Picture 52: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

The 1970s has been a phenomenal decade of New Hollywood Best Pictures. Kramer vs. Kramer need only score 4/10 and the average score for the 1970s will surpass any other decade thus far (the Golden Age of the 1940s being the current record holder at 8/10). Can the highest grossing film of 1979 manage it?

We meet Joanna Kramer (Meryl Streep) and her husband Ted (Dustin Hoffman). Meryl returns to the blog for a consecutive year whilst Dustin returns after a 10-year sabbatical. The Kramers have been married for 8 years. Surely everything is wonderful and they are living happily ever after?

Sadly not. They get divorced in the opening exchanges and this comes as a surprise to Ted. We then follow the custody battle for 1 hour and 45 minutes. This is more interesting than it sounds and it manages to be eminently watchable. Hoffman himself was going through a divorce at the time so no doubt was able to pull on his lived experience.

The horror of a divorce court and the ensuing character assassinations is well depicted. It is a compelling drama, well written and well-acted by the leading couple. Unfortunately, a solid 8/10 is no guarantee of success these days and Kramer lands in 30th place just behind Midnight Cowboy (1969). However, it comfortably did enough to crown the 1970s as the best decade in the history of the Best Picture Film Blog. Congratulations.

Rating: 8/10

Reflections:

1.     Nobody gets married thinking they’ll get divorced.

Oscar Best Picture Rankings:

1. The Godfather (1972)

2. Casablanca (1943)

3. The Apartment (1960)

4. Rebecca (1940)

5. The Godfather: Part II (1974)

6. The Sound of Music (1965)

7. The Deer Hunter (1978)

8. A Man for All Seasons (1966)

9. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

10. Ben-Hur (1959)

11. Lost Weekend (1945)

12. Rocky (1976)

13. Annie Hall (1977)

14. All About Eve (1950)

15. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

16. Hamlet (1948)

17. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

18. Gone With the Wind (1939)

19. West Side Story (1961)

20. Mrs. Miniver (1942)

21. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

22. Wings (1928)

23. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

24. You can’t take it with you (1938)

25. Patton (1970)

26. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

27. On the Waterfront (1954)

28. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

29. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

30. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

31. Marty (1955)

32. Oliver! (1968)

33. Cimarron (1931)

34. Grand Hotel (1932)

35. The French Connection (1971)

36. An American in Paris (1951)

37. From Here to Eternity (1953)

38. It Happened One Night (1934)

39. My Fair Lady (1964)

40. Gentleman’s Agreement (1947)

41. Cavalcade (1933)

42. The Sting (1973)

43. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

44. Going My Way (1944)

45. The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

46. All the King’s Men (1949)

47. In the Heat of the Night (1967)

48. Gigi (1958)

49. Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

50. The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)

51. The Broadway Melody (1929)

52. Tom Jones (1963)

Previous or current ranking leaders are in bold.

With credit and thanks to the patrons of the Best Picture Film Club:

Dr Sophie Bloomfield – Fashion Correspondent

Dr Caspar Briault – Head of Cynicism

Dr Conrad Charlton

Dr Kate Diomede

Dr Fionnuala Durrant

Dr Josh Fisher

Dr Joseph Hamilton

Dr Adam Holland

Dr Sid Mohan

Dr Hannah Morrison

Dr Meera Radia