A rarity for Neil Simon's screen efforts, THE GOODBYE GIRL perfectly blends humor, sentiment, and romance on a level so pleasant it's almost suspicious.
Mason is a divorced ex-Broadway dancer in her thirties living with her precocious daughter in an apartment suddenly subleased by aspiring actor Dreyfuss, who arrives to take possession in the middle of the night. This is shocking news to Mason who thus learns that her departed lover, also an
actor, has not only made her and daughter Cummings homeless but also has jilted her without notice. Dreyfuss makes it easy on Mason by offering to share the apartment, provided she pays half the rent. She agrees out of desperation, and the two strike up an uneasy truce that gradually blossoms into
love.
This is a superb lighthearted comedy deftly directed by Ross, who helmed such hits as PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM and THE TURNING POINT. Mason is wonderfully warm and sensitive in a precarious role, while Dreyfuss, in a trademark performance, is nothing short of sensational. Cummings is a charming little
girl whose premature sophistication provides some good humor. Next to THE SUNSHINE BOYS, this may be Simon's best original screenplay. leave a comment
