Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Directed by: Robert Benton | 105 minutes | drama | Actors: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, Justin Henry, Howard Duff, George Coe, JoBeth Williams, Bill Moor, Howland Chamberlain, Jack Ramage, Jess Osuna, Nicholas Hormann, Ellen Parker, Shelby Brammer, Carol Nadell

Sometimes fiction comes very close to reality. Dustin Hoffman also experienced this when in 1978 director and screenwriter Robert Benton sent him the script for the film ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’. Hoffman initially had absolutely no desire to cooperate because the story came very close to his private situation. The actor was in the midst of a divorce and believed he had very different feelings—much deeper and more complex—than what emerged from the script. Keen to involve Hoffman in his project, Benton asked the actor to incorporate his own experiences into the story. Hoffman agreed. It is precisely because of that personal note that ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ has become one of the most sincere and truthful dramas of the 1970s.

Dustin Hoffman plays Ted Kramer, who is successful at his job but barely succeeds as a husband and father. When he comes home late from work one night and wants to announce that he has been promoted, his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) has already packed her bags. She coolly informs him that she is leaving him, in order to find her own identity again. She leaves their six-year-old son Billy (Justin Henry) with the bewildered Ted. Never before did he look back at the kid, but now he’s being put on hold. At first he finds it difficult to care for the household and his son, but thanks to the helpful neighbor Margaret (Jane Alexander), Billy and Ted slowly but surely develop a close bond. Fatherhood takes the reborn Ted so much that his job begins to suffer. Something that will cost him dearly when he is fired. To top it all off, after almost a year and a half, Joanna is suddenly back on the doorstep. She has returned and is determined to claim custody of Billy.

Kramer vs. Kramer’ is one of the most successful films of 1979. During the Oscar ceremony, the film won no fewer than five Oscars. Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor and Meryl Streep won Best Supporting Actress. The film also won the prizes for best film (even before ‘Apocalypse Now’!), best director and best script. In addition, there were four nominations that were not cashed in. Justin Henry was the youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Oscar at the age of eight. Jane Alexander, cinematographer Nestor Almendros and editor Gerald Greenberg were also honored with a nomination. All these awards are deserved: ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ is an intense family drama, with a pure and sincere (because for the most part improvised) script and impressive acting by Hoffman in particular.

The actor had previously shown that he has a great talent, with ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ‘The Graduate’, among others. But the real crowning achievement came with ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’. Firstly, Hoffman must be commended for the audacity he has had to work his private concerns into the story. This makes the film intense, recognizable and authentic. Plus, the way he interacts with child star Justin Henry is commendable. The kid was allowed to be himself as much as possible and the scenes they had together were mostly improvised and based on situations Hoffman experienced with his own children. Meryl Streep also convinces in her role as the vulnerable and hurt Joanna. Both actors pepper their game with emotions without getting sentimental. So top notch acting.

Often in a divorce drama, the side of one of those involved is chosen. Usually this is the child’s perspective. It is often the one who suffers the most. In ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’, however, this is not the case. Since Dustin Hoffman had a big finger in the pie when working out the script, the emphasis has shifted more to the father’s vision, but that only has a positive effect. Both father and mother Kramer have complex personalities that are shown from various sides. Both seem selfish and cold at times, but they also both seem to want the best for their child. The fantastic acting, the beautiful shots and camera angles and sublime directing make this film more than worth watching. If you want to see an intense, realistic and recognizable drama about a divorce and all its consequences, ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’.