About 'My Dinner with Andre'

'My Dinner with Andre' is a 1981 American comedy-drama film directed by Louis Malle. The film highlights a conversation between two friends at a New York restaurant. The film delves into themes such as the nature of human relationships, life, and the boundaries of reality.

The Detailed Plot Summary

The movie primarily indulges in a long conversation between the two main characters - Andre Gregory and Wallace Shawn. In New York City's Café des Artistes, Wallace listens to Andre talk about his experiences during his apparent disappearance, which includes spiritual insights and existential questions. The movie's narrative weaves through a series of turning points as they discuss life, reality, and their perspectives.

Making / Production

Directed by Louis Malle, the film is a unique narrative experiment that unfolded mostly in real-time. It was produced by George W George and Beverly Karp. The entire film was shot in the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia.

Actors

• Andre Gregory as 'Andre'. His performance stands out as he narrates his spiritual and existential experiences convincingly.
• Wallace Shawn as 'Wally'. He brilliantly portrays a character who is fixated on everyday distractions but is slowly drawn into deeper contemplations.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• It's primarily a two-character movie where the third character has a single line.
• Though it's called 'My Dinner with Andre', most of the film's content is based on Andre's monologues.
• Louis Malle, the director, said that a lot of credit for the film's success goes to editor Suzanne Baron, who had the challenging task of maintaining the pace and interest.

Awards

The film was widely acclaimed and was nominated for the 'Best Original Screenplay' at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

Quotes

• "I could always live in my art, but never in my life."
• "We're just walking around in some kind of reality that's been stuck on to us."
• "The world is full of people who are going through the motions."

Music, Soundtrack

• The film doesn't rely heavily on music but Allan Nicholls' background score does set the contemplative mood very effectively.