BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – “Diner,” the revered 1982 Barry Levinson coming-of-age comedy/drama set in 1959 at a Baltimore diner, will be shown on Wednesday, May 15, at the Bellows Falls Opera House (BFOH), as part of the Classic Film Wednesday series.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with showtime scheduled for 7 p.m. The screening is sponsored by Andrew and Anette Dey, on behalf of the Miss Bellows Falls Diner project of Rockingham for Progress (RFP).
RFP will be offering Miss Bellows Falls Diner mugs, pins, and commemorative soaps for sale in the lobby prior to the screening. As a special incentive, each purchaser will receive a free “Triple Up” – popcorn, soda, and candy of their choice at the time of purchase. The Miss Bellows Falls Diner, a beloved local landmark dating from 1944, shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic, was purchased by RFP in 2023, and is slated for restoration and reopening over the next two to three years. Fundraising efforts are ongoing, with approximately $450,000 raised and earmarked to date.
Today considered one of the most influential movies of its era, “Diner” defied the odds to become a classic story of friendship, and a showcase for its young stars – many of whom were in the earliest stages of what became illustrious careers.
“Diner” follows a group of 20-something buddies as they prepare for the wedding of their pal Eddie (Steve Guttenberg). Each character is searching for something – Boogie (Mickey Rourke) for a way out of a dead-end life; Shrevie (Daniel Stern) for a connection with his wife; Billy (Timothy Daly) to marry his love; Fenwick (Kevin Bacon) for someone to see the intelligence underneath the prankster; and Modell (Paul Reiser) for a sandwich or a ride. But the only thing they can count on are their nights in the diner, and the strength of their bonds.
The studio expected a much more straightforward film, not a series of linked vignettes dotted with extensive improvisation, which director/writer Levinson cultivated on set. But in the end, MGM’s dislike of the film worked to Levinson’s benefit, because they couldn’t cut the movie into something closer to what they wanted. “They just thought, ‘The movie is so bad that there’s no sense to even cut it. Just leave it alone, and it’ll never be seen,’” the director says. “That’s the only reason it’s in the form it’s in.”
The Bellows Falls Opera House showcases live and special events, first-run movies, and locally-sponsored Classic Film Wednesdays. Tickets to movies, underwritten by the Town of Rockingham, can be purchased at www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com or at the door. To learn more about the Miss Bellows Falls Diner project, visit www.missbellowsfalls.com.