Neil Simon's 1977 film "The Goodbye Girl" captivated audiences with its blend of humor and romance, telling the story of an unlikely cohabitation that blossoms into love. Years later, this beloved screenplay was adapted into a Broadway musical, premiering in 1993. The transformation from a cinematic narrative to a stage musical involved significant creative decisions, particularly in translating the plot, character dynamics, and emotional beats into song
and dance. Neil Simon himself penned the book for the musical, ensuring a direct lineage from his original vision, while Marvin Hamlisch composed the music and David Zippel wrote the lyrics.
The Film's Genesis and Evolution
The original film version of "The Goodbye Girl" had its own complex development. It began as a screenplay titled "Bogart Slept Here," which was initially intended to star Robert De Niro and be directed by Mike Nichols. This early concept focused on the experiences of a successful actor in Hollywood. However, during filming, it became apparent that De Niro was not the right fit for the comedic timing required, leading to his departure and Nichols subsequently leaving the project. Neil Simon recalled that the humor he had written was getting lost, as De Niro's comedic style was more nuanced than what the script demanded.
Following these changes, Richard Dreyfuss was brought in, and Neil Simon undertook a significant rewrite of the screenplay in just six weeks. Simon's goal was to make the story "funnier, more romantic," essentially creating a prequel to his initial idea. Instead of starting with an already married actor, he chose to begin at the point where the characters first meet, initially disliking each other before falling in love. This revised approach, which became the basis for the iconic film, provided a strong foundation for the later musical adaptation, emphasizing the evolving relationship between Paula and Elliot.
Crafting the Musical Narrative
The musical adaptation of "The Goodbye Girl" retained the core premise of the film: the unexpected living arrangement between former dancer Paula McFadden, her daughter Lucy, and quirky actor Elliot Garfield. The film's plot detailed Paula's boyfriend Tony DeForrest deserting her and subletting their Manhattan apartment to Elliot, leading to initial clashes over Elliot's eccentric habits like meditative chants and sleeping in the nude. Paula's struggles to restart her dancing career and Elliot's challenging off-off-Broadway role as an exaggerated homosexual stereotype of Richard III were key cinematic elements.
In the musical, these narrative threads were condensed and expressed through song. The musical's plot summary highlights Paula's vow of "No More" involvement with actor-boyfriends and Elliot's establishment of "My Rules" for their cohabitation. Paula's difficulty returning to dance is captured in the song "A Beat Behind," while their growing attraction is explored in "Paula (An Improvised Love Song)." The film's detailed progression, including Elliot's romantic gestures like a rooftop dinner and his eventual offer of a film role in Seattle, culminates in the musical's "What a Guy" and a happy ending, demonstrating how the stage version distilled the emotional arc into musical numbers.
Musical Numbers and Thematic Expression
The transition to a musical format necessitated a rich score to convey character emotions and advance the plot. The original Broadway production featured a diverse set of songs, including "This Is as Good as It Gets," "No More," "My Rules," "Good News, Bad News," and "What a Guy." These numbers were integral to defining the characters of Paula and Elliot and illustrating their evolving relationship. For instance, the new opening song created during the Chicago tryouts for Paula and Lucy, an "exuberant song about their hoped-for move to California from New York City," was specifically designed to lighten Paula's character.
Interestingly, the musical saw significant changes in its song list between its Broadway and later West End productions. The London production featured different titles such as "I'll Take the Sky," "Body Talk," and "The Future Isn't What It Used to Be," replacing several Broadway numbers. Ken Mandelbaum, reviewing the London cast recording, noted that this revision resulted in a "skimpier new score" that did not improve upon the original. He specifically highlighted the "loss of all three of Peters' solos" as "particularly inexplicable," suggesting that some of the musical's emotional depth, particularly for the lead female character, may have been diminished in the revised version. This illustrates the ongoing creative adjustments that can occur even after a show's initial premiere.
