The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

Director Ted Kotcheff
Year 1974
Run Time 120min
Genre Comedy, Drama
Based on Mordecai Richler’s beloved novel, the film charts the rise of young Duddy Kravitz (Dreyfuss), a brash, working-class Jewish kid from Montreal, determined to make a name for himself — no matter what it takes. Taking to heart his grandfather’s advice that “a man without land is nothing,” Duddy gets involved in a series of get-rich-quick schemes in order to purchase a lakeshore property in the Laurentian mountains.

As his business ventures backfire in different ways, Duddy must come to terms with the fact that he’s attaining his goals at the expense of something more important — friendship and love. Both funny and touching, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is a true Canadian classic.

The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won Film of the Year at the Canadian Film Awards.

Director

Ted Kotcheff

Toronto-born Kotcheff has produced and directed films in Australia, the UK, the US and Canada, including Fun with Dick and Jane, Joshua Then and Now, First Blood, and Weekend at Bernie’s. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. He has won Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Directors Guild of Canada and the CSAs.

 

Writers

Lionel Chetwynd, Mordecai Richler

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss, Micheline Lanctôt, Jack Warden, Randy Quaid

Producer

John Kemeny

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Interests

Classics, ESL, Family Relationships, Literary Adaptation

Original Language

English

Language Versions

EN CC, FR Dub

Canadian Distributor

eOne