Kramer vs. Kramer

Director: Robert Benton, Stanley R. Jaffe Robert Benton

Overview

"Released by Columbia on DVD, Kramer vs. Kramer features a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that is solid and very well done. There is only a slight amount of dirt and edge enhancement present in the picture. Overall, colors are very bright, with black levels equally dark and solid. For a film over 20 years old, Columbia has done a very nice job on the video presentation of this disc. Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono and, while only adequate, certainly gets the job done. Since Kramer vs. Kramer is a dialogue-driven film, a Dolby Digital 5.1 remix was not really warranted. Dialogue, effects, and music are all evenly mixed without any distortion present. Also included on this disc are English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese subtitles. Kramer vs. Kramer is not packed to the brim with extra features, but it does include a very long 50-minute documentary that is a reflection on the making and impact of the film. Featuring interviews with such actors as Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry, and director Robert Benton, this documentary is a very thorough and in-depth look at all aspects of the film and its production. For fans, this will be an absolute must to view alongside the feature. Also included on this disc are filmographies for principal cast members, as well as theatrical trailers for Kramer vs. Kramer plus the Dustin Hoffman vehicles Hook and Hero. Although not an official ""special edition,"" Kramer vs. Kramer includes sufficient extra material to be a must-have for drama fans."

Product Details

Release Date:	08/28/2001
UPC:	0043396048584
Original Release:	1979
Rating:	PG
Source:	SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMT
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural, Dolby Digital]
Language:	English
Time:	1:45:00
Sales rank:	18,301

Special Features

Digitally mastered audio and anamorphic video; Widescreen presentaion; Audio: English [mono] and French; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai; Exclusive documentary: "Finding the Truth: The Making of Kramer vs. Kramer"; Theatrical trailers; Filmographies; Interactive menus; Production notes; Scene selections

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Dustin Hoffman	Ted Kramer
Meryl Streep	Joanna Kramer
Justin Henry	Billy Kramer
Jane Alexander	Margaret Phelps
Howard Duff	John Shaunessy
George Coe	Jim O'Connor
JoBeth Williams	Phyllis Bernard
Bill Moor	Gressen
Howland Chamberlin	Judge Atkins
Jack Ramage	Spencer
Jess Osuna	Ackerman
Nicholas Hormann	Interviewer
Ellen Parker	Teacher
Shelby Brammer	Ted's Secretary
Carol Nadell	Mrs. Kline
Judith Calder	Receptionist
Peter Lownds	Norman
Kathleen Keller	Waitress
Dan Tyra	Court Clerk
David Golden	Grocer
Petra King	Petie Phelps
Melissa Morell	Kim Phelps
Donald Gantry	Surgeon
Ingeborg Sorenson	Woman at Christmas Party
Iris Alhanti	Partygoer
Richard Barris	Partygoer
Evelyn Hope Bunn	Partygoer
Joann Friedman	Partygoer
Quentin J. Hruska	Partygoer
Joe Seneca	Partygoer
Frederic W. Hand	Street Musician,Street Musician
Scott Kuney	Street Musician
Howland Chamberlain	Judge Atkins
Ingeborg Sørensen	Woman at Christmas Party
Iris Albanti	Partygoer
Sean Albertson	Boy in Hospital
Matteo Cafiso	Schoolmate Boy in Park
Conrad Pomerleau	Waiter
Iris Klein	Partygoer
David Gilbert	Voices
Antonio Vivaldi	Composer
Henry Purcell	Composer
Herb Harris	Composer
John Kander	Composer

Technical Credits

Robert Benton

Avery Corman

Robert Benton	Director,Screenwriter
Stanley R. Jaffe	Producer,Director
Arthur Bloom	Sound Effects
Richard Fischoff	Producer
Stan Bochner	Sound Effects
Jack Jacobsen	Sound Effects
James Perdue	Sound Effects
Sanford Rackow	Sound Effects
Avery Corman	Screenwriter
Stanley Jaffe	Producer
Shirley Rich	Casting

Editorial Reviews

Quite a portrait of modern family dysfunction, Robert Benton's adaptation of the Avery Corman novel hit a nerve with audiences for its frank take on a condition affecting them in increasing numbers: divorce. Nonetheless, it's an uneven film, not in terms of quality, but balance; the film truly belongs to Dustin Hoffman's Ted Kramer, whose travails take center stage as Meryl Streep's Joanna Kramer disappears for large portions of the film. Only a few instances of Ted's short temper fuel any sort of backlash against an otherwise endearing paternal figure, while the audience is given far less cause to sympathize with Joanna, whose reasons for leaving Ted (and more importantly, son Billy) are never explored. It's the strange transfigurations of Ted's life that make Kramer vs. Kramer such an interesting study, such as when a court-ordered deadline forces him into the office of an executive, in the waning hours before the Christmas holiday, to practically beg for a job for which he is overqualified. While there's no reason Ted's story alone should not be the focus, the film's title suggests a war waged with equal ammunition by two wronged parties, and Kramer vs. Kramer is not such a film. The dismissal of Streep's character makes the overly pat ending less forgivable as well. But the actors' note-perfect performances -- and the way the script lays bare the desperate machinations of an increasingly common and normalized legal process -- make this an enduring work.