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Desperate Characters

Play trailer Poster for Desperate Characters R 1971 1h 31m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Sophie Brentwood (Shirley MacLaine) is depressed, and not without good reason. Her group of friends is disintegrating, her Brooklyn. N.Y., neighborhood is in sharp decline and her marriage to an emotionally closed-off lawyer named Otto (Kenneth Mars) is falling apart. Sophie tries to reach out to old acquaintances and her husband's ex-partner (Chris Gampel), but these efforts ultimately leave her feeling even more lonely. She desperately hopes a weekend getaway with Otto will put things right.
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Desperate Characters

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Nov 2, 2018
3/4
The movie's characters are decent people, but morally exhausted. They have no way or desire to keep going; yet they hang on raggedly to a city existence that's taken any sense of balance or sanity. Go to Full Review Dohoro Los Angeles Free Press Jan 9, 2020
The film is a little masterpiece of mood and message. Go to Full Review Tony Mastroianni Cleveland Press Nov 15, 2018
Miss MacLaine, cast against type, offers an intelligent, quiet performance, indicating moods with a look, a glance or the way she walks. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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May 27, 2015 A mediocre and dated film that has benefited over time for capturing Brooklyn and NYC at a very grim moment in its era. A time capsule movie. See more Sep 5, 2010 A good cast, but a predictable and boring story, it's very similar to other movies that came out around the same time. It's not that bad, though, it's just not good either. See more Feb 21, 2009 A decent but morally exhausted married couple deals with the inevitable onslaught of disillusionment and paranoia in middle-aged urban life. If you find the film exhausting, take that as a sign that it's point is being made. See more Oct 31, 2008 Really good movie from the early 70's. Sophie & Otto are a conventional couple living in Brooklyn and their cozy traditional world is slowly threatened by the shadow of the new upcoming decade; drugs, violence, homeless people & peep shows are right at their door... Shirley MacLaine is very good as the disturbed housewife persuaded she had been infected with rabies. See more Oct 9, 2005 [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/desperate_characters/dvd.php?select=1"][img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/41/121441.jpg[/img][/url] They don't make flicks like this one anymore, or rarely. Great dialogue and great acting. I highly recommend. See more Read all reviews
Desperate Characters

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Cast & Crew

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Frank D. Gilroy

Director

Shirley MacLaine

Sophie Bentwood

Kenneth Mars

Otto Bentwood

Gerald S. O'Loughlin

Charlie

Sada Thompson

Claire

Jack Somack

Leon
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Desperate Characters

Desperate Characters (1971) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sophie Brentwood (Shirley MacLaine) is depressed, and not without good reason. Her group of friends is disintegrating, her Brooklyn. N.Y., neighborhood is in sharp decline and her marriage to an emotionally closed-off lawyer named Otto (Kenneth Mars) is falling apart. Sophie tries to reach out to old acquaintances and her husband's ex-partner (Chris Gampel), but these efforts ultimately leave her feeling even more lonely. She desperately hopes a weekend getaway with Otto will put things right.
Director
Frank D. Gilroy
Producer
Frank D. Gilroy
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 5, 2014
Runtime
1h 31m
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