Dustin Hoffman and
Meryl Streep brought divorce to the masses with an imperfect yet sensitive portrayal of a difficult scenario
It’s hard to believe that 40 years have passed since Kramer vs Kramer was a cultural phenomenon, a conversation-starter that grossed more than any other movie in 1979 and then swept the
Oscars four months later, winning best picture along with prizes for both Kramers, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, and two awards for Robert Benton for his adapted screenplay and direction. And yet there are aspects of the film that seem older still, as if it were some artifact from a culture that’s utterly foreign and incomprehensible. The judgment rendered against Ted Kramer in divorce court – and the shockingly odious terms of his child visitation rights – is so unjust that the film could be interpreted as Men’s Rights propaganda.
Related: The Warriors at 40: the enduring appeal of a
New York classic