Jump to content

Good Times (film): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Kwayst (talk | contribs)
15 edits
mNo edit summary
c/e
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|1967 film by William Friedkin}}
{{Short description|1967 film by William Friedkin}}
{{About|the film|the soundtrack to the film|Good Times (soundtrack)}}
{{About|the film|the soundtrack to the film|Good Times (soundtrack)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = Good Times
| name = Good Times
Line 7: Line 8:
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[William Friedkin]]
| director = [[William Friedkin]]
⚫
| producer = [[Steve Broidy]]<br />Lindsley Parsons
| writer = [[Tony Barrett]]<br />Nicholas Hyams
| writer = [[Tony Barrett]]<br />Nicholas Hyams
⚫
| producer = [[Steve Broidy]]<br />Lindsley Parsons
| starring = [[Sonny Bono]]<br />[[Cher]]<br />[[George Sanders]]<br>[[Norman Alden]]<br>[[Larry Duran]]<br>[[Kelly Thordsen]]<br>[[Lennie Weinrib]]
| starring = [[Sonny Bono]]<br />[[Cher]]<br />[[George Sanders]]<br>[[Norman Alden]]<br>[[Larry Duran]]<br>[[Kelly Thordsen]]<br>[[Lennie Weinrib]]
⚫
| music = Sonny Bono
| cinematography = Robert Wyckoff
| cinematography = Robert Wyckoff
| editing = Melvin Shapiro
| editing = Melvin Shapiro
⚫
| music = Sonny Bono
| studio = [[American Broadcasting Company]]<br>Motion Pictures International
| studio = [[American Broadcasting Company]]<br>Motion Pictures International
| distributor = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| distributor = [[Columbia Pictures]]
| released = {{Film date|1967|05|12}}
| released = {{Film date|1967|05|12}}
| runtime = 92 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 91:36--><ref>{{cite web|title=''GOOD TIMES'' (U)|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/good-times-1970-3|work=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|date=1966-11-23|access-date=2013-04-28}}</ref>
| runtime = 92 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 91:36--><ref>{{cite web|title=''Good Times'' (U)|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/good-times-1970-3|publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|date=1966-11-23|access-date=2013-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190312220752/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/good-times-1970-3|archive-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref>
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| budget = $1.115 million<ref name="variety">"ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses", ''Variety'', 31 May 1973 p 3</ref>
| budget = $1.115 million<ref name="variety">{{cite magazine |title=ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=May 31, 1973 |page=3}}</ref>
| gross = $800,000<ref name="variety"/>
| gross = $800,000<ref name="variety"/>
}}
}}
'''''Good Times''''' is a 1967 American [[comedy film|comedy]] [[musical film|musical]] [[western (genre)|western]] film starring [[Sonny & Cher]]. The film also co-stars [[George Sanders]], [[Norman Alden]], [[Larry Duran]], [[Kelly Thordsen]] and [[Lennie Weinrib]]. The film marks the [[List of directorial debuts|feature directorial debut]] of [[William Friedkin]], who later directed ''[[The French Connection (film)|The French Connection]]'' and ''[[The Exorcist (film)|The Exorcist]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001243/ IMDb credits for William Friedkin]</ref>
'''''Good Times''''' is a 1967 American [[Western (genre)|Western]] [[Musical film|musical]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[William Friedkin]] in his [[List of directorial debuts|feature directorial debut]], starring [[Sonny & Cher]]. The film also co-stars [[George Sanders]], [[Norman Alden]], [[Larry Duran]], [[Kelly Thordsen]], and [[Lennie Weinrib]].


==Plot==
==Plot==
Sonny and Cher appear as themselves in this [[Parody|spoof]] of various genres, including [[Mystery film|mysteries]], [[Western (genre)|westerns]], [[Tarzan movies]] and [[Spy film|spy thrillers]]. The [[Plot (narrative)|plot]] revolves around a film contract offered to Sonny by powerful executive Mr. Mordicus, played by [[George Sanders]], who also plays the [[antagonist]] in each of Sonny's ideas for the proposed film, which are played out in a number of skits featuring [[music]] and [[dancing]] by the star duo.
Sonny and Cher appear as themselves in this [[Parody|spoof]] of various genres, including [[Mystery film|mysteries]], [[Western (genre)|Westerns]], [[Tarzan film]]s and [[Spy film|spy thrillers]]. The [[Plot (narrative)|plot]] revolves around a film contract offered to Sonny by powerful executive Mr. Mordicus, played by [[George Sanders]], who also plays the [[antagonist]] in each of Sonny's ideas for the proposed film, which are played out in a number of skits featuring music and dancing by the star duo.


==Cast==
==Cast==
* [[Sonny Bono]] as Sonny
* [[Sonny Bono]] as Sonny
* [[Cher]] as Cher
* [[Cher]] as Cher
* [[George Sanders]] as Mr Mordicus / Knife McBlade / White Hunter / Zarubian
* [[George Sanders]] as Mr. Mordicus / Knife McBlade / White Hunter / Zarubian
* [[Norman Alden]] as Warren
* [[Norman Alden]] as Warren
* [[Larry Duran]] as Smith
* [[Larry Duran]] as Smith
Line 39: Line 40:


==Production==
==Production==
Sonny Bono wanted to make a movie starring him and Cher and was introduced to [[William Friedkin]], a young documentary filmmaker who had just moved into drama and who, like Bono, was represented by the [[William Morris Agency]]. They got along well and [[Abe Lastfogel]] managed to get [[Steve Broidy]] to agree to finance a movie.<ref>Friedkin p 94-97</ref>
Sonny Bono wanted to make a film starring him and Cher and was introduced to [[William Friedkin]], a young documentary filmmaker who had just moved into drama and who, like Bono, was represented by the [[William Morris Agency]]. They got along well and [[Abe Lastfogel]] convinced [[Steve Broidy]] to agree to finance a film.{{sfn|Friedkin|2013|pp=94–97}}


Bono and Friedkin started reading through scripts and received a letter from a novice screenwriter Nicholas Hyams, who suggested Sonny and Cher make a film about them making a movie. Hyams was hired but Friedkin says the collaboration with him was not easy - "he was condescending to Sonny and disdainful of me."<ref>Friedkin p 99</ref> Hyams was fired and Friedkin and Bono wound up writing the script themselves based on Hyams' original idea. Broidy wanted to call the film ''[[I Got You Babe]]'' but Bono preferred ''Good Times'', based on a song he was writing at the time.<ref>Friedkin p 102</ref> All songs in the film were released on a [[Good Times (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]].
Bono and Friedkin started reading through scripts and received a letter from a novice screenwriter Nicholas Hyams, who suggested Sonny and Cher make a film about them making a film. Hyams was hired, but Friedkin says the collaboration with him was not easy: "He was condescending to Sonny and disdainful of me."{{sfn|Friedkin|2013|p=99}} Hyams was fired and Friedkin and Bono wound up writing the script themselves based on Hyams' original idea. Broidy wanted to call the film ''[[I Got You Babe]]'' but Bono preferred ''Good Times'', based on a song he was writing at the time.{{sfn|Friedkin|2013|p=102}} All songs in the film were released on a [[Good Times (soundtrack)|soundtrack album]].


The film was originally meant to be made for $500,000 but the budget came in at $800,000. Broidy then sold the film to Columbia for $1.2 million, ensuring he was in profit before shooting even began.<ref>Friedkin p 103</ref>
The film was originally meant to be made for $500,000, but the budget came in at $800,000. Broidy then sold the film to Columbia for $1.2 million, ensuring he was in profit before shooting even began.{{sfn|Friedkin|2013|p=103}}


==Reception==
==Reception==
''Good Times'' received poor-to-middling reviews as a pastiche of so-so skits, though one [[critic]] credited veteran [[character actor]] Sanders for making the film "slightly less unbearable."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apolloguide.com/mov_print.asp?CID=5354&RID= |title=Apollo's movie guide review of ''Good Times'', Wesley Lovell |publisher=Apolloguide.com |access-date=2010-10-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709215629/http://www.apolloguide.com/mov_print.asp?CID=5354&RID= |archive-date=2006-07-09}}</ref>
''Good Times'' received poor-to-middling reviews as a pastiche of so-so skits, though one [[critic]] credited veteran [[character actor]] Sanders for making the film "slightly less unbearable."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apolloguide.com/mov_print.asp?CID=5354&RID= |title=Apollo's movie guide review of ''Good Times'', Wesley Lovell |publisher=Apolloguide.com |access-date=2010-10-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060709215629/http://www.apolloguide.com/mov_print.asp?CID=5354&RID= |archive-date=2006-07-09}}</ref>


Friedkin later commented that "I've made better films than ''Good Times'' but I've never had so much fun".<ref>Friedkin p 110</ref>
Friedkin later commented that "I've made better films than ''Good Times'' but I've never had so much fun".{{sfn|Friedkin|2013|p=110}}


===Box office===
===Box office===
Line 54: Line 55:


==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of American films of 1967]]
* [[List of American films of 1967]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

Friedkin, William, ''The Friedkin Connection'', HarperCollins 2013
===Bibliography===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Friedkin |first=William |author-link=William Friedkin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W9a60aV1qL8C |title=The Friedkin Connection: A Memoir |location=New York |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-06-209726-2}}
{{Refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0061720|Good Times}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{TCMDb title|20134|Good Times}}
* {{AllMovie title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|good_times|Good Times}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* {{AFI film}}
* {{TCMDb title}}


{{Sonny & Cher}}
{{Sonny & Cher}}
Line 70: Line 77:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Good Times}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Good Times}}
[[Category:1967 films]]
[[Category:1967 films]]
⚫
[[Category:1967 directorial debut films]]
⚫
[[Category:1967 independent films]]
[[Category:1967 musical comedy films]]
[[Category:1967 musical comedy films]]
⚫
[[Category:1967 Western (genre) films]]
⚫
[[Category:1960s American films]]
⚫
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:1960s satirical films]]
[[Category:1960s Western (genre) comedy films]]
[[Category:1960s Western (genre) musical films]]
[[Category:ABC Motion Pictures films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American musical comedy films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:American satirical films]]
[[Category:1960s English-language films]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by William Friedkin]]
[[Category:American Western (genre) musical films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:English-language musical comedy films]]
[[Category:English-language Western (genre) comedy films]]
[[Category:Films about actors]]
[[Category:Films about actors]]
[[Category:Films about hypnosis]]
[[Category:Films about hypnosis]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:Films directed by William Friedkin]]
⚫
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
⚫
[[Category:ABC Motion Pictures films]]
⚫
[[Category:1967 directorial debut films]]
⚫
[[Category:1967 independent films]]
[[Category:Sonny & Cher]]
[[Category:Sonny & Cher]]
⚫
[[Category:1960s American films]]

Revision as of 00:58, 23 December 2023

This article is about the film. For the soundtrack to the film, see Good Times (soundtrack).

Good Times
Theatrical release poster
Directed byWilliam Friedkin
Written byTony Barrett
Nicholas Hyams
Produced bySteve Broidy
Lindsley Parsons
StarringSonny Bono
Cher
George Sanders
Norman Alden
Larry Duran
Kelly Thordsen
Lennie Weinrib
CinematographyRobert Wyckoff
Edited byMelvin Shapiro
Music bySonny Bono
Production
companies
American Broadcasting Company
Motion Pictures International
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • May 12, 1967 (1967-05-12)
Running time
92 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.115 million[2]
Box office$800,000[2]

Good Times is a 1967 American Western musical comedy film directed by William Friedkin in his feature directorial debut, starring Sonny & Cher. The film also co-stars George Sanders, Norman Alden, Larry Duran, Kelly Thordsen, and Lennie Weinrib.

Plot

Sonny and Cher appear as themselves in this spoof of various genres, including mysteries, Westerns, Tarzan films and spy thrillers. The plot revolves around a film contract offered to Sonny by powerful executive Mr. Mordicus, played by George Sanders, who also plays the antagonist in each of Sonny's ideas for the proposed film, which are played out in a number of skits featuring music and dancing by the star duo.

Cast

Production

Sonny Bono wanted to make a film starring him and Cher and was introduced to William Friedkin, a young documentary filmmaker who had just moved into drama and who, like Bono, was represented by the William Morris Agency. They got along well and Abe Lastfogel convinced Steve Broidy to agree to finance a film.[3]

Bono and Friedkin started reading through scripts and received a letter from a novice screenwriter Nicholas Hyams, who suggested Sonny and Cher make a film about them making a film. Hyams was hired, but Friedkin says the collaboration with him was not easy: "He was condescending to Sonny and disdainful of me."[4] Hyams was fired and Friedkin and Bono wound up writing the script themselves based on Hyams' original idea. Broidy wanted to call the film I Got You Babe but Bono preferred Good Times, based on a song he was writing at the time.[5] All songs in the film were released on a soundtrack album.

The film was originally meant to be made for $500,000, but the budget came in at $800,000. Broidy then sold the film to Columbia for $1.2 million, ensuring he was in profit before shooting even began.[6]

Reception

Good Times received poor-to-middling reviews as a pastiche of so-so skits, though one critic credited veteran character actor Sanders for making the film "slightly less unbearable."[7]

Friedkin later commented that "I've made better films than Good Times but I've never had so much fun".[8]

Box office

The film earned $600,000 in rentals domestically and $200,000 internationally. After the distribution fee, prints and advertising and the negative cost were deducted, ABC reported a loss of $1,050,000.[2]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Good Times (U)". British Board of Film Classification. November 23, 1966. Archived from the original on March 12, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "ABC's 5 Years of Film Production Profits & Losses". Variety. May 31, 1973. p. 3.
  3. ^ Friedkin 2013, pp. 94–97.
  4. ^ Friedkin 2013, p. 99.
  5. ^ Friedkin 2013, p. 102.
  6. ^ Friedkin 2013, p. 103.
  7. ^ "Apollo's movie guide review of Good Times, Wesley Lovell". Apolloguide.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2006. Retrieved October 7, 2010.
  8. ^ Friedkin 2013, p. 110.

Bibliography

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Good_Times_(film)&oldid=1191353405"