Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer (also known as Kramer vs. Kramer) is a 1979 American film written and directed by Robert Benton. It starred Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, and Justin Henry.

Kramer vs. Kramer was released on December 19, 1979 by Columbia Pictures. It was a commercial success, earning over $100 million on a budget of $8 million, becoming the most commercially successful film of 1979, and receiving nine nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards, winning in five categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (for Streep) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Synopsis

Ted Kramer is a young father and husband who loves his family, but also his work, since that's where he spends most of his time. One afternoon, when he returns from work, his wife Joanna confronts him and leaves him to take care of their six-year-old son. Ted must learn to be a father while trying not to neglect his professional career. But when he has adjusted to his new life and begins to feel fulfilled as a father, Joanna returns. And she wants her son back.

Cast

Production

It is a film based on the novel Kramer vs. Kramer by Avery Corman.

Prior to casting Dustin Hoffman, the producers had considered casting Al Pacino in the role. For his part, Jane Fonda turned down the role ultimately played by Meryl Streep.Dustin Hoffman greatly helped newcomer Justin Henry, analyzing and discussing each scene with him before it was shot. The set of the apartment set up inside the studio had the exact measurements resulting from the exterior of the building that appears in the film. The cinematographer, Néstor Almendros, used overhead light for the interiors and the available light for the shots for the exteriors. The initial version had a duration of 43 additional minutes compared to the final duration. Scenes with Jane Alexander and JoBeth Williams were mostly cut.

Reception

91% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a positive rating, with an average score of 7.9 out of 10. The site's consensus is: "Divorce is not an issue. so shocking, but the film remains a thoughtful, well-made drama that resists the urge to take sides or give easy answers.' Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it his highest rating, praising Robert Benton's script: "His characters not only talk to each other, but reveal things about themselves and sometimes learn from their own mistakes. That's what makes Kramer vs. Kramer such a moving film: Sometimes we get the feeling that personalities are changing and decisions are made as we follow the film".

Cultural Impact

Kramer vs. Kramer reflected a cultural shift that occurred during the 1970s, when ideas about motherhood and fatherhood were changing. The film was not widely praised for the way it gave equal weight and importance to Joanna's and Ted's points of view.^{[citation needed]}

Awards

Oscar 1979

Accommodations

In 1995, Kramer vs. Kramer was remade in India as Akele Hum Akele Tum, starring Aamir Khan and Manisha Koirala.