Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} A Romantic Comedy by Susan Sandler Crossing Delancey. "Crossing Delancey" makes the mistake of creating characters who are interesting enough to make us care for them - and then denying them freedom of speech. The people in this movie have intelligence in their eyes, but their words are defined by the requirements of formula comedy. If this had been a European film, the same plot would have been populated with adults, and the results might have been magical. The film tells the story of Isabella (Amy Irving), a Jewish girl from New York, in her early 30s, who works for a literary bookstore. In her work she gets to meet lots of interesting people - mad poets, Bohemian book lovers, literary lions - and she considers herself to be part of the scene. She does not quite understand, or admit, that many of the shaggy intellectual giants she meets are attracted, not by her mind, but by her beauty. She has not fully accepted the fact that some men, on one level or another, are thinking of sex when they talk to a pretty girl, no matter how they may flatter her intelligence. As the movie opens, Isabella is offered a job as the personal secretary of a self-important European poet (Jeroen Krabbe). This is the last job she needs. It is instantly obvious to the audience that her duties will be more personal than secretarial. Meanwhile, Isabella's grandmother (Reizl Bozyk), known as "Bubbie," is concerned for her welfare. Why doesn't this nice young lady have a husband and a few babies? She engages the services of a matchmaker (Sylvia Miles), who produces a prime matrimonial candidate: Sam, the pickle man, who has inherited his father's pickle store on the Lower East Side. To please Bubbie, Isabella agrees to dinner with the matchmaker and the pickle man (Peter Riegert). But she's an uptown girl now, moving in circles where she discusses novels, not pickles, and the whole world of her grandmother and matchmakers and pickle men seems hopelessly antiquated. So of course we all know what happens next. The poet turns out to be a rat. The pickle man turns out to be sweet and sensitive, just the man for Isabella, and he only agreed to the matchmaker's offer because he'd had his eye on Isabella for months. It is inevitable that Isabella will marry into pickles, but first there has to be manufactured suspense, based on her own intractable nature. Sam turns up for dates but Isabella doesn't. Things are said that are misunderstood. The whole relationship almost breaks down before it gets started. The usual stuff. I think I could enjoy a movie about a book lover and a pickle man, if only the two characters were allowed to talk openly and deeply about their two different worlds. I would not even require them to talk seriously; they could be in a romantic comedy, if they were allowed to be articulate. But the characters in "Crossing Delancey" talk almost exclusively in terms of the movie's standard plot construction. And the character of the pickle man is so seriously underwritten that he is literally given only one speech of any substance. The rest of the time he is simply a story device. It is hard to believe these two people could, or should, fall in love, because they have no communication of any depth or wit. That leaves Bubbie and Hannah Mandelbaum, the matchmaker. Both characters are straight out of musical comedy by way of the TV sitcom, but at least they are acted with great joy by Bozyk and Miles, so they're fun to watch and listen to. They have the spontaneity of life and the gift of gab. I suppose that some people, watching this movie, could get so caught up in the energy of the two older ladies that they'd go along with the conspiracy and try to cheer Isabella and Sam into marriage. But, hey, is it a good idea to get married simply because the rules of plot construction call for it? In life, maybe that would be OK, but it's not good enough for a movie. Roger Ebert. Roger Ebert the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Crossing Delancey. Crossing Delancey is a 1988 American romantic comedy film starring Amy Irving and Peter Riegert. [2] directed it, drawing upon a play by Susan Sandler, who also wrote the screenplay. Amy Irving was nominated for a Golden Globe for the film, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. Contents. Plot Cast Reception Box office Original Soundtrack Track listing References External links. Isabelle Grossman works for a New York bookstore which supports authors through public readings. When author Anton Maes comes to the bookstore to give a reading, he shows an interest in Isabelle, who is enamored with the intellectual world that is very different from her traditional Jewish upbringing. Isabelle pays frequent visits to her Bubbe (grandmother), Ida, who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Anxious for her granddaughter to settle down, Ida turns to the local marriage broker. Although shocked and annoyed, Isabelle allows the matchmaker to introduce her in Bubbe’s kitchen to Sam Posner, who owns the nearby pickle shop. At first Isabelle is not interested in Sam, believing that he is too working-class for her. Instead, she sets her sights on Anton and the New York intelligentsia. But she also feels guilty for how rude she was to Sam, so she tries to make it up to him by setting him up with her girlfriend Marilyn. In the process, she learns that he did not hire a matchmaker out of desperation and in fact has admired Isabelle from afar for several years. She is deeply touched and begins to like him, but it seems Sam has given up on her and starts dating Marilyn. One day at a store book reading, Sam shows up, wearing a suit the matchmaker had advised him to buy. Anton arrives as well. Isabelle leaves with Sam, and later agrees to meet him the next day at her Bubbe’s apartment. After work the next day, however, she is sidelined by Anton and, believing that he is romantically interested in her, goes to his apartment. She discovers instead that Anton wants the convenience of an assistant, not a true partner. Finally seeing through him, the disgusted Isabelle races to her grandmother's apartment late, finding it empty with Ida sleeping on the couch. Heartbroken, she believes she has ruined her chances with the honest and caring Sam. As she cries, Sam enters from the balcony. The two finally are united and Ida feigns confusion, but is gleeful that her plan has succeeded. Isabelle Grossman - Amy Irving Sam Posner - Peter Riegert Bubbe (Ida) Kantor - Reizl Bozyk Anton Maes - Jeroen Krabbé Hannah Mandelbaum - Sylvia Miles Lionel - George Martin Nick - John Bedford Lloyd Cecelia Monk - Claudia Silver Mark - David Hyde Pierce (billed as David Pierce) Pauline Swift - Rosemary Harris Marilyn Cohen - Ricki - Amy Wright Candyce - Faye Grant Karen - Deborah Offner Myla Bondy - Kathleen Wilhoite Rabbi - Moishe Rosenfeld Diva - Paula Laurence Woman in cab - Christine Campbell Cab driver - Reg E. Cathey Leslie - Susan Blommaert Aunt Miriam - Dolores Sutton Handball champion - Sam Corsi Mickey - Michael Marisi Ornstein (billed as Michael Ornstein) Molly - Susan Sandler Barber - Vincenzo Zafonte. This was Yiddish theatre star Reizl Bozyk’s only film role. Reception. The film received positive reviews. [3] [4] [5] It currently holds an 89% rating on based on 27 reviews. One retrospective review from 2018 called Crossing Delancey "the ultimate Jewish rom-com" and a rare great story of "outwardly Jewish love". [6] The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists: 2002: AFI's 100 Years. 100 Passions – Nominated [7] Box office. The film was a modest arthouse success. [1] Original Soundtrack Album. Crossing Delancey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the motion picture Crossing Delancey, released October 17, 1988. Instrumental tracks were by , and songs were performed by (and in some cases written by members of) . Suzzy Roche of the Roches played Marilyn, a friend of Isabelle (Irving), in the film. The Roches provided several songs for the soundtrack. One of the songs that was featured in the film, Nocturne , is also featured on the group's 1989 album Speak . An earlier arrangement of their cover of is featured on their album Another World. Track listing. Come Softly To Me (credited to Gretchen Christopher, Barbara Ellis, and Gary Troxel) Lucky (written by Terre and David Roche) Anton's Theme Portrait Of Izzy Anton Again Come Softly To Me Sadness Pounding (written by Terre and Suzzy Roche) Lucky Portrait Of Anton Barber Shop Nocturne (written by Margaret Roche) True Love Pounding (Terre and Suzzy Roche) Happy Ending Come Softly To Me Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14 and 16 are performed by the Roches. Tracks 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15 composed by Paul Chihara Track 11 composed by Sergei Prokofiev All songs arranged and orchestrated by Paul Chihara. v t e. Maggie Roche Terre Roche Suzzy Roche. The Roches (1979) (1980) (1982) Another World (1985) No Trespassing (1986) Crossing Delancey (soundtrack, split with composer Paul Chihara) (1988) Speak (1989) We Three Kings (1990) (1992) Will You Be My Friend? (1994) (1995). The Collected Works of the Roches (2003) Moonswept (2007) Seductive_Reasoning (Maggie and Terre Roche, 1975) (Suzzy Roche, 1997) The Sound of a Tree Falling (Terre Roche, 1998) Songs from an Unmarried Housewife and Mother, Greenwich Village, USA (Suzzy Roche, 2000) (Suzzy and Maggie Roche, 2002) Why The Long Face (Suzzy and Maggie Roche, 2004) I Gave My Love a Kerry (EP) (Maggie and Terre Roche, 2004) Lucy (, 2010) Fairytale and Myth (Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, 2013) Imprint (Terre Roche, 2015) Mud and Apples (Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, 2016) Four Bitchin' Babes Lucy Wainwright Roche Loudon Wainwright III . Related Research Articles. The Roches were a vocal group of three songwriting Irish-American sisters from Park Ridge, , United States. They were known for their "unusual" and "rich" harmonies, quirky lyrics, and casually comedic stage performances. Amy Davis Irving is an American actress of film, stage, and television. Her accolades include an Obie Award, two Golden Globe Award nominations, and one Academy Award nomination. The Misfits is a 1961 American drama western film written by Arthur Miller, directed by John Huston, and starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift. The supporting cast features Thelma Ritter, Eli Wallach and Kevin McCarthy. The Misfits was the last completed film for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. For Gable, the film was posthumously released, while Monroe died in 1962. Peter Riegert is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his roles as Donald "Boone" Schoenstein in Animal House (1978), oil company executive "Mac" MacIntyre in Local Hero (1983), pickle store owner Sam Posner in Crossing Delancey (1988), Lt. Mitch Kellaway in The Mask (1994), and glove manufacturer Lou Levov in American Pastoral (2016). He directed the short film By Courier (2000), for which he was nominated along with producer Ericka Frederick for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. Suzzy Roche , originally from Park Ridge, New Jersey, is best known for her work with the vocal group The Roches, alongside sisters Maggie and Terre. Suzzy is the youngest of the three, and joined the act in 1977. She is the author of the novel Wayward Saints and the children's book Want To Be in a Band? Derailed is a 2005 crime thriller film based on the novel of the same name by James Siegel. The film is directed by Mikael Håfström and stars Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, Vincent Cassel, Giancarlo Esposito, David Morrissey, RZA and Xzibit. This was also the first film to be released by The Weinstein Company in the United States. The film is set in Chicago. Joan Micklin Silver was an American director of films and plays. Born in Omaha, Silver moved to in 1967 where she began writing and directing films. She is best known for Hester Street (1975), her first feature; and Crossing Delancey (1988). Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written and directed by Gautham Menon, starring Madhavan, Dia Mirza and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. The film is a remake of the director's own Tamil film Minnale which also starred Madhavan. This is Dia Mirza's debut film. This is also Tamil actor Madhavan's official Bollywood debut film. Despite not being a commercial success at the time of release, the film had been considered as a cult classic over the years. Lutèce was a French restaurant in Manhattan that operated for more than 40 years before closing in early 2004. It once had a satellite restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. Reizl Bozyk , also known as Rose Bozyk and Róża Bożyk , was a Polish-born American actress of the Yiddish theatre. Her claim to mainstream fame was her sole film role in which she played the interfering grandmother of Amy Irving in Joan Micklin Silver's film Crossing Delancey (1988). She also appeared in a memorable Law and Order episode "Night and Fog" which aired in season 3. Speak is the fifth studio album by the folk trio The Roches, released in 1989 on MCA Records. The album features two singles which had accompanying videos, "Big Nuthin'" and "Everyone Is Good". Another track, "Nocturne", was featured in the 1988 film Crossing Delancey . Yentl is a 1983 American romantic musical drama film directed, co-written, co-produced by, and starring Barbra Streisand. It is based on Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer's play of the same name, itself based on Singer's short story "Yentl the Yeshiva Boy." Miriam Kressyn , one of the "First Ladies of the Yiddish Theater", acted and sang on stage, film and radio; she wrote plays as well. Susan Sandler is an American writer and currently a professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She has numerous writing credits but is probably best known for her play Crossing Delancey , which she also adapted into a film with the same name starring Amy Irving and directed by Joan Micklin Silver. Mina Bern was a Polish-born American actress. She was a star of the Yiddish theater. See No Evil 2 is a 2014 American slasher film directed by the Soska sisters, written by Nathan Brookes and Bobby Lee Darby, produced by Michael Luisi, and starring Danielle Harris, Katharine Isabelle and the professional wrestler Kane. It is the sequel to 2006's See No Evil . Unlike the original, which had a theatrical release, the film was released in 2014 direct to DVD and Blu-ray. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa is a 2013 American hidden camera comedy film directed by Jeff Tremaine and written by Tremaine, Spike Jonze and Johnny Knoxville. It is the fourth film in the Jackass franchise . The film stars Johnny Knoxville and Jackson Nicoll and it was produced by MTV Films and Dickhouse Productions and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was released on October 25, 2013. Bad Grandpa has a loose narrative that connects the stunts and pranks together, as opposed to the three original Jackass films which did not have a story. Songs in the Dark is the debut album by the Wainwright Sisters, a singer-songwriter duo featuring the Canadian-American and her American half-sister Lucy Wainwright Roche. The album, released on November 13, 2015, includes lullabies that their mothers Kate McGarrigle and Suzzy Roche sang to them as children, plus songs by Woody Guthrie, Jimmie Rogers, and their father Loudon Wainwright III. Amy and Isabelle , also stylized as Amy & Isabelle , is the 1998 debut novel by the American author Elizabeth Strout. The novel was first published in hardback on December 29, 1998 through Random House and is set in the fictional town of Shirley Falls, a location that Strout would revisit in her 2013 novel The Burgess Boys . Strout would also revisit the character of Isabelle in her 2019 short story cycle Olive, Again . Amy Gordon Guterson is an American Orthodox Jewish actress, filmmaker, and educator. She is best known for her role as Chaya Epstein in the long-running video series Agent Emes . She is the founder and director of the Tzohar Seminary for Chassidus and the Arts and co-founder of the Jewish women's theater troupe Kol Isha. She is also a board member of the Arts and Torah Association for Religious Artists (ATARA), founded by Miriam Leah Droz. Sunset's "Crossing Delancey" scores a "cute" "Crossing Delancey" is comfortable piece, peppered with enough ethnic and pro-"career woman" references to appeal to any culturally diverse or feminist viewers that might have been in the white suburban audience at the Sunset Playhouse of Elm Grove. "Crossing Delancey - A Romantic Comedy by Susan Sandler," was just that. A comfortable piece, peppered with enough ethnic and pro-"career woman" references to appeal to any culturally diverse or feminist viewers that might have been in the older white suburban audience at the Sunset Playhouse of Elm Grove. Set designer J. Michael Desper did a wonderful job of constructing two separate spaces onstage, which facilitated seamless transitions from one scene to the next. One side of the stage was "New Day Books," - outfitted with bookshelves, magazine racks and a glass counter that featured books of the month. On the opposite end, Bubbie the Jewish grandmother's kitchen was like something right out of a 1950's sitcom. Desper's meticulous furnishings left nothing to the imagination - from the killer formica dinette set down to the tchachki on the shelves, not to mention the half dozen locks or so on the door. Sound designers Elaine Rewolinski and Jan Pritzl did their best to create the feeling of being in the heart of New York City, by providing the sound of the subway train passing every once in a while. Unfortunately, their efforts were somewhat impeded by the actors' somewhat weak stage New York Jewish accents that faded in and out, especially Bubbie's. The Yiddish shtick was a bit overdone, and became grating at times. I remember thinking to myself, "If I hear 'oy vey' one more time, I'm going to scream." Nevertheless, costume designers Pat Boeck and Betty Nordengren provided painfully authentic 1985 outfits for the main character, Izzie. Her mammoth shoulder pads underneath a brightly flowered jacket, brought back memories of those oh-so-stylish times. In the second act, she was wearing a yellow blouse with black polka dots that made me cringe in embarrassment because I think there is photographic documentation of myself in a similar outfit. On the other hand, all of the other characters were dressed in 1940's gear, including Izzie's suitor, Sam, which seemed odd. Even though Bubbie's makeup was a bit distracting - she had these heavy black lines drawn across her neck that were visible from several rows back - she added a good deal of comic relief to an otherwise predictable love story. Bonnie Krah used some great gestures and facial expressions when recounting stories of being courted by numerous suitors in her youth. The professional matchmaker, Hannah (Frances Klumb) also gave a good performance - perhaps because we only had to deal with her in small doses. She reminded me of an older, heavier Eudora, played by Agnes Moorhead in the TV series "Bewitched." The mediocre, yet manipulative writer Tyler (Mark A. Lonteen) delivered some very funny lines, when bestowing the easily impressed Izzie with his charms, such as "I'm still swooning from your compliment - ha ha." Furthermore, when he lures Izzie out for a drink while her suitor is waiting for her at Bubbie's, he could have easily passed for the devil in disguise. At this point, however, I began to feel less sympathetic with the characters and plot action in general. Maybe it was the fact that props coordinator Andrew Wetzel had Tyler and Izzie drinking wine out of champagne flutes. Perhaps it was the fact that, although there is some truth to Tyler's motto "Keep 'em waiting," it's another thing to be polishing off a second bottle of wine together, after which Izzie didn't seem a bit tipsy. Despite the play's more preachy moments, such as when Sam reminds Izzie of how valuable Bubbie is - "You could learn a lot from your Bubbie - she knows a lot," I realized that it is this kind of line that really hits home with the target audience, who had me beat by decades. In fact, as I glanced next to me, this older woman was smiling and leaning next to her husband with her hand on his knee. At that moment, she seemed almost youthful, as if she were reliving those same moments in her own life. After everything ended happily ever after and Bubbie walked off arm-in-arm with her Izzie and Sam, the other older woman on the other side of me remarked to her husband, "That was really cute." I couldn't have said it better myself. The Sunset Playhouse's address is 800 N. Elm Grove Rd. in Elm Grove. Call (262)-782-4430 for tickets. ‘Delancey’ is where tradition and contemporary life collide, in charmer at Bickford Theater, Morris Museum. “Crossing Delancey” is a charmer of a show and well worth a visit to The Bickford Theatre in Morristown. The play was first produced at the Jewish Repertory Theatre in New York City in 1985, but was immediately pegged for a movie, which starred Amy Irving as Izzy, a marriage-resistant independent woman who works in a bookstore. The stage production clings closer to Izzy’s relationship with her grandmother, and does so with a gentle humor that will keep you absorbed throughout. Bryna Weiss is Bubbie, the grandmother who keeps telling Isabelle, or Izzy, that she should find the right person and get married. Weiss has perfect timing and is a joy to watch in her ethnic interpretation of a woman who has seen plenty of heartbreak in her life, but has a deep understanding of human nature. Some of her lines are priceless, such as when she tells the talkative matchmaker, Hannah: “Can you close your mouth a little? It will thank you.” She involves the matchmaker in her efforts to help Izzy find a mate. Vicki Tripodo is a hoot as the over-the-top, overblown busybody who is determined to connect Izzy with Sam, a man who sells pickles on New York City’s Lower East Side. When she sits in Bubbie’s kitchen, tasting everything in sight ‘for just a snack,’ her patter is relentless. Sam is a soft spoken, gentle and forgiving man. Garth Kravits gives just the right quality of understanding and maturity to ultimately help Izzy see that life isn’t all about glamour. But Izzy has her heart set on Tyler, a successful writer who stops in the book shop periodically. Jonathan Holtzman is smooth and dazzling as a self-involved promoter who sweeps Izzy off her feet. Elyse Wolf as Isabelle strikes a balance between being practical, down to earth and independent, while she keeps her fantasy of Mr. Right to herself. You can see her affection for her grandmother when she rubs the older woman’s shoulders and visits her every Sunday. Although she sees herself as a modern woman, there’s something about the old neighborhood that draws her back. Delancey is the street that divides these worlds. Thom Christopher Warren has directed this gem with a subtle sense of the needs and fears of all these people. It also helps that he injects wonderful interludes of old standards, from “I’ve Got a Crush on You” to “Everything Happens to Me.” All the songs are pre-1960 and underlying the dialogue is original music by Benjamin R. Rosenbluth. Credit goes to Roman Kilma for scenic, lighting and sound design; costumes are by Bettina Bierly and wig design by Jon Jordan. Hannah's red, curly wig is priceless. The clash between tradition and contemporary life styles couldn't be clearer than this beautifully crafted play, written by Susan Sandler, about the search for connection in an increasingly divisive world. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, this is a perfect reminder of the power of love. “Crossing Delancey” continues through Feb. 14, at The Bickford Theater in the Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Height Road, Morristown. For tickets, call 973-971-3740. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Disclaimer. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 5/1/2021). © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. ISBN 13: 9780573619885. Isabel is a modern young woman who lives alone and works in a book shop. When she is not pining after a handsome author, she is visiting her grandmother (Bubbe) in Manhattan's Lower East Side. This irascible granny and her friend the matchmaker have found a "good catch" for Isabel, whose initial reluctance gives way to a blossoming romance when she finally meets Sam, the pickle vendor as the end of the. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Shipping: US$ 2.64 Within U.S.A. Customers who bought this item also bought. Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace. 1. Crossing Delancey. Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 15524503-n. 2. Crossing Delancey A Romantic Comedy. Book Description PAP. Condition: New. New Book. Shipped from UK. THIS BOOK IS PRINTED ON DEMAND. Established seller since 2000. Seller Inventory # IQ-9780573619885. 3. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy (Paperback or Softback) Book Description Paperback or Softback. Condition: New. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS- 9780573619885. 4. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Brand New! This item is printed on demand. Seller Inventory # 0573619883. 5. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy (Paperback) Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Language: English. Brand new Book. Comedy Characters: 2 male, 3 female Combination interior, exterior set Isabel is a modern young woman who lives alone and works in a book shop. When she is not pining after a handsome author, she is visiting her grandmother (Bubbe) in Manhattan's Lower East Side. This irascible granny and her friend the matchmaker have found a "good catch" for Isabel, whose initial reluctance gives way to a blossoming romance when she finally meets Sam, the pickle vendor as the end of the. Seller Inventory # APC9780573619885. 6. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book Description Condition: New. A+ Customer service! Satisfaction Guaranteed! Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 0573619883- 2-1. 7. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Special order direct from the distributor. Seller Inventory # ING9780573619885. 8. Crossing Delancey. Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # DADAX0573619883. 9. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book Description Condition: new. Book is in NEW condition. Satisfaction Guaranteed! Fast Customer Service. Seller Inventory # MBSN0573619883. 10. Crossing Delancey: A Romantic Comedy. Book Description Condition: New. book. Seller Inventory # M0573619883.