Arthur is a 1981 American romantic comedy directed by Steve Gordon and starring Dudley Moore as Arthur Bach, a wildly wealthy, permanently drunk New York heir whose carefree life is built around money, mischief and avoiding responsibility. His family pressures him into marrying the socially suitable Susan Johnson, but Arthur instead falls for Linda Marolla, a working-class woman played by Liza Minnelli. Much of the film’s charm comes from the contrast between Arthur’s outrageous privilege and his underlying loneliness, with John Gielgud’s Oscar-winning performance as Hobson, Arthur’s dry and loyal butler, giving the comedy a surprising emotional centre.
The film is strongly tied to New York City, especially the world of upper-class Manhattan. The Plaza Hotel and its Oak Room are central to Arthur’s life of drinking and social embarrassment, while his luxury apartment was filmed at 1067 Fifth Avenue, opposite Central Park. The Bach family’s corporate power is represented by 640 Fifth Avenue, and Bergdorf Goodman appears in the scene where Arthur first notices Linda shoplifting a tie. The Carnegie Mansion on East 91st Street was used for the home of Arthur’s grandmother, adding another layer of old-money grandeur to the film’s setting. Together, these locations create a Manhattan of hotels, department stores, Fifth Avenue residences, private wealth and social performance, which makes Arthur’s gradual move toward something more honest feel sharper and more meaningful.
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury department store at 754 Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, with the men’s store across the street at…
Plaza Hotel
The Plaza Hotel has appeared in many films, including North by Northwest, Plaza Suite, Arthur, Crocodile Dundee, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and many more.
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green has appeared in An Unmarried Woman, It’s My Turn, Arthur, Only When I Laugh, Ghostbusters, Heartburn, Wall Street, Beaches, and many more.
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