Crossing Delancey

Crossing Delancey is a 1988 American romantic comedy film starring Amy Irving and Peter Riegert. Joan Micklin Silver[2] directed it, drawing upon a play by Susan Sandler, who also wrote the screenplay. Amy Irving was nominated for a Golden Globe for the film, for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Crossing Delancey
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJoan Micklin Silver
Produced byMichael Nozik
Written bySusan Sandler (based on her play)
Starring
Music byPaul Chihara
The Roches (songs)
Sergei Prokofiev (from "Kije's Wedding")
CinematographyTheo Van de Sande
Edited byRick Shaine
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • September 16, 1988 (1988-09-16)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$4 million
Box office$16 million (United States)[1]
Crossing Delancey (original motion picture soundtrack)
LP cover
Studio album by
The Roches and Paul Chihara
ReleasedOct 17, 1988
GenreFolk
LabelVarèse Sarabande
ProducerPaul Chihara
The Roches chronology
No Trespassing
(1986)		 Crossing Delancey (original motion picture soundtrack)
(1988)		 Speak
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link

Plot

Isabelle Grossman works for a New York bookstore which supports authors through public readings. When author Anton Maes comes to the bookstore to give a reading, he shows an interest in Isabelle, who is enamored with the intellectual world that is very different from her traditional Jewish upbringing.

Isabelle pays frequent visits to her Bubbe (grandmother), Ida, who lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Anxious for her granddaughter to settle down, Ida turns to the local marriage broker. Although shocked and annoyed, Isabelle allows the matchmaker to introduce her in Bubbe’s kitchen to Sam Posner, who owns the nearby pickle shop.

At first Isabelle is not interested in Sam, believing that he is too working-class for her. Instead, she sets her sights on Anton and the New York intelligentsia. But she also feels guilty for how rude she was to Sam, so she tries to make it up to him by setting him up with her girlfriend Marilyn. In the process, she learns that he did not hire a matchmaker out of desperation and in fact has admired Isabelle from afar for several years. She is deeply touched and begins to like him, but it seems Sam has given up on her and starts dating Marilyn.

One day at a store book reading, Sam shows up, wearing a suit the matchmaker had advised him to buy. Anton arrives as well. Isabelle leaves with Sam, and later agrees to meet him the next day at her Bubbe’s apartment.

After work the next day, however, she is sidelined by Anton and, believing that he is romantically interested in her, goes to his apartment. She discovers instead that Anton wants the convenience of an assistant, not a true partner. Finally seeing through him, the disgusted Isabelle races to her grandmother's apartment late, finding it empty with Ida sleeping on the couch. Heartbroken, she believes she has ruined her chances with the honest and caring Sam. As she cries, Sam enters from the balcony. The two finally are united and Ida feigns confusion, but is gleeful that her plan has succeeded.

Cast

This was Yiddish theatre star Reizl Bozyk’s only film role.

Reception

The film received positive reviews.[3][4][5] It currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews.

One retrospective review from 2018 called Crossing Delancey "the ultimate Jewish rom-com" and a rare great story of "outwardly Jewish love".[6]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Box office

The film was a modest arthouse success.[1]

Original Soundtrack Album

Crossing Delancey (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the motion picture Crossing Delancey, released October 17, 1988. Instrumental tracks were by Paul Chihara, and songs were performed by (and in some cases written by members of) The Roches.

Suzzy Roche of the Roches played Marilyn, a friend of Isabelle (Irving), in the film. The Roches provided several songs for the soundtrack. One of the songs that was featured in the film, Nocturne, is also featured on the group's 1989 album Speak. An earlier arrangement of their cover of Come Softly to Me is featured on their album Another World.

Track listing
  1. Come Softly To Me (credited to Gretchen Christopher, Barbara Ellis, and Gary Troxel)
  2. Lucky (written by Terre and David Roche)
  3. Anton's Theme
  4. Portrait Of Izzy
  5. Anton Again
  6. Come Softly To Me
  7. Sadness
  8. Pounding (written by Terre and Suzzy Roche)
  9. Lucky
  10. Portrait Of Anton
  11. Barber Shop
  12. Nocturne (written by Margaret Roche)
  13. True Love
  14. Pounding (Terre and Suzzy Roche)
  15. Happy Ending
  16. Come Softly To Me
  • Tracks 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14 and 16 are performed by the Roches.
  • Tracks 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13, 15 composed by Paul Chihara
  • Track 11 composed by Sergei Prokofiev
  • All songs arranged and orchestrated by Paul Chihara

References
  1. Klady, Leonard (January 8, 1989). "Box Office Champs, Chumps: The hero of the bottom line was the 46-year-old 'Bambi'". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  2. Calling the shots : profiles of women filmmakers. Cole, Janis., Dale, Holly. Kingston, Ont.: Quarry Press. 1993. ISBN 1-55082-085-0. OCLC 39763692.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. Maslin, Janet (August 24, 1988). "Movie Review - Crossing Delancey - Review/Film; Learning to Appreciate a Mr. Right Who Sells Pickles and Tells Jokes". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  4. Ebert, Roger (September 16, 1988). "Reviews: Crossing Delancey". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2012-06-26 – via RogerEbert.com.
  5. Benson, Sheila (April 14, 1989). "MOVIE REVIEW: 'Moonstruck' Glow Lights 'Delancey'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-06-26.
  6. Silver, Stephen (2018-08-24). "'Crossing Delancey,' now 30 years old, was the ultimate Jewish rom-com". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  7. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Nominees" (PDF). American Film Institute. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
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