Taglines: A story for everyone who thinks they can never fall in love again.
Cinderella Liberty movie storyline. The ship on which kindhearted US Navy sailor John Baggs, Jr. is currently serving has just docked in Seattle. Beyond wanting to find a fellow sailor by the name of Lynn Forshay who he believes is also on shore in Seattle and on who he wants to exact some revenge, John knows no one in town and has no set plans. After a visit to the navy doctor, John is admitted to the hospital to await the result of some tests, during which he is granted Cinderella day liberty.
After he gets clean bill of health, his ship has already left, meaning he is reassigned to another ship leaving in two weeks time. His stay on shore until another reassignment gets extended indefinitely for reasons outside his control, during which time he is forced to shore duty, most of those assignments which he doesn’t much like. In his off time, he begins to insert himself into the life of Maggie Paul, a prostitute he met during that Cinderella liberty, and her eleven year old biracial son, Doug.
Aside from what money she makes hooking and hustling at pool, Maggie and Doug live on welfare, the combined income which barely keeps them alive. Beyond his attraction to Maggie, John feels protective toward Doug, who is often forced to fend for himself as Maggie goes prowling her bar of choice to pick up other sailors. That protective feeling toward Doug is because John knows Doug has many issues in his life, the least of which is he constantly carrying a switchblade to show how tough he is or can be. John falls for the entire package that is Maggie and Doug. The question then becomes if they can make a go of it as a family, which is complicated by individual circumstances in John and Maggie’s lives. Navy and government bureaucracy also plays a large part in what happens with the three in the long run.
Cinderella Liberty is a 1973 American drama film adapted by Daryl Ponicsan from his 1973 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of a sailor who falls in love with a prostitute and becomes a surrogate father for her 10-year-old mixed race son.
Produced and directed by Mark Rydell, the film stars James Caan, Marsha Mason, and Eli Wallach, with a supporting cast that includes Kirk Calloway, Burt Young, Allyn Ann McLerie, Dabney Coleman, Jon Korkes, and Allan Arbus.
The title is derived from the plot point that the sailor, while receiving medical treatment at the Navy base’s medical facility, is given what is called a “Cinderella Liberty” pass which allows him to freely leave the naval base as long as he is back by midnight curfew. The film is one of two 1973 film adaptations of Ponicsan’s novels; the other was The Last Detail.
Cinderella Liberty was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Marsha Mason), Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, and Best Music, Song (John Williams and Paul Williams for “Nice to Be Around”). The movie was filmed in Seattle, Washington.
Cinderella Liberty (1973)
Directed by: Mark Rydell
Starring: James Caan, Marsha Mason, Kirk Calloway, Eli Wallach, Burt Young, Dabney Coleman, Bruno Kirby, Allyn Ann McLerie, Sally Kirkland, Diane Schenker, Jon Korkes, Allan Arbus
Screenplay by: Darryl Ponicsan
Production Design by: Leon Ericksen
Cinematography by: Vilmos Zsigmond
Film Editing by: Patrick Kennedy
Costume Design by: Rita Riggs
Music by: John Williams
Makeup Department: Frank Griffin
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: December 18, 1973 (U.S.), April 7, 1974 (Sweden), September 30, 1974 (Germany), September 27, 1974 (Belgium), November 8, 1974 (Finland)
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