Love and Pain (and the Whole Damn Thing)

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Love and Pain (and the Whole Damn Thing)

PG

Released Apr 19, 1973

1h 49m

Romance

Comedy

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3 Reviews

67%

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50+ Ratings

Walter Elbertson (Timothy Bottoms), the handsome and restless son of an American doctor (Charles Baxter) isn't sure what he wants out of life. While touring Spain, Walter meets Lila Fisher (Maggie Smith), a pretty older British woman. Initially striking up a friendship with Lila, the awkward Walter soon falls for her, despite their age difference. The two begin an unlikely romance, leading to moments of both charming comedy and disarming poignancy.

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

It was a peculiarly soft, slapsticky interlude for director Alan J. Pakula between such quintessentially hard-edged 1970s classics as Klute, The Parallax View, and All the President’s Men...

Feb 13, 2023

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Cheerfully dreary.

Rated: B-

Oct 29, 2010

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Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

One of those immensely modest little 1970s dramedy gems that nobody talks about... but every time anyone sees one of them, their response is always the same: "that was a great little movie".

Rated: 9/10

Sep 26, 2009

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Kate G

This movie is one of my all time favorites. Lila's awkwardness is almost painful to watch and poor Walter is struggling under his accomplished father and sister. These two odd people traipsing about Spain are brought together by basic human decency. Don't we all want someone we can actually talk to? Despite societal norms and a fatal disease they decide to love each other. I can still see them riding burros together in La Mancha. As they say, it's a small movie but a timeless story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/14/24

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Doug D

I remembered seeing this quirky little gem of a movie in High school back in 1972 or so , and never forgot it . A great but quiet love affair develops between the two main characters ( a young Timothy Bottoms and Maggie Smith.) Ir takes place in Spain . The humor , acting , cinematography and music are also top notch . Definitely worth a watch !

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/23

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Audience Member

The best romance movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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lynn d

I saw this film when it first came out and absolutely loved it. Touching, funny, fun. I just bought the DVD and am looking forward to seeing it again. The scene that sticks out in my mind is Maggie Smith leaving the lavatory. Almost forty years ago, and I still remember it fondly, and there have been so many films since then that I forgot I've even seen.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Not bad, a bit slow. Nice cinematography of the spanish countryside.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

great spanish locations fill this drama I just recently discovered this '70's gem.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Alan J. Pakula

Director

Maggie Smith

Lila Fisher

Timothy Bottoms

Walter Elbertson

Emiliano Redondo

The Spanish Gentleman

Don Jaime de Mora y Aragon

The Duke

Charles Baxter

Dr. Elbertson

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Synopsis

Walter Elbertson (Timothy Bottoms), the handsome and restless son of an American doctor (Charles Baxter) isn't sure what he wants out of life. While touring Spain, Walter meets Lila Fisher (Maggie Smith), a pretty older British woman. Initially striking up a friendship with Lila, the awkward Walter soon falls for her, despite their age difference. The two begin an unlikely romance, leading to moments of both charming comedy and disarming poignancy.

Director: Alan J. Pakula
Producer: Alan J. Pakula
Screenwriter: Alvin Sargent
Production Co: Gus Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 19, 1973, Limited
Release Date (DVD): Sep 8, 2009
Runtime: 1h 49m