Product Details

• Actors: Billy Crystal, Alan King, JoBeth Williams, Janet Carroll, David Ackroyd
• Directors: Henry Winkler
• Writers: Billy Crystal, Eric Roth
• Producers: Billy Crystal, Alan King, Gabe Sumner, J. David Marks, Michael Hertzberg
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: December 2, 1993
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6302786908
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,422 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Billy Crystal and Alan King will keep you in stitches in director Henry Winkler's heartwarming comedy about a feuding father and son who discover that love is a family trait. With a script by Crystaland Oscar(r) winner* Eric Roth, Memories of Me is well written, well directed [and] smart and tender (Roger Ebert, 'siskel & Ebert ). They say, like father, like son, but for Abe (King) and Abbie (Crystal) Polin, nothing could be further from the truth. Abe is king of the Hollywood extras. As an actor he's an expert at being a face in the crowd. His son Abbie is a respected NewYork heart surgeon who's always felt like a bit player in his father's life. When Abbie suffers a mild heart attack, he decides it's time to mend family ties...or break them altogether. So he heads out to Hollywood, where his efforts at reconciliation lead to hilarious consequences. *1994: AdaptedScreenplay, Forrest Gump

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "There's an art to being incidental.", April 7, 2003

By 

Sheri Richardson (Formerly San Jose, CA US, now in the Wilds of OR US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memories of Me (DVD)

An artful little film. The plot isn't original -- estranged father and son reconciling in the nick of time -- and has been done before and since (Jack Lemmon, "Tribute", "Dad"; Paul Newman, "Harry and Son"; Jackie Gleason, "Nothing in Common"). But director Henry Winkler keeps "Memories of Me" happy-poignant rather than tragic, and earns big kudoes for keeping the runaway talents of Billy Crystal and Alan King on-track as much as he does. Where the film shines are the incidentals that make life good.

Crystal plays the straight man, for the most part (only a few runaway moments), Dr. Abbie Polin, a New York heart surgeon who suffers a coronary while working on some nice lady's heart ("Kansas?"). JoBeth Williams, playing his shikse ladyfriend, Lisa ("Dr. Christian"), goads Abbie into reconciling with the father he'd led her to believe was dead. So Abbie is off to California, where Pop, King as Abe Polin, is "the King of the Extras".

Williams' performance is easily overlooked, but she also has one of the best lines in summing up Abbie's aloofness, "You are great in bed, but then you don't know how to hold my hand." And King hasn't often carried a film to this degree ("Just Tell Me What You Want" being another), but he and Crystal are magic together.

Some highlights: Abbie's trumpeting. Abbie keeping up with the pink-clad jogger. The history of the courtroom wawlah. The singing impression/telegram. Abe calling for a hora on Olvera Street, with mariachis ("Have a tequila!"). Abbie standing in as Abe's agent, and Abe's casting interview. Abe rehearsing his death scene ("You will notice that the picture is slightly askew.").

The DVD transfer is anamorphic but otherwise nothing special. What artifacts and graininess remain aren't distracting. Includes the original full-screen theatrical trailer along with pitches for other MGM releases. A blooper reel, if such could be unearthed for a future repackaging, is for now, alas, sorely missing.

Even so, as Abbie says, "This is an interesting collage."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't listen to the naysayers -- this is a gem, January 15, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Memories of Me [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Billy Crystal and Alan King turn in memorable performances as an estranged son and father confronting past hurts, who finally learn to appreciate one another and thus, get on with living -- just in time. As you would expect from such comedic giants, the timing, humor and chemistry are excellent. A poignant film that balances a heavy subject with humor and thoughtful perspective.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A realistic reflection of life as a movie extra and more., February 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Memories of Me [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Sorry all, my opinion is jaded as I played a bit part in the film as the TOMATO, yes the tomato. They covered my face with green makeup, my legs with green tights and of course a giant round red tomato suit. Going to the lunchroom (sans the tomato suit) was embarrasing but funny too... Hollywood! Also not that anyone will read this but, Sean Connery was in one scene and off camera he and I were checking out a penny on the ground, I looked at him like "no, you take it" so he did! Said Connery "a penny is still money, right?" Why do I remember this stuff?

So Memories of Me will always be a memory for me.