Following theVietnam Warand theRichard Nixonera in the United States, the public was ready to end the ’70s on an upbeat note. Though blockbuster hits such asStar WarsandGreaseprovided escapist entertainment on the big screen, there were still bleak pictures similar to the ones at the start of the decade that reflected the dark realities of American life. 1977’sLooking for Mr. Goodbarexamined the emotional and physical dangers of dating life in the big city.
The seedy character drama, directed byRichard Brooks(Blackboard Jungle,In Cold Blood), isa timeless cautionary tale about the mental toll of cruising for a hookup. As a similar picture of the era inSaturday Night Fevertapped intotoxic masculinity around the disco scene,Goodbardepicted the dangers of women embracing single life while exploring intense sexual escapades with random men. While its star,Diane Keaton, was praised by the likes of legendary film criticRoger Ebertfor making a rare character turn in contrast toAnnie Hall, it was the presence of an unknown actor namedRichard Gerethat turned heads.
‘Looking for Mr. Goodbar’ Is Inspired by a True Story
Goodbar was inspired by the life of New York City schoolteacherRoseann Quinn, who was murdered at the hands of a random stranger she had an encounter with in 1973, resulting in a novel released two years later byJudith Rossner. Keaton plays a fictionalized version of Quinn named Theresa Dunn, a responsible role model to her students at a school for the deaf. Traumatized by years of difficult parents, refusing to bear children, and feeling heartbroken after her college professor boyfriend (Alan Feinstein)dumps her after taking her virginity,Theresa moves into the same building with her sister Katherine (Tuesday Weld) and begins frequenting the city bars to find love in all the wrong men.
One of those wrong men is a flamboyant drug dealer named Tony (Gere) who not only sleeps with Theresa but also gets her addicted to cocaine. In contrast, she romances social worker James (William Atherton), who would rather have a serious relationship with conditions rather than one-night stands. Thenightlife cruisingstarts to take a toll on Theresa’s job, her family, and her well-being. Only when she starts to turn her life arounddoes another sexual encounter lead to a living nightmare.
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Goodbarnearly captures the magnetic, thriving club scene of the late ‘70s withoutSaturday Night Fever’s flashy lights and fashion. It is the type of environment that someone as lonely as Theresa would be seduced by. She can drop the baggage of her daytime responsibilities to transform into an aggressive manhunter. But whatshe often finds is a cold, hard reality in every encounter: good-looking men who act as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Yet, no matter how much danger she faces from the likes of Tony providing Quaaludes to counteract the cocaine,the random hookups become the real addiction.
Richard Gere Made a Lasting Impression in ‘Looking for Mr. Goodbar’
Not only was Keaton perfectly cast as the independent-minded Theresa, but it was also a performance far darker thanThe Godfatherand any of her performances inWoody Allenfilms. For an actress known for embodying the everyday middle-aged woman on screen,Goodbarchallenged Keaton to play a character who radiated charisma while desperately seeking something more lastinginternally. She demonstrates her Oscar-winning talent by showcasing not only the moments when Theresa is in control of the flirtation at the bars but also when she’s not. Specifically, in a dialogue-less scene on Theresa’s first night alone in her apartment when she has trouble sleeping asBill Withers’s song “She’s Lonely” blasts through the walls. The simple direction of putting a pillow between her legs instead of over her head displays the character’s need for the satisfaction she lacks.
ThoughGoodbaris Keaton’s vehicle,the film features several future stars early in their careers,includingLeVar Burtonas the brother of one of Theresa’s students andTom Berengeras her last male encounter. Butthe standout is a then-28-year-old Gere as Tony. At first glance, he has undeniably handsome looks and a swagger to woo Theresa to bed. The images of Gere with the Freebird hairstyle and half-open shirt wearing only his underwear echoed youngMarlon Brandoin ways that oozed natural charisma. Even his love scene where Tony sets his sights on Theresa’s surgical scars adds to the sexual chemistry with Keaton. Yet,Gere added an extra layer of gritty intensity in the later sceneswhen he physically lashed out against Keaton’s rejections of a serious relationship that paved the way for his superstar turn as Julian Kay inAmerican Gigolo.
Looking For Mr. Goodbarrepresented the last of theNew Hollywoodera of cinema before the ‘80s ushered in crowd-pleasing blockbusters to bring audiences joy. However, the themes of sexual liberation foreshadowed the consequences of a carefree period with the rise inAIDSawareness within the nightclub scene in the initial years after its release, making the film far more cautionary than what was intended.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
