Goodbye, Columbus (1969)

Excellent, a Must See

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I saw Goodbye, Columbus when it was released and found it almost as profound and moving as The Graduate. Why has this movie been so neglected and forgotten? Why is it not shown on network or cable? It's terrific and still timely. Anyone have any ideas?

I remember enjoying this film in the theater. I saw some similarities between my life and that of the Potamkins, if not their religion, the suburban household complete with a father from the city. College-bound, I looked to Ali McGraw as a role model. She always conveyed the image of the east coast college girl portrayed in Seventeen magazine, Glamour and Mademoiselle, wearing the clothes shown in these magazines. I was also struck by Jack Klugman's performance as the provider operating a plumbing supply business in the Bronx. Like Jack Klugman, my Dad grew up in South Philadelphia. My uncle stayed there, commuting to a lumberyard in North Philly. Jack Klugman should have been nominated for and won an Oscar just for that scene with Neil in his office, leaving an impression on me long after leaving the theater. Neil himself? I worked in a library, too, and really liked it! Finally, the romance. I dated a Jewish guy from Northeast Philly. Whenever his parents came home from a wedding, they compared the reception to the one in this film.

A splendid film for a lot of reasons. The Phillip Roth novel from which the film was adapted supplies unusually good dialogue for the script and an excellent structure on which the director can hang visual and audio elements that meaningfully support the story. Check out how well the musical score shifts to support the mood of each scene. Then there is an excellent cast.The title is a reference to the brother, a basketball player at Ohio State in Columbus, who frequently listens to an OSU sports commentary that signs off with "Goodbye Columbus". And the song lyrics "Hello life, goodbye Columbus" relate to leaving the protection of home/school to face the world.Although "Goodbye Columbus" is usually thought of as the "The Graduate" with a different ending, it is much more like "Adam at 6AM". The three films were made at the very end of the 1960's, all had a searching young man as their main character, and all revolved around a new romantic relationship. But in "Goodbye Columbus" and "Adam" the tension is not between different generations but between different backgrounds and values. In both the young man eventually realizes that these differences cannot be overcome and both films go out with shots of him leaving.At the time of its release "Goodbye Columbus" was more dated than the other two more "with-it" movies, which at least acknowledge the counterculture changes that were taking place at the time. Ironically, 35 years later, its failure to incorporate these references make it the least dated of the three films.The soundtrack album featuring "The Association" (and incidental music composed by Charles Fox) was probably the kiss of death for that group's credibility whatever their musical merits. While cool to be part of an outside film like "Easy Rider", it was uncool to be associated with a Hollywood product like "Goodbye Columbus". This was the summer of Woodstock and by then "The Association" had pretty much lost their audience. In addition to the title song they contributed "It's Gotta Be Real" and "So Kind To Me."It's two most famous scenes have held up very well: the montage of Ali MacGraw swimming during the title sequence and the comical wedding guests "pig-out" at the buffet table.This was the film that really introduced fashion model Ali MacGraw to movie viewers. She was 28 playing a 21 year-old college student. Much more believably than just a year later in the somewhat pathetic "Love Story". Physically MacGraw passes fine for a younger woman and being older probably helped her hold her own in scenes with the more experienced Richard Benjamin, Nan Martin, and Jack Klugman. She is excellent in this role and manages to stay accessible and genuine while also projecting poise, grace and beauty.Benjamin's character is genuinely attracted to MacGraw but seems to maintain a healthy skepticism about the romance (along with pretty much everything in life). MacGraw's Brenda finds him attractive because of his differences but she is really her Daddy's girl and her rebellion is more playful than serious. The best scene is the father-daughter session at the wedding very late in the film. Jack Klugman character knows just the right buttons to push and it is at this point that you know the romance is truly doomed.The cinematography is first-rate and while the widescreen DVD showcases this, it has been inexcusably trimmed to qualify it for a "PG" rating. The DVD version is only 101 minutes long. Entire sequences have been deleted including the critical first sex sequence where birth control methods are discussed (foreshadowing) and the sequence with the rationale for his moving in with the family for two weeks. Also missing is all the vaguely graphic elements dealing with her initial refusal to have sex. If you are a first time viewer watching the DVD version and find puzzling narrative gaps in the story or incomplete motivational explanations, the trimming is the reason. The trimmed sequences are on the "R" rated VHS, so to see this as intended (widescreen and uncut) you will need to buy both the DVD and the VHS and reconstruct things.

At the dinner table Harriet, Ron's fiancé, is supposed to call at 5 o'clock and Julie, his little sister, is confused and says that it already was 5 o'clock. She is then told that it is 5 o'clock in Columbus and asks if you could travel back and forth and never grow old. Brenda supports this sarcastically, "Oh that's right sweetie" and is than castigated by her mother for giving the younger sibling misinformation. I am assuming that they mean Columbus,Ohio, the location of Ohio State, Ron's school, but this makes no sense since Columbus, Ohio is in the same EST time zone as Purchase, New York where the action is taking place. This appeared to be a goof, but I was at a loss to explain it until I reread the original Philip Roth Novella, which placed Harriet in Milwaukee and in the Central Time Zone. The screenwriter put her in Columbus for some reason, but neglected to realize that Columbus is in the Eastern Time Zone and that this great dialog would have this inaccuracy.