Murphys Romance (1985)

"...simple and charming romantic comedy...  Find-A-Video

Editor's Note A charming, low-key romantic comedy, MURPHY'S ROMANCE is full of the small pleasures missing from other pictures of its genre. James Garner, in his first Oscar-nominated performance, is the title character, Murphy. Garner lends his unique, down-home persona to the character while the film's writers endow the character with some memorable lines. Murphy's romance begins when Emma (Field) arrives in the small Arizona town where he lives. With her she brings her son Jake, and a feisty attitude. Though this sounds like a set-up from any number of other film romances, it becomes clear from their first meeting that the director, Martin Ritt, is more interested in his carefully observed setting, and in the comic flirtations between Murphy and Emma flirtations, than in making a conventional picture. In fact, some of the film's strongest comic scenes occur when the locals show off their color, including a hilarious sequence during a bingo game that showcases the amazing support cast. Of course, there is some drama and confrontation, but the focus remains on the setting and the relationship between Murphy and Emma, whose lengthy romance is the clear mark of one of the most highly enjoyable movie courtships ever seen.

	Brian Kerwin
	Corey Haim
	James Garner
	Sally Field
	William A. Fraker - Cinematographer
	Martin Ritt - Director
	Carole King - Musical Score
	George Justin, et al. - Producer
	Harriet Frank, Jr. - Screenplay
	Irving Ravetch - Screenplay

In a small Western town, love blossoms between an unlikely pair. Emma Moriarty leaves her attractive but hopelessly irresponsible husband and heads to Arizona with her adolescent son. There she struggles to start a horse ranch with some help from Murphy Jones, an appealing oddball who is several years her senior. A mutual attraction develops, but comic complications arise when Emma's estranged spouse shows up on the ranch and tries to patch things up. Variety
"...Director Martin Ritt has just the right touch....[A] sweet and homey picture which casts two very decent actors (Sally Field and James Garner) in two very decent roles..." 12/18/1985

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Murphy's Romance takes a whole movie to arrive at the conclusion that takes us two minutes, but that doesn't mean this is a predictable movie. The whole point of this movie is how it looks at those characters, and listens to them, and allows them to live in a specific time and place... Murphy's Romance was directed by Martin Ritt...and one of the strenghts of Murphy's Romance is the freedom he feels to simply pause, occasionally. Two examples: Listen carefully to the man who calls the bingo numbers, and the old man Murphy gives a lift to one day. They have particular voices and deliberate word choices, and they seem completely authentic. So, to a surprising degree, does the movie. - Roger Ebert

Find-A-Video 8 of 10
James Garner received an Oscar nomination for his delightful performance in this simple and charming romantic comedy. Garner plays a small-town pharmacist who romances a recently divorced mother (Sally Field), much to the dismay of her ne'er-do-well ex-husband (Brian Kerwin)...