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‘Ordinary People’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Mallory Rubin

February 1, 2022 · Ordinary People (1980) · Drama · 2:01:51

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Bill Simmons▶ 16:18Shared trivia about the generation of actors (Sean Penn, Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez) who auditioned against Hutton, how they all knew each other and auditioned for same roles, and background on Judith Guest writing the novel
Mallory Rubin▶ 14:41Discussed Redford icing out Hutton on set to create isolation, novel's shifting narration between Cal and Conrad perspectives, and background on author Judith Guest's fascination with depression
Sean Fennessey▶ 17:45Added context about how that generation of actors worked together in subsequent films like Taps, The Outsiders, and John Hughes movies

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 51:54Beth in the dead son's room scene with Conrad, but acknowledges it should be 'most gripping scene' not rewatchable for this movie; also mentions the party scene with Beth's fake personality
Mallory Rubin▶ 53:29Discusses the Beth/Conrad bedroom scene in detail, focusing on the museum-like preservation of Buck's room and their inability to connect
Sean Fennessey▶ 53:08Agrees the Beth/Conrad bedroom scene is effective but questions if it's truly rewatchable, saying 'I would not fire up that scene on YouTube'

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:53Evil Mary Tyler Moore performance, Elizabeth McGovern's career longevity, the swim coach's office as a 1980 time capsule, Redford's directing method of isolating Hutton, psychiatrists in movies, and late 70s/early 80s Chicago suburb movies
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:21:40The performances overall, the Canon in D major musical score, the fashion/sartorial style including suede jackets and wallpaper, and Conrad's book choices on his desk
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:51The clothing styles (fusion of Cal and Berger's looks), the actor-to-director transition that Redford pioneered, and Chicago movies from this era including John Hughes films

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:21Canon being used as wedding song despite being from dysfunctional family movie; Sutherland's Best Actor snub; Mary Tyler Moore's casting shock value has diminished; weird dialogue moments that feel incoherent; Redford's unreliable narrator tendencies and false claims about Pauline Kael

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:27:37Robert Redford — Glad Redford declined Calvin role - would have been too famous and overpowered the movie, not a good enough actor for the part. Intrigued by Hackman's potential for Calvin. Prefers the actual casting choices made.
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:28:33Gene Hackman — Provided research on various casting possibilities including Hackman being linked to both Dr. Burger and Calvin roles, but didn't express strong preferences for alternate casting

Hall of Fame Plaque

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:49Frederick Lean - recognizable face who's been in many things including Zero Dark Thirty and Lost
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:32:05Agreed with Frederick Lean pick, noting he was the air marshal in Lost
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:31:28M.M. Walsh for 'that guy Hall of Fame' - comparing him to first ring baseball hall of famers like Lou Gehrig and Jimmy Fox

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:48Swim coach
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:32:54Swim coach (agreed with another host)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:33:05Swim coach (agreed with others)

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:12Robert Redford — Yes for Robert Redford - peak of bankable acting career, handsome powers, just directed Oscar winner and beat Scorsese
Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:45Timothy Hutton — Yes for Timothy Hutton - won the Oscar which closes the deal
Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:54Mary Tyler Moore — No for Mary Tyler Moore - Dick Van Dyke Show was her apex
Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:251994 Oscars for telecast apex (Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, Shawshank, Letterman with Uma/Oprah)
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:39:36Robert Redford — Yes for Robert Redford - Sundance Institute formed in 1981 after his Best Director Oscar win, peak of his power
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:39:50Timothy Hutton — Yes for Timothy Hutton - winning the Oscar closes the deal
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:42:03Suggests 1975 Oscars with hosts Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra - acknowledges the game used to be different

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:51:31Multiple questions posed including: Gene Hackman as dad (no but wants to see it), Conrad's college (wife suggests Amherst/Williams type), Beth's golf handicap (12-13), Beth dating golf pro within 9 months
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:51:56Conrad goes to Michigan State, Beth remarries quickly but keeps golf separate, Beth's handicap is 10, Calvin and Beth's sex life used to convince themselves they still had something
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:52:20Warns against cold weather college experiences, wants Ward's pool as memorabilia

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:56:22Donald Sutherland — Donald Sutherland wins the actual movie, Robert Redford wins everything that comes from the movie
Mallory Rubin▶ 1:56:10Robert Redford — Suggested a shared case for Hirsch and Hutton and their scenes together, but agreed it's tough to argue against Redford
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:55:58Robert Redford — Robert Redford - directed the movie, won Best Director and Best Picture, and was the biggest movie star on the planet

Movies Referenced (44)

Raging Bull (1980)

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin▶ 7:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Good Will Hunting (1997)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 23:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Forrest Gump (1994)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 44:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 40:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Little Children (2006)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 35:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Shining (1980)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 46:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

All the President's Men (1976)

2 mentions · Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons▶ 31:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Apocalypto (2006)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 30:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deadpool (2016)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dirty Harry (1971)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Independence Day (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:34:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lions for Lambs (2007)

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 27:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (16)

Sean Penn

29 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Scorsese

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 6:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 30:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Todd Field

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Tár, Little Children▶ 35:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 25:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 30:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lynch

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 46:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Hughes

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 17:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 25:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Woody Allen

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 23:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Katzenberg

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 5:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Clooney

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Ides of March, Michael Clayton▶ 27:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (57)

Robert Redford

59 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for The Natural, Ordinary People, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid▶ 5:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Timothy Hutton

34 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Ordinary People, Beautiful Girls▶ 2:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mary Tyler Moore

33 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin · Known for Ordinary People▶ 2:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Judd Hirsch

23 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Fabelmans, Independence Day▶ 2:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Donald Sutherland

20 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin▶ 2:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gene Hackman

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unforgiven▶ 38:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elizabeth McGovern

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin · Known for Ordinary People, The Handmaid's Tale, Downton Abbey▶ 11:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam Baldwin

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Serenity, Independence Day, Full Metal Jacket▶ 1:09:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Dreyfuss

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Holland's Opus▶ 1:29:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Cruise

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Top Gun, Minority Report▶ 17:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elephant Man

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Mallory Rubin▶ 40:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 47:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (6)

Judith Guest

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Ordinary People▶ 19:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Alvin Sargent

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ordinary People, Paper Moon▶ 38:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Katzenberg

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Shrek, Just Like Heaven▶ 1:36:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Cimino

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Deer Hunter, Heaven's Gate▶ 6:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 51:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Virginia Woolf

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 12:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Michael Grantland

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 0:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗