"American Playhouse" Who Am I This Time? (1982)

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writers:

Neal Miller (writer)
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (story)

TV Series:

"American Playhouse" (1982)

Original Air Date:

2 February 1982

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Plot:

From a short story by Kurt Vonnegut. Christopher Walken is a shy hardware store employee. But whenever...

Plot Keywords:

Telephone Company | Audition | Hardware Store | Actor | Oscar Wilde

Cast

Susan Sarandon	...	Helene Shaw
Christopher Walken	...	Harry Nash
Robert Ridgely	...	George Johnson
Dorothy Patterson	...	Doris
Caitlin Hart	...	Lydia
Les Podewell	...	Les
Aaron Freeman	...	Andrew
Jerry Vile	...	Albert
Paula Frances	...	Minnie
Mike Bacarella	...	Stage Manager
Ron Parady	...	Vern
Debbi Hopkins	...	Christie
Maria Todd	...	Heather
Sandy McLeod	...	Flirt #1
Edie Vonnegut	...	Flirt #2

Runtime:

55 min | Argentina:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Evanston, Illinois, USA

Company:

Rubicon Film Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

The quotations recited by the actors in the various plays, from "Cyrano" to "A Streetcar named Desire" to "The Importance of Being Earnest", are often paraphrased). In the opening act, we watch Harry Nash deliver the final lines of "Cyrano," which were taken not from the well-known translations or any of the other standard texts, but from the film adaptation Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) with translation by Brian Hooker. Edmond Rostand's final two words in the original French were "My panache!" which is usually used in translations. Hooker's version changes it to "My white plume!" Another slight variation occurs in the final lines, when Helene accepts Harry's proposal of marriage and says, "I hope that after we marry, you'll always look at me just like this... especially in front of other people!" In the original play by Oscar Wilde, the line is "I hope you will always look at me just like that, especially when there are other people present."

Quotes:

[In the phone company office, George can't help noticing that Helene is a nice-looking lady. He lowers his voice]
George Johnson: Uh, excuse me, have you, uh, have you ever... acted?
[She stares at him with what might be hostility but is more likely bafflement]
George Johnson: Uh, what do you do? With the machine?
Helene Shaw: I teach the local girls how to operate them.
George Johnson: Ahh. How long are you gonna be in North Crawford?
Helene Shaw: [still officious] I stay in each place eight weeks, sir, then I take a new machine to a new town.
George Johnson: You see, the reason I'm asking is, is, well, you see, I've got this idea. We're, we're having auditions for our Dramatic Club. We're doing a new play, and, uh... Why don't you come over? There's a part in there that'd be perfect for you!
[...]

Unsurpassed tour de force for two fine actors

As a play within a play (contains scenes from Streetcar Named Desire) it is a showcase for the range of these excellent actors -- Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken. It is also a sensitive tale of lonely people finding each other and their hearts.

If the well-earned emotions generated do not bring tears of happiness at the end, perhaps you should look for your own heart.