Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer
original movie poster
Directed by	Robert Benton
Written by	Avery Corman (novel) Robert Benton
Produced by	Richard Fischoff Stanley R. Jaffe
Starring	Dustin Hoffman Meryl Streep Justin Henry Jane Alexander
Cinematography	Néstor Almendros
Edited by	Gerald B. Greenberg Ray Hubley Bill Pankow
Music by	Paul Gemignani Herb Harris John Kander Erma E. Levin Roy B. Yokelson Antonio Vivaldi
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release dates	December 17, 1979
Running time	105 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 comedy-drama film adapted by Robert Benton from the novel by Avery Corman, and directed by Benton. The film tells the story of a married couple's divorce and its impact on everyone involved, including the couple's young son. It received the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1979.

Music for the film features New York guitarist Frederic Hand.

Plot

In Kramer vs. Kramer, Joanna Kramer (Meryl Streep), a Smith College graduate, is a stay-at-home mother for her son Billy (Justin Henry). Feeling confined in this role, and neglected by her husband Ted (Dustin Hoffman), Joanna leaves the marriage in order "to find herself."

File:Kramervs.Kramer79.jpg

Ted and Billy

Ted, who has been focusing on his career in advertising, and was just given his agency's biggest new account, is shocked by Joanna's decision and is left to raise Billy by himself. With the help of his neighbor and Joanna's friend, Margaret (Jane Alexander), Ted comes to understand why Joanna left. In the process, he also becomes more invested in raising Billy than in his job (which he eventually loses).

About a year and a half after leaving, Joanna returns to New York in order to claim Billy, and a custody battle ensues. The courts side with the mother, but on the morning that Billy is to move in with Joanna, she comes to the apartment and tells Ted that, while she loves Billy and wants him with her, she knows that his true home is with Ted, and it is implied that she chooses to let Billy stay with his father. The movie ends with the elevator doors closing on the emotional Joanna, as she heads upstairs to talk to Billy.

Cultural impact

Kramer vs. Kramer reflected a cultural shift which occurred during the 1970s and the period of second-wave feminism, when ideas about "motherhood" and "fatherhood" were changing. The film was widely praised for the way in which it gave equal weight and importance to both Joanna and Ted's points of view .

Cast and Crew

Actor	Role
Dustin Hoffman	Ted Kramer
Meryl Streep	Joanna Kramer
Justin Henry	Billy Kramer
Jane Alexander	Margaret Phelps
Petra King	Petie Phelps
Melissa Morell	Kim Phelps
Howard Duff	John Shaunessy
George Coe	Jim O'Connor
JoBeth Williams	Phyllis Bernard (as Jobeth Williams)
Howland Chamberlain	Judge Atkins
Dan Tyra	Court Clerk

Awards

1979 Academy Awards (USA)

Wins

• Best Picture
• Best Director
• Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium
• Best Actor in a Leading Role - Dustin Hoffman
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Meryl Streep

Nominations

• Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Justin Henry
• Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Jane Alexander
• Best Cinematography
• Best Film Editing

David di Donatello (Italy)

• Best Foreign Film (1980)

Other uses

"Kramer vs Kramer" was also sometimes used in reference to the strained relationship between sitcom actor Michael Richards (who played Cosmo Kramer on the popular show Seinfeld) and Kenny Kramer, the real-life inspiration for the character. Kenny Kramer starred in a documentary named for the film, Kramer vs Kramer: Kenny to Cosmo, on the DVD release of the series.

The term was also used to refer to Kenny Kramer speaking out against Richards's use of racial epithets at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood on November 17, 2006.

External links

• Kramer vs. Kramer at IMDb

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