On this day March 26 1982 I Ought to Be in Pictures premiered in theaters. Directed by Herbert Ross and based on Neil Simon’s stage play the film starred Walter Matthau Ann-Margret and Dinah Manoff. It followed a struggling Hollywood screenwriter whose estranged teenage daughter shows up unannounced hoping to reconnect and pursue her dreams of becoming an actress.
The story aimed to blend heartfelt emotion with comedic moments as the characters worked through long-held resentments and tried to form a family bond. Though it featured a strong cast and Neil Simon’s trademark dialogue the film failed to resonate with critics and audiences the way his earlier works had. The movie brought in $6.9 million at the box office and received harsh reviews from several critics.
80s insight: Siskel and Ebert named I Ought to Be in Pictures one of the worst films of 1982 despite the popularity of Neil Simon’s previous adaptations.