ComedyYear1979Duration1h 59mIMDb7.2

Same Time, Next Year

ComedyDramaRomance

Beginning in 1951, neurotic married accountant George and naive married homemaker Doris have a one-night stand and then meet at the same place once each year. As years go by, they observe changes in each other and their relationship.

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Trailer

Cast

Robert Mulligan

Director

Alan Alda

George Peters

Ellen Burstyn

Doris

Ivan Bonar

Chalmers

Bernie Kuby

Waiter

Cosmo Sardo

Second Waiter

David Northcutt

Pilot #1

William Cantrell

Pilot #2

Bernard Slade

Writer

Comments

9 Comments

Patricia MasialaJun 15, 2025

Two people meet at a seaside inn one night in 1951 and are attracted to one another although each is married to someone else. After spending the night together and realizing they've fallen in love, each agrees to meet on the same weekend each year for a rendezvous and each keeps that promise. We see this couple age and grow together from 1951, just after the war, to 1977, just after Vietnam. Seeing each character grow as human beings together and apart is amazing. Alan Alda plays the happily neurotic accountant beautifully off Ellen Burstyn's naive "stay-at-home" mother who blossoms into a confident, talented businesswoman. Mr. Alda's character, George, doesn't grow as obviously as Miss Burstyn's Doris, but both absorb and survive some of life's best and worst experiences. Some of Miss Burstyn's transformations are a bit jarring - arriving one year to the reunion 8 months pregnant comes to mind, as does her transformation from a suburban housewife to a Berkeley University hippie chick. And Alan Alda's transformation from an uptight Goldwater Republican to the typical 1970s man who ditches the corporate life, grows a mustache, wears his hair longer and also uses every typical 1970s cliché in existence is also a bit jarring but it can be forgiven because Mr. Alda pulls it off so well. Two characters who make their presence deeply felt even though you never see them are George's wife, Helen, and Doris' husband, Harry. We learn about them and come to know and appreciate them even though they never appear. Only from George and Doris' "good" and "bad" stories about their spouses do you get to know what these 2 absent people are like and you find they are funny and sad, poignant and ordinary and totally human and three-dimensional in their foibles. It's a nice touch to a story that could easily have been one-dimensional. "Same Time, Next Year" is based on a Broadway play and it makes the transition very smoothly. In fact, what makes the transition so smooth are the historical pictorial vignettes injected between "years." I remember many of the events depicted and you can't help but feel nostalgic. Also, the movie's theme song, played to accompany the vignettes, is wonderful! All in all this is a delightful little movie with some stark drama and hilarious comedy sometimes in the same scene. It's a rare actor who can do comedy and drama so convincingly and Mr. Alda and Miss Burstyn proved beyond the shadow of the doubt they are more than capable of doing this - they are superb!

GOLD 🏳️‍🌈🌈🔐May 29, 2023

source: Same Time, Next Year

S H E R YNov 18, 2022

Arun JainNov 16, 2022

Same Time, Next Year

user7970863431306Nov 16, 2022

I have always wanted to see this movie but hadn't had the opportunity until now. It was well worth the wait! I absolutely loved it! Being a long time fan of both Burstyn and Alda, their performances did not disappoint. The subtle comedic jabs of Alda's guilt ridden George added strength to the already deep soul searching hearty dialogue. While Burstyn's ever evolving Doris balanced out the emotional ups and downs of their 25 plus years affair. The in-between pics of the events that shaped the times was a seamless way to move the years along. With such a sensitive subject as this movie examines; it is done in such a way that it leaves the viewer non judgmental but instead routing for their relationship to go the distance. And of course who could go wrong with a soundtrack by Johnny Mathis. SUPERB!

🇲🇦ولد الشرق🇲🇦Nov 16, 2022

Considering what many critics have said about this film, I guess my loving it counts as what some call a "guilty pleasure." What I especially like is the sense of history this film conveys, especially for those of us who lived through the turbulent 1960's. (SPOILER; SPOILER). Alda's acting in the scene where George tells Doris of his son's death is devastating. (One small goof; the title says 1966, but it should have been 1965, the year after the election). One aspect of the show which not many have commented on is the fidelity to the play. Most directors would have tried to cover more than six meetings, since film can do that better than a stage play, but they kept the original concept. One more thing: I couldn't get Hammlisch's song out of my head for weeks after seeing the film.

user1232485352740Nov 16, 2022

Very funny, very touching film. The interplay between Doris & George is wonderful. They do a great job of 'aging' before our eyes. Wonderful music links all the scenes together...an all-time favorite song!

Sunil 75Nov 16, 2022

This film is a great tale of the 50s,60s and 70s. It is another in the films which have made a wonderful transition from Broadway to Hollywood. It is undoubtedly schmaltzy. But Alda and Burstyn make up for any sentimentality with star performances. I have heard it called a chick flick, but here is one guy who believes it is a simply absorbing comedy/romance. Hand me a hankie and let me see it again!

Boy OxNov 16, 2022

What a beautiful film this is. Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn are simply marvelous together. This is not just a romantic comedy, it's a tale about finding one's soul-mate and how we sometimes do the wrong thing in life but if we're lucky, we have a chance to redeem ourselves. Ellen Burstyn turns in a subtle, nuanced performance.She can act more with her eyes than most can with their entire bodies.What can we say about Alan Alda? He plays a very funny neurotic character who we get to like instantly. A really lovable guy. If you've ever wanted to see what chemistry between two movie characters is all about, see this film. A definite must-see.

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Same Time, Next Year

Trailer

Cast

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