Murphy’s Romance (1985) Columbia/Comedy-Drama RT: 107 minutes Rated PG-13 (language, sexual references) Director: Martin Ritt Screenplay: Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch Music: Carole King Cinematography: William A. Fraker Release date: December 25, 1985 (US, limited)/January 31, 1986 (US, wide) Cast: Sally Field, James Garner, Brian Kerwin, Corey Haim, Dennis Burkley, Georgann Johnson, Dortha Duckworth, Carole King, Michael Prokopuk, Billy Ray Sharkey, Michael Crabtree, Anna Levine, Charles Lane, Bruce French, John C. Becher, Henry Slate. Box Office: $30.8M (US)
Rating: ***
Sometimes it’s the quieter voices that speak the loudest. It’s easy to understand how a soft-spoken romantic dramedy like Murphy’s Romance might go unheard amidst all the clamor of box office toppers like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rocky IV. If you can block out all that noise, the gentle love story at the heart of it will come through loud and clear.
I’m one of the ones guilty of overlooking Murphy’s Romance when it played at cinemas. I was 18 and more interested in the likes of Black Moon Rising and Iron Eagle. I didn’t see it until it premiered on cable in early ’87. I remember liking it okay, but never felt the need to watch it in its entirety more than once. Now that nearly 40 years have passed, I have a different mindset. I decided to give it another whirl. I’m glad I did. It’s a nice little movie.
Back in the day, I didn’t realize what a dream team Murphy’s Romance had behind it. It’s directed by Martin Ritt and written by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch. They are the creative trio behind Hud (1963), Hombre (1967) and Norma Rae (1979) starring Sally Field who took home her first Oscar for her performance. In her first film since winning her second for Places in the Heart, Field plays opposite James Garner (Victor/Victoria) in a role he might not have gotten if not for the support of Field and Ritt. The studio wanted Marlon Brando due to his “box office allure”. The writers wanted Paul Newman, the star of Hud and Hombre, but he turned it down. Ultimately, the part went to Garner who earned a Best Actor nomination for his wonderful performance (he lost to William Hurt in Kiss of the Spider Woman).
I see that Murphy’s Romance is classified as a romantic comedy. I’m not so sure I agree with that last part. It has moments of humor, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a comedy. I’d say it’s more of a light-hearted drama about two people doing the dance people do when they’re in love but not yet ready to go all in. Taking the lead is Emma Moriarty (Field), a 33YO divorcee looking to start a new life in a small rural Arizona town with her 12YO son Jake (a pre-Lost Boys Corey Haim). She moves into a dilapidated ranch where she plans to make a living by boarding and training horses. I won’t be easy in a town where the local bank turns her down for a loan because she’s a woman. Yeah, they’re a little behind the times there.
Emma meets town druggist Murphy Jones (Garner) when she asks if she can put a flyer for her business in his front window. That’s after he asks her to not put one on his beloved car, a 1927 Studebaker bearing bumper stickers that reflect his progressive views (e.g. “No Nukes”, “Re-Forest America”). He’s well liked by his fellow townspeople. His being a widower makes him especially popular with the older ladies. He enjoys the attention, but he’s not interested in re-settling just yet. He and Emma become friends after she helps him pick out a good horse at an auction. Of course, he keeps it at her place.
Every romance needs at least one complication. While the age difference is definitely a thing, that’s not the biggest roadblock fate throws in the way of Emma and Murph. That would be her ex-husband Bobby Jack (Kerwin, King Kong Lives) who unexpectedly shows up at her place one day. He wants to give it one more try and convinces Emma to let him move in even though she’s against it. He says it’s for the sake of their son. For her part, Emma is ready to move on. She starts pursuing a relationship with Murph, inviting him to dinner every night. Bobby Jack, of course, is jealous and tries to sabotage their romance at every turn.
A complaint I hear all too often about some movies is that nothing happens. Okay, I’ll grant that nothing happens in Murphy’s Romance. But here’s the thing. It’s NOT about things happening. It’s driven by character rather than plot. It’s about what the characters do and say. It’s about how they react to the things done and said. The story is simple, but the characters come with complexities. All people come with those. Ritt and the writers don’t do a deep dive into their characters here, but there’s really no need to. A lot is conveyed with facial expressions, reactions and what goes unsaid. The final scene works as well as it does because of what Emma and Murph don’t come out and say.
Field turns in another amazing performance as a woman trying to carve out a place in a man’s world although that’s not what Murphy’s Romance is about, not really. It’s more about her character finding the strength to move on with her life after realizing she’s outgrown the man she married way too young. She’s matured and continues to do so while Bobby Jack stays in place mentally. He’s incredibly immature. Murph represents stability and maturity. In the role, Garner is phenomenal. He has a likability that he brings to his character here, an idealist who isn’t afraid to deliver reality checks to those in need of one. He’s a nice guy, but he doesn’t suffer BS at all.
Kerwin plays the antagonist of the story just right by not overplaying him. Bobby Jay is definitely not a good choice. In addition to being immature and irresponsible, he does bad things. He lies. He steals money from Emma so he can spend it on Jake. He cheats while playing a friendly game of poker with his family and Murph. He openly flirts with other women. Near the end, he drops a major bombshell that changes the whole game. It would have been easy to turn Bobby Jay into a caricature, but Ritt doesn’t allow it to happen. He reins in Kerwin’s performance to make him feel more real. It’s one of many right choices Ritt makes in Murphy’s Romance.
Ritt directs Murphy’s Romance with a light touch injecting humor into an already gentle love story. There’s a funny scene at a town dance where Murph and Bobby Jay compete to be Emma’s partner on the floor. It’s a figurative tug-of-war that ends with Emma making a decisive final move and the guys following suit. I also chuckled at the group sitting through Friday the 13th Part 3 (not in 3D) at the local theater. Their reactions are pretty much what you’d expect.
Murphy’s Romance has a lot going for it including its depiction of small town life. Its greatness in this area lies in the details like the Saturday night Bingo game at the Elk’s lodge and the soda fountain at Murph’s drug store. It’s the right setting for a mature love story that doesn’t involve big romantic gestures or silly teen hijinks. It’s a little movie with a great big heart. I wish they still made movies like this.
