Arthur (2011 film)

Last updated
Arthur
Arthur poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jason Winer
Screenplay by Peter Baynham
Story by Steve Gordon
Based on Arthur
by Steve Gordon
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Uta Briesewitz
Edited by Brent White
Music by
Production
companies
  • MBST Entertainment
  • BenderSpink
  • Langley Park Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • April 8, 2011 (2011-04-08)
Running time
110 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$40 million [1]
Box office$48.1 million [2]

Arthur is a 2011 American romantic comedy film written by Peter Baynham and directed by Jason Winer. It is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name written and directed by Steve Gordon. Its story follows Arthur, a wealthy and alcoholic philanderer who, after a drunken run in with the law, is forced by his mother to marry Susan, a suitable spouse, or else he will be stripped of his inheritance. But things suddenly become complicated once he meets and falls in love with a free-spirited woman named Naomi. It stars Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, and Jennifer Garner.

Contents

The film was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and was released on April 8, 2011. [3] It grossed $12.2 million during its opening weekend and $48.1 million worldwide, against a budget of $40 million. [4] It received generally negative reviews and has a 26% rating based on 193 votes on Rotten Tomatoes. [5]

Plot

Boozy Arthur Bach and his chauffeur, Bitterman, dress up in Batman and Robin costumes for a formal dinner hosted by Arthur's mother, Vivienne. The dinner is intended to announce Arthur as the new chairman of her corporation, Bach Worldwide. Driving to the dinner in a Batmobile, an intoxicated Arthur is chased by police, arrested and released the next day.

Vivienne forms a plan to have her shrewd assistant Susan Johnson marry Arthur to ensure stable leadership and help Arthur's reputation. Arthur initially refuses (citing that he and Susan have nothing in common for a loveless relationship), but is told that he will be cut off from his $950 million inheritance if he does not marry Susan. He reluctantly agrees, and eventually asks Susan's father, Burt Johnson, for permission to marry. Burt agrees, after forcing Arthur against a table saw and warning him not to embarrass Susan.

In the meantime Arthur has met and wooed Naomi Quinn, an illegal tour guide to whom he has become attracted because of her free-spirited nature. He arranges his wedding while sneaking around on dates with Naomi. Arthur's nanny, Lillian Hobson – who normally dislikes all of Arthur's choices in women – gets to know and likes Naomi. Arthur learns that Naomi would like to have her children's book about the Statue of Liberty published. He attempts to find employment and other options so that he will be able to keep seeing Naomi and not need the inheritance, but to no avail.

Hobson takes Arthur to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, where Arthur complains that it is depressing and makes him want to drink. He proclaims he is going to drink, unintentionally brags about his wealth, and turns to leave the meeting. Hobson stands up and takes the bullet, giving Arthur's humiliating introduction in his place. Arthur, touched, states that if only she would do his drinking for him as well, he would be set.

Arthur goes to see Naomi at her house and tells her the truth – that he is engaged to Susan. Naomi then tells him to leave. Back home, Arthur calls for Hobson, only for Bitterman to come and tell him that she is in bed with a headache. Later, Hobson goes to Naomi and asks her to give Arthur another chance, but she again falls ill and is taken to a hospital. Naomi calls Arthur to tell him what has happened. He comes to the hospital, meets Naomi and is about to make up with her, but Susan arrives and tells Naomi that Arthur has bought the company that is handling the publication of her book. Upset, Naomi leaves the hospital. Hobson comes home and Arthur takes care of her. The two begin to get along better. However, a few days later, Hobson dies in her sleep and Arthur reverts to alcohol to numb the pain of her death, losing Naomi, and being married to Susan.

At his wedding, Arthur gets drunk and finds Hobson's last letter to him in which she advises him to follow his heart. Arthur decides, during the vows, not to proceed with the marriage. Susan and her father become belligerent and begin punching him, which makes Vivienne realize that the ambitious and conniving Susan is only after her company. Vivienne stops the ruckus, but reminds Arthur of the agreed upon disinheritance if he pursues Naomi. Arthur strips nearly naked to emphasize that he wants no kind of dependency on his mother's money and runs to Naomi's apartment. He tells her that he just lost his mum (meaning Hobson, not Vivienne) but Naomi, still upset with him, says she can't replace Hobson and refuses any prospect of their getting back together.

Six months later, Arthur is now sober. He has got back his inheritance because he is managing the company's charity, and his mother is proud of him for finally taking something seriously (possibly indicating his love for Naomi). He goes to a bookshop to buy Naomi's book – which she has dedicated to him – and sees an advertisement for a book-reading she will be giving at the New York Public Library. Arthur goes to the library and, this time, Naomi takes him back. The two leave the library and Bitterman drives them through New York in the Batmobile with the police following in pursuit.

Cast

Production

In December 2008, Warner Bros. announced they were developing a remake of the 1981 film with Russell Brand to play the title character. [6] the role was originally offered to Ricky Gervais but he declined. [7] In February 2009 it was announced that Peter Baynham, the writer of Borat , was working on a script. [8]

In March 2010 it was announced that Jason Winer, best known for directing episodes of Modern Family , was chosen as director, making it his first feature film. [9] Helen Mirren, who had previously worked with Brand in The Tempest (2010), joined the cast in April. [10] Greta Gerwig was cast as Arthur's love interest in May, [11] with Nick Nolte and Jennifer Garner joining the following month. [12]

Filming took place in the spring and summer of 2010 at locations in and around New York City including St. Bartholomew's Church on Park Avenue, a location used in the original 1981 version of the film. Re-shoots took place in the winter months of 2011. Arthur Bach's penthouse is supposedly atop the Pierre Hotel on 2 East 61st Street, the famed 5-star hotel on the East Side, but the interior was created in the studio. The Daily News Building at 220 East 42nd Street was used as the headquarters of Bach Industries. The scenes in which Arthur first meets Naomi while she is conducting a tour as well as their first date were filmed at Grand Central Terminal. [13] The scenes of Arthur working in a candy store were filmed at Dylan's Candy Bar, a New York City candy store founded by New Yorker Dylan Lauren, the daughter of Ralph Lauren.

The character Arthur's excessive drinking was central to the film's plot, but Brand – a recovering drug addict and alcoholic – said this was not an issue for him during production. Brand said that before scenes he would sniff alcohol to remind him of what it was like to be drunk. [14] Russell Brand's clothing in the film was inspired by Lapo Elkann. [15]

In November 2023, a woman who had been previously cast as an extra in Arthur filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros accusing Brand of exposing himself before he assaulted her in 2010. [16] [17]

Release

Box office

Arthur was a box office disappointment. It finished third in the U.S. box office following its first week of release with an intake of $12,222,756 from 3,276 screens. It had its UK premiere at the O2 in London on 19 April. [18] At the end of its 28-day release, the film earned $32,854,846 in the United States and $12,710,000 in other markets, for a worldwide total of $45,735,397. [4] It was released at the same time as Hop , which also featured Russell Brand. [19]

Reception

The film was not screened in advance for critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a score of 26% based on 193 reviews with an average score of 4.4/10, with the consensus describing it as "[a]n irritating, unnecessary remake that demonstrates the libertine charm Russell Brand exudes in supporting roles turn against him when he's star of the show." [5] It received a 36 out of 100 rating on Metacritic, which gave it the description of 'generally unfavorable'. [20] Brand later remarked that his choice to be in the lead role was "a mistake" [21] and one of his most notable failures in life. [22]

The Houston Chronicle wrote a scathing review of Brand's performance, stating "Make no mistake, people are going to hate Brand in this." [23] However, Thelma Adams of Us Weekly called it "a laugh-out-loud romp – and [Russell Brand's] best screen role to date." [24] Cinemablend stated that "despite all the odds against him, [Russell Brand] proved himself as a winning movie presence". [25]

Roger Ebert gave the film three out of four stars, stating that the film "is a fairly close remake of the great 1981 Dudley Moore movie, with pleasures of its own." [26] Richard Roeper also enjoyed the film, giving it a "B", and, although he thought parts of the film were difficult to understand, said, "The new Arthur is a likable comedy with a good heart." [27]

Awards and nominations

Related Research Articles

<i>Picnic</i> (1955 film) 1955 film by Joshua Logan

Picnic is a 1955 American Technicolor romantic comedy-drama film filmed in CinemaScope. It was adapted for the screen by Daniel Taradash from William Inge's 1953 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. Joshua Logan, director of the original Broadway stage production, directed the film version, which stars William Holden, Kim Novak, and Rosalind Russell, with Susan Strasberg and Cliff Robertson in supporting roles. Picnic was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won two.

<i>Arthur</i> (1981 film) 1981 film by Steve Gordon

Arthur is a 1981 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Steve Gordon. It stars Dudley Moore as Arthur Bach, a drunken New York City millionaire who is on the brink of an arranged marriage to a wealthy heiress but ends up falling for a common working-class young woman from Queens. It was the sole film directed by Gordon, who died in 1982 of a heart attack at age 44.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Mirren</span> British actor (born 1945)

Dame Helen Mirren is a British actor. With a career spanning 60 years, she is the recipient of numerous accolades and is the only performer to have achieved both the American and the British Triple Crowns of Acting. Mirren has received an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen, a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award for portraying the same character in The Audience, as well as three British Academy Television Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as DCI Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect.

Hobson's Choice is a play by Harold Brighouse, the title taken from the popular expression, Hobson's choice—meaning no choice at all.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Watts</span> British actress (born 1968)

Naomi Ellen Watts is a British actress. After her family moved to Australia, she made her film debut there in the drama For Love Alone (1986). She appeared in three television series, Hey Dad..! (1990), Brides of Christ (1991), and Home and Away (1991), and the film Flirting (1991). Ten years later, Watts moved to the United States, where she initially struggled as an actress. She took roles in small-scale films until she starred in her breakthrough role as an aspiring actress in David Lynch's psychological thriller Mulholland Drive in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Hackford</span> American film director

Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director and former president of the Directors Guild of America. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for Teenage Father (1979). Hackford went on to direct a number of highly regarded feature films, most notably An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) and Ray (2004), the latter of which saw him nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Picture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Brand</span> English comedian, actor, and podcaster (born 1975)

Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, presenter, activist, and campaigner. He established himself as a standup comedian and radio host before becoming a film actor. After beginning his career as a comedian and later becoming an MTV presenter in the UK, in 2004 Brand gained a role as the host of the television show Big Brother's Big Mouth, a Big Brother spin-off. He had his first major film role in British comedy St Trinian's (2007) before starring in the Hollywood comedies Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Get Him to the Greek (2010), Arthur (2011), and Rock of Ages (2012). He has released several stand-up specials including Scandalous (2009), Messiah Complex (2013), and Brandemic (2023). He hosted his own radio show The Russell Brand Show and also hosts the podcasts Stay Free with Russell Brand and Under the Skin with Russell Brand. He has received three British Comedy Awards and a nomination for a BAFTA Award. Over the course of his career, Brand has been the subject of frequent media coverage for issues such as his promiscuity, drug use, political views, provocative behaviour at various award ceremonies, his dismissal from MTV, and his resignation from the BBC amid a prank call controversy.

<i>Arthur 2: On the Rocks</i> 1988 Bud Yorkin film

Arthur 2: On the Rocks is a 1988 American romantic comedy film and the sequel to the 1981 film Arthur. Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Stephen Elliott, Thomas Barbour, Ted Ross and Barney Martin reprise their roles with Cynthia Sikes replacing Jill Eikenberry, who was committed to filming L.A. Law at the time, in the role of Susan Johnson. Burt Bacharach also returned to score the film. The soundtrack also features songs by popular artists, including OMD and Kylie Minogue. While still a comedy, On the Rocks is somewhat darker than its predecessor. The film received generally negative reviews and also was a financial disappointment when compared to the more successful original.

Hellraiser is a British-American horror media franchise that consists of eleven films, as well as various comic books, and additional merchandise and media. Based on the novella The Hellbound Heart by English author Clive Barker, the franchise centers around the Cenobites which includes the primary antagonist named Pinhead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Ross</span> American actor (1934–2002)

Theodore Ross Roberts was an American actor best known for his role as the Lion in The Wiz, an all-African American reinterpretation of The Wizard of Oz. He won a Tony Award for the original 1975 Broadway production and recreated the role in the 1978 film version which also starred Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, and Lena Horne. Ross appeared in many films including the role of Bitterman in Arthur and on the television sitcoms Benson, The Jeffersons, What's Happening Now!!, The Cosby Show and its spin-off A Different World. His final role was in the 1991 movie The Fisher King.

<i>Laughter in Paradise</i> 1951 British film by Mario Zampi

Laughter in Paradise is a 1951 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi, starring Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton. The film was remade as Some Will, Some Won't in 1970.

<i>The Dark Horse</i> (1932 film) 1932 film

The Dark Horse is a 1932 American pre-Code political comedy film, starring Warren William and Bette Davis. The movie was directed by Alfred E. Green.

<i>Night Must Fall</i> (1937 film) 1937 film by Richard Thorpe

Night Must Fall is a 1937 American film adaptation of the 1935 play by Emlyn Williams, adapted by John Van Druten and directed by Richard Thorpe. It stars Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell and Dame May Whitty in her Hollywood film debut at age 72, who earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She reprised her role in the stage drama in London and New York City. A critical success, Night Must Fall was named the best film of the year by the National Board of Review. Robert Montgomery also received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role. A 1964 remake starred Albert Finney, although the remake did not do as well as the original.

<i>Gentlemen Are Born</i> (1934 film) 1934 film

Gentlemen Are Born is a 1934 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Franchot Tone, Jean Muir and Margaret Lindsay. The film's pre-release title was Just Out of College. A news item in Daily Variety notes that Warner Bros. was sued for $250,000 by Ronald Wagoner and James F. Wickizer who contended that the film was based on their story "Yesterday's Heroes."

<i>The Debt</i> (2010 film) 2010 film

The Debt is a 2010 remake of the 2007 Israeli thriller film Ha-Hov, directed by John Madden from a screenplay by Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman and Peter Straughan. It stars Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, Marton Csokas and Jesper Christensen.

<i>The Crazies</i> (2010 film) 2010 American horror film by Breck Eisner

The Crazies is a 2010 American science fiction horror film directed by Breck Eisner from a screenplay from Scott Kosar and Ray Wright. The film is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name and stars Timothy Olyphant, Radha Mitchell, Joe Anderson and Danielle Panabaker. George A. Romero, who wrote and directed the original, served as an executive producer. It is about a fictional Iowa town that becomes afflicted by a biological agent that turns those infected into violent killers. The film was released on February 26, 2010, and grossed $54 million on a $20 million budget. It received mixed reviews according to Metacritic, with the critical summary on Rotten Tomatoes calling the film "tense, nicely shot, and uncommonly intelligent".

<i>Just Go with It</i> 2011 romantic comedy movie directed by Dennis Dugan

Just Go with It is a 2011 American romantic comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Allan Loeb and Timothy Dowling, and produced by Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, and Heather Parry. It is a remake of the 1969 film Cactus Flower, and stars Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. It tells the story of a plastic surgeon who enlists his assistant to help him woo a sixth-grade math teacher.

<i>Man-Proof</i> 1938 film by Richard Thorpe

Man-Proof is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by Richard Thorpe. The film is based on the 1937 novel The Four Marys written by Fannie Heaslip Lea.

<i>Brighton Rock</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Rowan Joffé based on the 1938 novel

Brighton Rock is a 2010 British crime film written and directed by Rowan Joffé and loosely based on Graham Greene's 1938 novel of the same name. The film stars Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Serkis, John Hurt, Sean Harris and Helen Mirren.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aja Naomi King</span> American film and television actress

Aja Naomi King is an American actress. King began her career in guest-starring roles on television, and starred in the short-lived CW medical comedy-drama series Emily Owens, M.D. (2012–2013). She also has starred in the films Four (2012) and Reversion (2015). After her breakthrough as Michaela Pratt in the ABC legal drama series How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020), she received praise for portraying Cherry Turner in the historical film The Birth of a Nation (2016).

References

  1. ↑ Kaufman, Amy (April 7, 2011). "Movie Projector: With 'Hop' and 'Arthur,' Russell Brand should top box office". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Arthur (2011)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  3. ↑ "April 2011 Movie Releases". www.moviefone.com. Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  4. 1 2 "Arthur". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2020-08-26.
  5. 1 2 "Arthur". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  6. ↑ "Russell Brand as Arthur?". Total Film. 2008-12-04. Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  7. ↑ "The Lost Roles of Ricky Gervais". 19 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Russell Brand's Arthur has a writer". Total Film . 2009-02-26. Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  9. ↑ Bettinger, Brendan (2010-03-01). "MODERN FAMILY's Jason Winer Set To Direct Russell Brand in ARTHUR". Collider . Archived from the original on 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  10. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (2010-04-22). "Helen Mirren Joining Russell Brand in Arthur Remake". /Film . Archived from the original on 2010-11-14. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike (2010-05-06). "Warners Finds Its New Liza In 'Arthur' Redo". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  12. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (2010-06-10). "Jennifer Garner and Nick Nolte Join Russell Brand's Arthur Remake". /Film . Archived from the original on 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2021-06-05.
  13. ↑ Sacks, Ethan (2011-04-03). "Funnyman around town: A tour of the New York locations for Russell Brand's remake of 'Arthur'". NY Daily News . New York. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012.
  14. ↑ Rainey, Naomi (2010-10-11). "Russell Brand 'sniffs alcohol for Arthur'". Digital Spy .
  15. ↑ Wallace, Chris (2011-04-07). "Wardrobing Russell Brand in 'Arthur': Less Dudley, More Lapo | Gilt MANual". Gilt Groupe . Archived from the original on 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  16. ↑ "Russell Brand Accused Of Sexual Assault On Set Of 'Arthur', Film Extra Names Warner Bros In Suit". Deadline.
  17. ↑ "Russell Brand denies claim of sexual assault on film set". BBC News.
  18. ↑ Burke, Myles (2011-04-19). "Russell Brand locks lips with Katy Perry and Helen Mirren at Arthur premiere". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on 2011-04-23. Retrieved 2011-04-21.
  19. ↑ Appelo, Tim (April 12, 2011). "5 Reasons Why Russell Brand's 'Arthur' Flopped". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on 2011-04-13. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Arthur Reviews". Metacritic . 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  21. ↑ "Brand: Doing Arthur was a mistake". Metro News . February 18, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  22. ↑ Brand, Russell (2019-07-01). "How I Cope With Failure..." YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2019-07-01.
  23. ↑ Harris, Paul (April 15, 2011). "Russell Brand's 'career-killing' turn in Arthur checks star's Hollywood rise". The Guardian. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  24. ↑ Adams, Thelma (2011-04-04). "Review | Arthur". Us Magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-04-16.
  25. ↑ Rich, Katey (2016-05-27). "Arthur (2011) Review". CinemaBlend . Archived from the original on 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  26. ↑ Ebert, Roger (6 April 2011). "Arthur Movie Review". Chicago Sun-Times . Sun-Times Media Group . Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  27. ↑ "Richard Roeper Review on youtube". Youtube.com. 2011-04-08. Retrieved 2013-05-19.[ dead YouTube link ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.