Move (1970 film)
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Move is a 1970 American comedy film starring Elliott Gould, Paula Prentiss and Geneviève Waïte, and directed by Stuart Rosenberg. The screenplay was written by Joel Lieber and Stanley Hart, adapted from a novel by Lieber.
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Plot summary
The film covers three days in the life of Hiram Jaffe a would-be playwright who supplements his living as a porn writer and by walking dogs. He and his wife, Dolly, are moving to a new apartment on New York's Upper West Side. Jaffe is beset by problems, including his inability to persuade the moving man to move the couple's furniture, and retreats into fantasy.
Cast
- Elliott Gould as Hiram Jaffe
- Paula Prentiss as Dolly Jaffe
- Geneviève Waïte as Girl
- John Larch as Patrolman
- Joe Silver as Oscar
- Graham Jarvis as Dr. Picker
- Ron O'Neal as Peter
- Garrie Beau as Andrea
- Mae Questel Mrs. Katz
Production
Original Novel
The film was based on a novel Move by Joel Lieber which was published in 1968. The Chicago Tribune called the novel "largely amusing, sometimes puzzling." The New York Times called it "very funny".
Development
In February 1968, before the novel had been published, 20th Century Fox announced they had bought the screen rights for $85,000. They called it a "dirty Barefoot in the Park." Stuart Rosenberg was to direct, Pandro Berman to produce and Dustin Hoffman to star. Lieber did the first screenplay.
By February 1969 the lead had become Elliott Gould. In March Gould signed a non-exclusive four picture contract with Fox, the first of which was to be MASH and the second of which was to be Move. Paula Prentiss signed in July. Shortly after Genevieve Wait, who had been in Joanna was announced as the third lead.
Gould was going to make Move after MASH when Columbia came to him with Getting Straight so he delayed the film to do that one. ""Columbia said if I didn't take the part they'd drop it," he said. "I was the only actor they'd go with. I was never so flattered in my life."
Reception
The film was a box office failure. Gould later said "“there were great elements in it” but felt Rosenberg while "a sweet man and a talented filmmaker... Comedy wasn’t his main field. There was a problem with the script, and I would always defer to the writers, to the director. I didn’t know that I might have gotten involved to develop something that might have fused Move."
Gould was later offered the lead role in Pocket Money alongside Paul Newman, but turned it down because he did not want to work with Rosenberg again after his experience making Move.
Lieber would commit suicide in May 1971, aged 35.
See also
