You’re a Big Boy Now (1966): Coppola’s First Film, Starring Geraldine Page in Oscar Nominated Performance

You’re a Big Boy Now

Peter Krasner plays Bernard Chanticleer, a shy, insecure mama’s boy, working as a librarian in New York, He is stifled by his smothering mother, played by Geraldine Page in an Oscar nominated performance.

What elevates this familiar tale above the routine is the stellar supporting cast, headed by Julie Harris, Elizabeth Hartman, Karen Black, Tony Bill, Rip Torn, and Michael Dunn.

Coppola wrote the screenplay while on location in Europe, working on Is Paris Burning? The screenplay deviates from the novel in several respect. The setting was moved from London to New York City, and Bernard’s job was changed from a shoe store clerk to a library assistant.

Coppola also added an upbeat ending. In the last sequence, Barbara (Hartman) is featured in the newspaper for stopping a rare-book thief and saving the Gutenberg Bible for the City of New York. Elated with her newfound fame, she dumps Raef.

Meanwhile, Bernard is jailed for his attempted “theft,” but Amy (Karen Black) bails him out, making him realize that she’s the right girl for him.

You’re a Big Boy Now was invited to the prestigious 1967 Cannes Film Fest as the only American entry.

The film, which went over budget, was a box-office flop, failing to recoups its cost.

 

Oscar Nominations: 1

Supporting Actress: Geraldine Page

Oscar Awards: None

Oscar Context:

The winner of the Supporting Actress Oscar was Sandy Dennis for her role in Mike Nicholas’ Who’s Afraid of Viriginia Woolf?

This was the fourth of eight nominations of Gerladine Page, who finally won Best Actress in 1985 for The Trip to Bountiful.

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by Coppola, based on the book “You’re a Big Boy Now,” by David Benedictus
Produced by Phil Feldman
Cinematography Andrew Laszlo
Edited by Aram Avakian
Music by Robert Prince

Production company: Seven Arts ProductionsDistributed by Warner

Release date: December 9, 1966

Running time: 97 minutes
Budget: $800,000