door," Schulman writes. Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark.” Actor Dustin Hoffman at the opening night at Metrograph in March. (Andrew Toth/FilmMagic) Dustin Hoffman, a method actor, tormented Meryl Streep during the making of "Kramer vs. Kramer." Rather than break down or bring him up on charges, Streep did the scene.

Hoffman took his method acting pretty far when in he decided to taunt her about Cazale’s death. “Improvising his lines, Dustin delivered a slap of a different sort: outside the elevator, he started taunting Meryl about John Cazale, jabbing her with remarks about his cancer and his death,” Schulman writes. “They wrapped, and Meryl left the studio in a rage,” Schulman writes. Yet when she collected he first Oscar for her unnerving performance, she did kiss her co-star. Tags: Amazon.com: Kramer vs. Kramer: Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Alexander, Justin Henry: Amazon Digital Services LLC HALL OF FAME VINE VOICE on January 6, 2003 Format: DVD 1979's Kramer vs. Kramer mirrored a trend that was becoming more and more prevalent in America in the 1970's, the breakup of marriages. Dustin Hoffman & Meryl Streep star as Ted & Joanna Kramer. Ted is the prototypical yuppie. His job in an advertising company is really accelerating and it is taking up most of his time from his family that also includes eight-year old Billy (Justin Henry).

Ted is so involved in his career, he knows little of the day-to day routine of his own household. One day, Ted's world is shattered when Joanna leaves him and Billy in order to find herself. Ted must learn how to raise his son, juggle his work and home life and go through a divorce trial. The film is both poignant and touching as Ted & Billy bond and form a loving relationship. Mr. Hoffman is excellent as is Ms. Streep and Jane Alexander gives a strong turn as the Kramer's woman's libber neighbor who Ted feels egged Joanna on and caused the breakup of his marriage. But the true find is young Justin Henry. He gives one of the finest performances by a preteen in movie history. The film was much lauded and praised and come Oscar time, Mr. Hoffman finally took home the Best Actor award after several failed nominations. Ms. Streep won Best Supporting Actress, director Robert Benton took home the Best Director award and the film won Best Picture. Meryl Streep Unauthorized Biography Claims Dustin Hoffman Slapped Her Across the Face During Filming of 'Kramer vs.

Kramer' Meryl Streep Unauthorized Biography Claims Dustin Hoffman Slapped Her Across the Face During Filming of 'Kramer vs. Kramer' by Jackie Willis 10:06 AM PDT, March 29, 2016 Photo: Getty Images Dustin Hoffman may have taken his method acting to another level when working with Meryl Streep on their award-winning 1979 film, Kramer vs. Kramer. In an excerpt from Michael Schulman's unauthorized biography, Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep, in Vanity Fair , Kramer vs. Kramer director Robert Benton and producer Richard Fischoff recall a tense relationship between Streep and Hoffman during the filming of the movie. Both actors earned their first Oscars for taking on the roles of husband and wife, Ted and Joanna Kramer, who find themselves in a heated custody battle over their son, Billy Kramer (Justin Henry), after getting a divorce. WATCH: Oscars Red Carpet Rewind -- '80s Oprah and Pregnant Meryl Streep!

The book alleges that on the second day of shooting the opening scene of the film -- when Ted follows a crying Joanna into the hallway -- Hoffman "shocked" everyone on set when he "slapped [Streep] hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark." Benton told Schulman that he immediately thought the movie was "dead," and that Streep would "bring us up with the Screen Actors Guild." According to the book, the actress continued to act out the scene, but Hoffman started to taunt his co-star off camera. WATCH: Meryl Streep Was Told She Was Too Ugly for King Kong In March 1978, Streep's boyfriend of two years, actor John Cazale, died, and Hoffman allegedly used that information to evoke emotion from the actress. "He was goading her and provoking her," Fischoff claims, adding that the actor was "using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response that he thought she should be giving in the performance." Fischoff alleges that Streep went "absolutely white" when this occurred and, according to the book, she "left the studio in a rage" once they had wrapped that day.

Benton also claims hearing Hoffman whispering Cazale's name within earshot of Streep before an emotional courtroom scene. MORE: Meryl Streep Comments on Lack of Diversity in Film, Says 'We're All Africans, Really' However, the director says Hoffman's alleged tactics did not faze Streep. "This picture started out belonging to Ted Kramer, and by the end it belonged to both of them," Benton notes. "And there was no way Hoffman could shake her. No way he could do anything to shake her. She was just there, and she was an incredible force." The book also claims a number of other high-profile actresses almost landed the role of Joanna Kramer over Streep. Charlie's Angels star Kate Jackson was first offered the part, according to Schulman, but when she was unable to take on the role, Jane Fonda, Faye Dunaway andKatherine Ross -- Hoffman's co-star inThe Graduate --were considered. WATCH: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John Almost Lost Their Grease Roles to These Stars Fischoff says it was an uphill battle with the studio to get Streep cast in the movie. "They didn't think that she was a movie star ," he explains.

"They thought that she was a character actress." Benton says he knew she was perfect for the part. "There was a fragile quality she had that made us think that this was Joanna, without making her neurotic," he recalls. "Meryl's Joanna wasn't neurotic, but she was vulnerable, frail." In regard to the unauthorized biography, Streep's rep tells ET that the actress "made no contribution to it, nor has she read it." Dustin Hoffman Slapped, Taunted Meryl Streep About BF’s Death - Us Weekly By Megan French Drama on set! An adaptation of a new biography, Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep by Michael Schulman, published in Vanity Fair reveals the behind-the-scenes conflict between Meryl Streep and costar Dustin Hoffman while filming 1979’s Oscar-winning drama Kramer vs. Kramer. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep in 'Kramer vs.

Kramer' Columbia Pictures/Getty Images PHOTOS: Celebrities' First Oscar Appearances Then a promising, up-and-coming star, Streep, now 66, wasn’t originally considered for the role of Joanna, the female protagonist in the film, who is locked in a bitter divorce and custody battle with her husband Ted (Hoffman). But Hoffman, now 78, convinced the director, Robert Benton, that she was perfect for the role. The reason for his decision: Hoffman knew Streep had just lost her boyfriend of two years, John Cazale, to lung cancer. The Graduate actor felt she could draw on her pain and grieving to give the character more depth. (Streep, however, has a totally different version of events, and told Ms. magazine that she impressed the directors by telling them exactly how to fix the script.) Filming with Hoffman, who was in the midst of separating from his first wife, Anne Byrne, was a challenge for Streep because he employed such intense method acting techniques. Schulman writes in the biography: “On the second day, they continued shooting the opening scene, when Ted follows the hysterical Joanna into the hallway.

They shot the bulk of it in the morning and, after lunch, set up for some reaction shots. Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door. Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark.” Meryl Streep on the cover of 'Vanity Fair.' PHOTOS: Oscars: Stars' Looks Through the Years Always a professional, Streep continued on with the scene without making a commotion, but Hoffman wasn’t done. In a later scene where Joanna tells Ted she’s leaving him, Hoffman took to extreme measures to get the emotion he wanted from Streep. “Improvising his lines, Dustin delivered a slap of a different sort: outside the elevator, he started taunting Meryl about John Cazale, jabbing her with remarks about his cancer and his death.

‘He was goading her and provoking her,’ [producer Richard] Fischoff recalled, ‘using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response that he thought she should be giving in the performance.’" PHOTOS: Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2015 Hoffman brought up Cazale’s death again in a courtroom scene and made Streep’s eyes water when he whispered her late boyfriend’s name in her ear. The pair’s relationship was so tense that producers thought the movie would be a disaster, but the film made more than $106 million at the box office, even beating out Star Trek. Kramer vs. Kramer picked up nine Academy Award nominations at the 52nd Oscars and went on to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, best actor for Hoffman and best supporting actress for Streep. The full biography Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep is published by Harper and will be available in April.

Meryl Streep Biography Excerpt Reveals Kramer v Kramer Drama with Dustin Hoffman Pinterest Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock Long before she became the most nominated actress in Academy Awards history, Meryl Streep was just a rising star, pushing boundaries in what would become one of her most memorable roles. In an adaptation from Michael Schulman’s upcoming biography Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep published by Vanity Fair , the behind-the-scenes struggle between Streep and Kramer vs. Kramer costar Dustin Hoffman is revealed. Only 29 during the 1978 filming of the divorce drama, Streep hadn’t even been considered for the part of Joanna – a mother who decides to leave her husband and son behind in search for more – but managed to woo the movie’s producers with her unique grasp on the role. Playing opposite each other as husband and wife wasn’t necessarily easy for Streep and Hoffman, according to Schulman’s book, as the actor employed intense method acting tactics to get his castmate into character. “On the second day, they continued shooting the opening scene, when Ted follows the hysterical Joanna into the hallway.

They shot the bulk of it in the morning and, after lunch, set up for some reaction shots,” Schulman writes in the book. “Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door. Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark.” While Streep continued on in the scene, Schulman says Hoffman’s efforts were far from over. Producer Richard Fischoff said that the actor would make comments about Streep’s late boyfriend John Cazale, who had died earlier that year from cancer – even whispering remarks into her ear. “He was goading her and provoking her,” Fischoff told Schulman, “using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response that he thought she should be giving in the performance.” VIDEO: Meryl Streep’s Changing Looks The pair’s relationship grew so strained, according to director Robert Benton, that he expected that he had a giant flop on his hands.

Of course, it was quite the opposite: Kramer vs Kramer went on to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Hoffman and Streep, respectively, at the 52nd Oscars. Hoffman, 78, and Streep, now 66, have never starred opposite each other in a film again, and, in 2012, Hoffman said of working on the movie, “I was getting divorced, I’d been partying with drugs and it depleted me in every way,” according to The Hollywood Reporter . While much of the biography excerpt focuses on Kramer vs Kramer‘s journey from book to screen, tidbits about Streep’s personal life at the time are also divulged, including how she met her husband of nearly 38 years, Don Gummer. Meryl Streep and husband Don Gummer Larry Busacca/Getty “A few weeks after [boyfriend Cazale] died, Meryl’s brother helped her pack up her belongings. He brought along a friend she had met once or twice – a sculptor named Don Gummer, who lived a few blocks away, in SoHo,” Schulman writes.

“Only weeks after losing the love of her life, she had found the second love of her life, the man who would become her husband.” Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep will be available on April 26 from HarperCollins Publishers. Show Full Article Dustin Hoffman Breaks Down While Recounting His Past Movie Choices | Hollywood Reporter Dustin Hoffman Breaks Down While Recounting His Past Movie Choices 4:28 PM PDT 10/16/2012 by Stuart Kemp COMMENTS Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images The two-time Oscar winner was emotional during an onstage discussion for BAFTA's Life in Pictures event that centered on his film career. LONDON -- Dustin Hoffman delivered an emotional account of his 30-plus years in the movies at an invitation only event at the British Academy of Film & Television Arts on Tuesday evening. The two-time Oscar winner, speaking at the British Academy's HQ, broke down in tears twice and drew lots of laughs while talking through his filmography as part of Bafta's Life in Pictures season of events. Tears first came when Hoffman began explaining the background to landing the role in Kramer vs.

Kramer, a part he won his first best actor nod for in 1980. "I was getting divorced, I'd been partying with drugs and it depleted me in every way," Hoffman said. PHOTOS: Film and TV Actors Who've Starred in Video Games His voice began to crack when he began explaining he didn't want to meet with the producer Stanley Jaffe and director and writer Bob Benton because he didn't like the script. "You're script has no feeling of what I'm going through," Hoffman said as the tears came when recalling the emotional turmoil of his breakup and divorce. He explained through tears that "for whatever reasons you just end up not being able to inhabit the same space," referencing the break-up from first wife Anne Byrne and the fact "there were children involved." He also said at the time he had just come off the back of doing two movies back to back – Straight Time and Agatha – and had "decided to quit movies for a second time." He previously thought he'd quit after one critic labelled him as a "cretin" in The Graduate. But Benton persisted, asking Hoffman what it would take for him to change his mind and do the movie.

"We'd have to go into a room for three months and rewrite it," Hoffman said, saying that is exactly what they did. "We finished and I got offered a writing credit and stupidly turned it down," Hoffman said, "but it was a liberating experience for me to push all the stuff I was going through out there." More tears welled when he began talking about the child actor, Justin Henry, who played Billy and landed the part with no acting experience. PHOTOS: Teflon Actor Awards: 6 Actors Immune to Bad Reviews "I later discovered he was coming from a home that was breaking up. There was a moment during a break in the testing when I thought, this is the right kid, he's my son." Hoffman recalled failing to cast Kate Jackson -- who, at the time, was at top of the list "because she was in Charlie's Angels, the biggest show on television at the time in the U.S." So, he suggested Meryl Streep, someone who was a young actress on the rise. It was one of those "perfect times to cast someone," Hoffman said, because she'd just lost her boyfriend in tragic circumstances.

Streep went on to win the first of three Oscars with her turn but Hoffman never worked with her on a film again. As the house lights dimmed before the clip of a scene with his estranged wife played by Streep, Hoffman whispered an apology to his wife Lisa, who was in the audience, saying he didn't know what was wrong with him. More tears came from the actor when discussing his experience making his other Oscar-winning film, Rain Man with director Barry Levinson. Hoffman described how, two weeks into shooting, he was sitting in an open top Cadillac with Tom Cruise, wishing he could leave the movie because he just couldn't play the part of the autistic brother Raymond Babbitt. Levinson took him aside to watch the rushes because, unbeknownst to Hoffman, the actor had created the essence of the character by just repeating "yeah" to everything Cruise was saying to him. "It was that marvelous feeling when you find yourself in a territory when you think you're not getting it," Hoffman said. "It's feeling like you're in between worlds." Hoffman described his extensive research into highly functioning autism sufferers saying he came to the conclusion they are unable to rid themselves of all the information a human is presented with.

"It puts enormous pressure on them. We're like vacuum cleaners, we can get rid of a lot of it but they can't." Added Hoffman: "My children tell me, don't cry Daddy, you can see why." There were also laughs aplenty across the evening that ran to more than two hours. Among the biggest was Hoffman's account of Tootsie, a role where he played an unemployed actor who auditions as a woman to land a role in a soap opera. He described how after shooting a scene in a restaurant dressed as his female character Dorothy Michaels opposite Sydney Pollack, he'd been told Jon Voight, who he starred with in Midnight Cowboy, was eating in another part of the restaurant. "I went over to him as Dorothy and had an entire conversation about how much I liked his work and managed to fool him," Hoffman said. But more was to come. On the subway, Hoffman still in costume, had run into his childhood acting hero Jose Ferrer. After talking through Ferrer's career with him, mentioning how much he'd admired his chops, still in drag, Hoffman said he couldn't resist asking one last question.

"Would you mind very much if I sucked your cock?" Ferrer stared at his female form for a while before calming replying: "Not right now," Hoffman recalled. He shared that after he walked off, Ferrer had asked his friend "who was that scumbag of a woman." Hoffman said he'd never been one to "censor his mouth." Hoffman also discussed his childhood upbringing in Los Angeles in a house "that movies were never mentioned in" after his father got fired from a studio job with Columbia and became a furniture salesman. And he also told stories and anecdotes from other career highlights including Midnight Cowboy and Meet the Fockers and working on friend's films such as Stranger Than Fiction and smaller indie pictures such as Last Chance Harvey, opposite Emma Thompson, whom he met on Stranger Than Fiction. The actor's directorial debut, Quartet starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly unspooled last night in a gala screening during this year's BFI London Film Festival. Previous BAFTA Life In Pictures seasons have featured Will Ferrell, Kenneth Branagh, Charlize Theron and Colin Firth. Hoffman's evening was hosted by writer, critic and broadcaster Francine Stock and sponsored by Deutsche Bank.

Amazon.com: Kramer vs. Kramer: Justin Henry, Howard Duff, George Coe, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, Dustin Hoffman, JoBeth Williams, Robert Benton, Stanley R. Jaffe, Stanley Jaffe, Columbia Pictures Corporation: Movies & TV Ad feedback Special Offers and Product Promotions Your cost could be $0.00 instead of $7.99! Get a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card instantly upon approval for the Amazon Rewards Visa Card Apply now Editorial Reviews Winner of 5 Academy Awards®, Kramer vs. Kramer is a ground- breaking drama about the heartbreak of divorce and the struggle between work and family. Young husband and father Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) loves his family - and his job, which is where he spends most of his time. When he returns home late one evening from work, his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) confronts him and then leaves him, forcing Ted to become the sole caregiver to their six-year-old son. Now, Ted must learn to be a father while balancing the demands of his high-pressure career. But just as Ted adapts to his new role and begins to feel like a fulfilled parent, Joanna returns. And now she wants her son back.

Special Features Exclusive Documentary: "Finding the Truth: The Making of Kramer vs. Kramer" Product Details Format: Multiple Formats, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Thai Dubbed: French Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only) PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click . Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001 Run Time: 105 minutes Kramer vs. Kramer Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 65 out of 79 people found the following review useful: Brilliant drama from Chicago, Illinois 8 June 2000 "Kramer vs.

Kramer" is a terrific drama about an unhappy woman who walks out on her husband and young son. The husband now has to take up the responsibilities of taking care of the boy. As he does, they get to know each other better. But then, the mother and wife returns, and she wants custody of the boy. "Kramer vs. Kramer" has lots of drama with some wonderful bits of comedy thrown in for good measure. Dustin Hoffman won his first Best Actor Oscar for his brilliant performance here. Most people say his performance in "Rainman", which won him his second Oscar, is his best. He was great in that film, but I disagree that its his best. In my opinion, the best performance of Hoffman's career is in this movie. Scene after scene shows us why Hoffman is one of the best American actors working today. He's also funny at times. Also giving a terrific performance is Meryl Streep, who wasn't as well known when she made this film like she is today. Streep, like Hoffman, also won her first Oscar (for Best Supporting Actress) for her work in "Kramer vs. Kramer" as the wife and mother who tries to find herself after walking out on her family.

Justin Henry, who was only 8 years old when the film came out, is wonderful as Hoffman and Streep's son. He won an Oscar nomination for his role here, and still to this day he is the youngest performer to receive an Oscar nomination in a competitive category (Best Supporting Actor). Jane Alexander is also fine as a conserned family friend. She too got an Oscar nomination (for Supporting Actress where she lost to co-star Streep). "Kramer vs. Kramer" is a great film from start to finish. Writer-director Robert Benton has made a film that's absolutely unforgettable. **** (out of four) from North Bay, Ontario 20 June 1999 This outstanding film has about the best acting that you'll ever see, and that alone makes this a must-see. The entire cast is excellent, but then again, it had to be in order to keep up with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep. It didn't take me long to get hooked on this film, and aside from a courtroom scene that is merely good, this is top-notch entertainment. This is a rare film that actually deserved all the Oscar recognition that it received. See it for yourself and you will definitely not be disappointed.

Was the above review useful to you? 52 out of 62 people found the following review useful: What a terrific acting movie from Chicago, Illinois 28 July 2005 I consider myself lucky that I got to view a wonderful movie with two marvelous actors. "Kramer vs. Kramer" was great to me because I think I could relate to it. Unfortunately, my parents are divorced. Even though I was older than Billy in this movie, I felt his pain and confusion. Having two parents who you thought were happy and end up hating each other is the worst. Through this movie, actually, I think it made me realize that my parents are people too, and they had as just much pain as my sister and I had. Back to the movie, this was a good one. Yes, it's dated and Meryl and Dustin are very young. But I would recommend this for a lot of people, because I think most can relate in some way. There are funny, sad, happy, and relieving moments that are carried away terrificly by these great actors. It's a good movie and deserves more credit than a 7.5.

9/10 from United States 9 November 2007 After a decade of turbulent unrest, American movies began to switch gears and turn their cameras away from war-torn battlefields, political corruption, and general social unease to the more intimate world of family dysfunction. The toll the selfish Baby Boomers began to take on the American family as they grew up and had kids of their own was making itself felt. "Kramer vs. Kramer" is one of the first of these dysfunctional family dramas that would continue to be so popular throughout the 1980s, and it's one of the best. It gets a rather bum rap now, because it's known as the film that beat "Apocalypse Now" for the 1979 Best Picture Academy Award, but comparing these two films is like comparing a banana to a marinated chicken breast: they're not remotely the same, but can't we enjoy them both? Director/writer Robert Benton doesn't try to do anything fancy with his movie; its strength lies in its performances, those of Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep particularly, playing a divorced couple fighting childishly and selfishly over their son.

The courtroom scene in which they duke it out for custody, and in which each is forced to hurt the other in terrible ways, is devastating, and feels authentic. The movie doesn't present Hoffman's solid dad as a hero, or Streep's straying mom as a villain. They're neither good or bad as people -- they're simply bad at being married. The film is tear-jerky at the finale, but not in a manipulative way. It earns its right to elicit sobs. Grade: A from United States 15 March 2002 "Kramer vs. Kramer" is probably the weakest winner of the Best Picture Oscar in the 1970s, but that does not mean that this it is not an excellent film that more than delivers. The film deals with a career man (Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman) who must rear his young son (Justin Henry, the youngest Oscar-nominee ever) after his wife (Oscar-winner Meryl Streep) leaves them with no real explanation. What follows is a heart-touching story about the man who finally learns what it means to be a father and a boy who learns who his father really is.

Of course the film becomes heart-rending later as Streep returns after a long absence and wants to take Hoffman to court for custody of their son. "Kramer vs. Kramer" then becomes an intense courtroom drama that has few equals. Robert Benton's Oscar-winning direction and screenplay could have fallen flat several times, but he stays focused throughout and his plan works to near perfection. Of course the aforementioned performances and the performance of Oscar-nominee Jane Alexander are the primary calling cards of the film. Hoffman and Streep are at the top of their careers here and their acts are electric and thunderous from start to finish. All in all, "Kramer vs. Kramer" could have been unintentionally funny or even down-right dull, but the film is so well-made and acted that it succeeds with stunning results. 5 stars out of 5. Was the above review useful to you? 18 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Benton's greatest Writing and Directing, his achievement in film winning all the top major Oscars of 1979 from Ottawa, Canada 27 February 2010 Robert Benton's Kramer vs.

Kramer is a character based story just like his "Human Stain(2003)" and "The Late Show(1977)". 2 of his 3 Oscar awards are belong to Kramer vs. Kramer, for his success on directing and writing; thus making his film bringing a real life drama with the real life characters so close to us. It's all about ordinary people with our problems. What's different and catchy about Robert Benton's film-making was here we are not trying to put ourselves in the actors' shoes, the actors are trying to put themselves in our shoes. The story is about the Kramer family which is broken, father and mother are separated, and they have to fight for their son's custody in court against each other. After his wife walks out on him, Ted Kramer's life completely turns upside down. He has to take care of his son, Billy; but at the same time he's very busy with his position in an advertising company. Soon, he loses his job; Billy has an accident; his wife wants Billy to live with her. Against all the problems Ted is facing, he always fought with his heart. Ted's a very emotional and sensitive man, but a strong person at the same time.

Ted Kramer character was a new model for Dustin Hoffman. But since the late 1950s' Elia Kazan's pioneer approach of modern drama making on film, with the basic instalment of the leading actor into a conflict, Ted Kramer's strong character raised Dustin Hoffman's acting to become a legend ; just like it did to Marlon Brando, Sylvester Stallone, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson with 1970s'. Something more about the movie; the linear cut has been 43 minutes longer than the theatrical release. Most of this cut has included Meryl Streep's deleted scenes. Also Meryl Streep has been originally cast in the role of Ted's one night stand, eventually played by second supporting actress Jobeth Williams. Meryl Streep's role as Joanna Kramer has been primarily offered to Kate Jackson; but due to her contract rules with the TV-series Charlie's Angels, she hasn't been able to accept this role. Joanna Kramer character has been designed to be the leading actress and subject to have more scenes, before director Benton making the last decision of the plot's focus point. Both Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman today have splendid fame on movie career, and Kramer vs.

Kramer was an important milestone for both of their careers. Dustin Hoffman's Oscar speech winning the best actor at the 1979 Academy Awards ceremony is one of the best Oscar speeches of all Academy Awards history; like the movie Hoffman's Oscar speech is also available to watch on Youtube. Was the above review useful to you? 33 out of 52 people found the following review useful: a rip-off, but a great one from somewhere in the middle east 12 March 2006 Although credit should have been given to Dr. Seuess for stealing the story-line of "Horton Hatches The Egg", this was a fine film. It touched both the emotions and the intellect. Due especially to the incredible performance of seven year old Justin Henry and a script that was sympathetic to each character (and each one's predicament), the thought provoking elements linger long after the tear jerking ones are over. Overall, superior acting from a solid cast, excellent directing, and a very powerful script. The right touches of humor throughout help keep a "heavy" subject from becoming tedious or difficult to sit through. Lastly, this film stands the test of time and seems in no way dated, decades after it was released.

Was the above review useful to you? 34 out of 54 people found the following review useful: One of Hoffman's bests from United States 14 April 2005 Kramer vs. Kramer is one film to hold on too and not forget. It isn't one of the most popular films ever made and is certainly one of the weakest best picture films, but it does not mean it still isn't important. I thought the movie was well done and made you just want to watch more and more of it. The performances were the best positive for the film and Dustin Hoffman played one of his best roles he's ever done as the lonely workaholic who has to take care of his son, as his wife separates from him. Billy, who is Hoffman's son, played another great performance along with Meryl Streep, playing the depressed mother of Billy. Kramer vs. Kramer is not one of the greatest films and is not a perfect 10, but it succeeds in making the film worth watching and worth caring about it. Certainly, one of Hoffman's best films he's ever done. I highly recommend it.

Hedeen's Outlook: 9/10 ***+ A- from Fraggle Rock 11 July 2008 One word that comes to mind when describing 'Kramer vs. Kramer' is terrific. Benton's direction and screenplay are solid but what also seems to have worked very well was that he gave his actors the freedom to improvise and was open to their suggestions. Not once, does the film lose focus (credit goes to the fine editing department). It's very much a character driven drama with fabulous acting. Perhaps, it's the freedom the actors had which makes their performances look more natural and their on screen interactions very real. I wonder how cathartic it was for the great Dustin Hoffman to play Ted Kramer as he himself was going through a rough divorce. A brilliant Meryl Streep too was still in the grieving process of having lost her loved one. The fabulous Jane Alexander seems to have a comfortable off screen interaction with her co-stars and she too did a lot of improvisation. The same can be said for child actor Justin Henry. The result is excellent performances by all four actors. The whimsical score (that comprises of famous numbers from composers like Vivaldi) beautifully adds to the mood.

These days court room divorce dramas have become quite popular on TV but they lack the authenticity, humbleness and simplicity of 'Kramer vs Kramer'. Was the above review useful to you? 6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Exceptionally touching from Philippines 5 March 2008 Certainly when I saw this movie at HBO, I was bit erratic in following the plot, but it catches my attention when seeing Dustin Hoffman in it. Honestly I'm not enthralled watching old movies, but then in the long run it changes my point of view. Seeing this stirring film made me experience once again couching at my seat not noticing my tears suddenly roll down my cheek, and then after, let loose a heavy sigh in realizing the impact of what I've just witness. Kramer vs Kramer was indeed one of the best classical drama movies I've witnessed for a long time that even I, myself couldn't imagine how it touched me. The story was strongly emotional, but is not saturated with such.

The characters weren't unrealistic for their roles; they possess qualities that make viewers like them whatever position they have in the film, like the role of Meryl Streep, she was a mother who honestly concede her mistakes at the past but then she's confident to stand up her emotional motives to get what she desires in a fair and square battle. Dustin Hoffman was way too outstanding, I can't even fathom how this guy could play seriously difficult roles and suddenly jump into another role which is completely different, then performed it well. Even though I have already seen the movies a lot of times, when I seat back and lounge at my home scanning worth movies to peer and buy a time for it, catching a glimpse for Kramer vs Kramer will make my experience another worthwhile moment. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 18: Vanity Fair Cover Story: The Set of Kramer vs. Kramer Was Basically 'Streep vs. Hoffman' Vanity Fair Cover Story: The Set of Kramer vs. Kramer Was Basically 'Streep vs.

Hoffman' Go to permalink The cover story of April’s Vanity Fair, adapted from Michael Schulman’s upcoming biography of Meryl Streep, recounts the tumultuous production of Kramer vs. Kramer, the 1979 film that made Streep a star. The journey from casting to the Oscar stage was quite a ride, and Schulman’s piece details her struggles with the character of Joanna Kramer, as well as the ones with the actor who played Joanna’s husband, Dustin Hoffman. Advertisement Streep was still grieving the death of her lover, The Godfather’s John Cazale, when the casting for Kramer vs. Kramer began, but found the strength to battle bigger names like Kate Jackson , Faye Dunaway, and Jane Fonda for the part. During her first meeting with Hoffman, producer Stanley Jaffe, and writer/director Robert Benton, Schulman writes: When Dustin asked her what she thought of the story, she told him in no uncertain terms. They had the character all wrong, she insisted. Her reasons for leaving Ted are too hazy. We should understand why she comes back for custody. When she gives up Billy in the final scene, it should be for the boy’s sake, not hers.

Joanna isn’t a villain; she’s a reflection of a real struggle that women are going through across the country, and the audience should feel some sympathy for her. If they wanted Meryl, they’d need to do re-writes, she later told Ms. magazine. Not long after that meeting (after which Jaffe referred to her as “Merle”), Streep was offered the part. But just days into production, Kramer vs. Kramer started “turning into Streep vs. Hoffman.” Advertisement On the second day, they continued shooting the opening scene, when Ted follows the hysterical Joanna into the hallway. They shot the bulk of it in the morning and, after lunch, set up for some reaction shots. Dustin and Meryl took their positions on the other side of the apartment door. Then something happened that shocked not just Meryl but everyone on set. Right before their entrance, Dustin slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red mark. Benton heard the slap and saw Meryl charge into the hallway. We’re dead, he thought. The picture’s dead. She’s going to bring us up with the Screen Actors Guild. Instead, Meryl went on and acted the scene.

And Hoffman’s Method acting had only just begun. Improvising his lines, Dustin delivered a slap of a different sort: outside the elevator, he started taunting Meryl about John Cazale, jabbing her with remarks about his cancer and his death. “He was goading her and provoking her,” [film executive Richard] Fischoff recalled, “using stuff that he knew about her personal life and about John to get the response that he thought she should be giving in the performance.” Meryl, Fischoff said, went “absolutely white.” She had done her work and thought through the part. But tension between the two didn’t subside when the cameras weren’t rolling. After suggesting a few changes to the script that would make her character less defensive—a change the screenwriter ultimately agreed to make—Hoffman chimed in: Sponsored “Meryl, why don’t you stop carrying the flag for feminism and just act the scene,” he said. Just like Joanna, she was butting in and mucking everything up, he felt. Reality and fiction had become blurry. When Dustin looked across the table, he saw not just an actress making a scene suggestion but shades of Anne Byrne, his soon-to-be ex-wife.

In Joanna Kramer, and by extension Meryl Streep, he saw the woman making his life hell. For more on that super fun work environment—and the surprise blockbuster it wrought—I suggest reading the rest of Schulman’s piece. Her Again , the biography from which it was adapted, comes out next month.

Question: Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman play husband and wife in which 1979 film?
Answer: Kramer vs Kramer