Alice's Restaurant (1969)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

Arlo Guthrie (song)
Venable Herndon (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

20 August 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Where the heads of all nations meet

Plot:

A cinematic adaption of Arlo Guthrie's classic song story.

Plot Keywords:

Narration | Revivalism | Episcopalian Church | Unwanted Kiss | Drug Overdose

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Arlo Guthrie	...	Arlo Guthrie
Patricia Quinn	...	Alice Brock (as Pat Quinn)
James Broderick	...	Ray Brock
Pete Seeger	...	Himself
Lee Hays	...	Himself - Reverend at Evangelical Meeting
Michael McClanathan	...	Shelly
Geoff Outlaw	...	Roger Crowther
Tina Chen	...	Mari-chan
Kathleen Dabney	...	Karin
William Obanhein	...	Himself - Officer Obie
Seth Allen	...	Evangelist
Monroe Arnold	...	Blueglass
Joseph Boley	...	Woody Guthrie
Vinnette Carroll	...	Draft Clerk
Sylvia Davis	...	Marjorie Guthrie

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | USA:GP (edited for re-rating) (1970) | USA:R (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Great Barrington, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Elkins Entertainment

Trivia:

Arlo Guthrie's co-defendant in the littering incident actually was named Richard (Ricky) Rhodes, a local 19-year-old (Guthrie was 18 at the time).

Goofs:

Continuity: The scene where Alice spends the night in Arlo's rented room, that same night the boots Alice was wearing were black. The next scene when morning came Alice was seen putting on brown boots.

Quotes:

Arlo Guthrie: [unable to fill his urine-sample jar, at his Army physical] Anybody got some to spare?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

Songs To Aging Children

End of an era

I bought this film on dvd, not really knowing why, as I didn't much care for it when I was younger. I saw it in the movies and it failed to capture the fun and humour of the song. Looking at it now, especially towards the end, I see it much differently. Maybe Arthur Penn was trying to capture the end of the Hippie era. Alice looks devastated as she watches her world and perhaps her dreams fall apart. Was all the innocence and freedom false? I think this film was before it's time. Regardless, it is probably the best depiction of a hippie "slice-of-life" ever made.