Barefoot in the Park (film)

Barefoot in the Park (film)
source
Name	Barefoot in the Park
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Gene Saks
Producer	Hal B. Wallis
Screenplay	Neil Simon
Based on	Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon
Starring	Jane Fonda; Robert Redford; Charles Boyer; Mildred Natwick; Elizabeth Wilson
Music	Neal Hefti
Cinematography	Charles Lang
Editing	Warren Low
Studio	Hal Wallis Productions
Distributor	Paramount Pictures
Released	1967
Runtime	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Barefoot in the Park (film) is a 1967 American romantic comedy directed by Gene Saks and adapted by Neil Simon from his own 1963 Broadway play. The film stars Jane Fonda and Robert Redford as newlyweds navigating domestic adjustments in a Manhattan brownstone, supported by performances from Charles Boyer and Mildred Natwick. Noted for its urban setting, improvisatory charm, and Broadway pedigree, the film became a commercial success and a cultural touchstone of 1960s American cinema.

Plot

Newly married Paul Bratter and Corie Bratter move into a small sixth-floor walk-up in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, where Corie's free-spirited temperament clashes with Paul's conservative temperament. Corie schemes to enliven their marriage by cajoling Paul into meeting eccentric neighbors and accepting impulsive adventures, including a barefoot trip across a frigid East River shoreline and a rooftop dinner. Tension escalates when Corie's mother, the genteel widow Mrs. Banks, visits from France and clashes with Paul, culminating in a near-divorce crisis. After a series of comic misunderstandings involving a hospital scare and reconciliatory exploits, the couple reconcile, embracing a balance between Corie's spontaneity and Paul's stability against the backdrop of 1960s New York City.

Cast

- Jane Fonda as Corie Bratter; Fonda was by then associated with films like Cat Ballou and later with Klute and Coming Home. - Robert Redford as Paul Bratter; Redford had appeared in Inside Daisy Clover and would later star in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. - Charles Boyer as Victor Velasco, Corie's cultured father figure; Boyer was known for roles in Algiers and Gaslight. - Mildred Natwick as Mrs. Banks, Corie's genteel mother; Natwick's stage pedigree included collaborations with the New York Shakespeare Festival and film work such as The Court Jester. - Elizabeth Wilson as Ethel Banks; Wilson appeared in productions including The Graduate and 5 Easy Pieces. - The supporting ensemble includes character actors who worked across Broadway and Hollywood, connecting the film to institutions like the Broadway theatre circuit, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the Actors Studio.

Production

The screenplay was adapted by Neil Simon from his 1963 Broadway play, originally produced by David Merrick and directed on stage by Mike Nichols; the film version reunited Simon with director Gene Saks, a frequent collaborator on stage-to-screen adaptations. Producer Hal B. Wallis acquired rights through Hal Wallis Productions, leveraging Paramount Pictures for distribution. Principal photography took place on location in Greenwich Village and on soundstages in Los Angeles, combining urban exteriors with controlled interiors photographed by cinematographer Charles Lang, whose credits included A Farewell to Arms and The Magnificent Seven. Composer Neal Hefti provided a light jazz-inflected score; editor Warren Low shaped the film's brisk comedic pacing.

Casting balanced Hollywood rising stars with veteran character players: Jane Fonda and Robert Redford, both rising within the Motion Picture Academy's ecosystem, brought contemporary charisma while Charles Boyer and Mildred Natwick lent theatrical gravitas. Production design referenced postwar Manhattan aesthetics and the bohemian milieu associated with figures like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, though the screenplay remained focused on domestic comedy rather than countercultural politics.

Release and reception

Paramount Pictures released the film in 1967, where it performed well at the box office and drew audiences familiar with the original Broadway production starring Elizabeth Ashley and Robert Redford's contemporaries. Contemporary reviews praised the film's charm and performances, especially Fonda's effervescence and Natwick's scene-stealing turns, while some critics noted the stage-to-screen adaptation retained a theatrical cadence. Trade publications such as Variety and critics for The New York Times and Los Angeles Times evaluated the film within the context of 1960s romantic comedies, comparing it to works by directors like Billy Wilder and playwright-adaptations such as The Odd Couple.

The film received nominations from industry bodies and contributed to the rising public profiles of its leads; Robert Redford's ensuing career arc included founding the Sundance Film Festival and directing films like Ordinary People. Over time, the film has been discussed in studies of Neil Simon's oeuvre, American stage adaptations, and depictions of urban marriage in postwar cinema.

Adaptations and legacy

As an adaptation of a successful Broadway play, the film exemplifies mid-20th-century transference between Broadway theatre and Hollywood; Neil Simon's plays have spawned other screen adaptations including The Odd Couple and The Prisoner of Second Avenue. The film's cultural imprint appears in television revivals, international remakes, and stage revivals in regional theaters associated with institutions like the Royal National Theatre and the Goodman Theatre. Its depiction of Greenwich Village life and newlywed dynamics influenced later romantic comedies and sitcoms airing on networks such as NBC and CBS.

The careers of Jane Fonda and Robert Redford continued into activism and institution-building—Fonda's activism connected to movements intersecting with organizations like Vietnam Veterans Against the War, while Redford's advocacy for independent film led to the institutionalization of the Sundance Institute. Film historians reference the film in historiographies of 1960s American cinema, situating it among domestic comedies that navigated changing social mores while retaining mainstream appeal.

Category:1967 films Category:American romantic comedy films Category:Films based on plays