Comedy

Romance

You're a Big Boy Now

Seven Arts Productions

United States of America

English

Elizabeth Hartman

Geraldine Page

Peter Kastner

Rip Torn

Michael Dunn

Karen Black

Tony Bill

Julie Harris

Dolph Sweet

Michael O'Sullivan

Ronald Colby

Rufus Harley

Frank Simpson

Nina Varela

Len De Carl

Roman Coppola

Bill Walters

Francis Ford Coppola

Phil Feldman

Theoni V. Aldredge

David Golden

Larry Sturhahn

Eleanor Coppola

Josh Weiner

Sanford Rackow

David Benedictus

Jack C. Jacobsen

Bernie Styles

Phil Naso

Stanley Cappiello

Jean Bagley

Vasilis Fotopoulos

Dick Vorisek

Marc Laub

Aram Avakian

Marvin March

B.J. Bjorkman

Robert Philippe

Andrew Laszlo

Robert Prince

_**A naïve lad goes through an awkward and quirky growth phase in Manhattan**_

A 19 year-old “boy” working as a low-level assistant at the New York Public Library (Peter Kastner) is encouraged by his strict curator father (Rip Torn) to move out on his own and so gets an apartment with a nosey landlady (Julie Harris). There’s a quality lass at work (Karen Black) who’s interested in Bernard (Kastner), but he sets his eyes on a temperamental go-go dancer (Elizabeth Hartman).  

“You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966) is a quirky coming-of-age comedy/romance set in the Big Apple based on the 1963 novel of the same name, except that the setting was switched from London to Manhattan along with changing the kid’s vocation. 

It was Francis Ford Coppola’s thesis project for UCLA, but this is far from a “student film” as it has the polish of professionalism. He had already directed a couple flicks for Roger Corman with this one including a couple snippets from his “Dementia 13” (1963). Coppola made $8000 on the gig with an $800,000 budget that spiraled into about $1 million. 

While critics say the movie rips off Richard Lester's “The Knack ...and How to Get It” (1965), Francis said his script was written before that one came out, but he did admit to being influenced by Lester’s “Hard Day’s Night” (1964).

I couldn’t help think of “Village of the Giants” (1965), just without the goofy giant-formula, although there’s definitely some goofiness, like the amusing rooster on the fifth floor. “The Graduate” (1967) was obviously influenced by it, but I’d watch this over that iconic film any day. After viewing, I was reflecting on the art vs. entertainment conundrum because Coppola made a flick with obvious artistic flair that didn't forget to be entertaining.

It’s nice seeing Julie Harris when she was 40 during shooting. You might remember her from Columbo’s “Any Old Port in a Storm” (1971).

Elizabeth was from the Youngstown/Boardman area of Ohio. You might remember her from Eastwood’s “The Beguiled” (1973). She was shy in real-life and suffered from depression, which tragically ended with her ending her life by jumping from the fifth story of her apartment in Pittsburgh at the age of 43. 

The movie runs 1 hour, 37 minutes, and was shot at various Manhattan locations, including the New York Public Library, Times Square and Central Park, as well as Chelsea Studios in New York City.

GRADE: B

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You're a Big Boy Now

Cast & Crew

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Cast

Elizabeth Hartman

Geraldine Page

Peter Kastner

Rip Torn

Michael Dunn

Karen Black

Tony Bill

Julie Harris

Dolph Sweet

Michael O'Sullivan

Box office

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