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The Accidental Tourist Movie Poster
Plot, Details & Awards

The Accidental Tourist

(1988)
PG In Theaters 12/23/1988 , 121min.
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Plot & Details

Director Lawrence Kasdan and Frank Galati adapted their screenplay for The Accidental Tourist from Anne Tyler's novel. William Hurt plays Macon Leary, a well-known "travel advisor" headquartered in Baltimore. The tragic death of Leary's son causes him to withdraw from the world, which in turn prompts his wife (Kathleen Turner) to walk out on him. Recuperating from a broken leg, Leary moves in with his sister (Amy Wright) and brothers (Ed Begley Jr., David Ogden Stiers)-staid middle-aged intellectuals all. Discipline problems with his dead son's dog lead Leary to hire flaky professional dogwalker/trainer Muriel Pritchett (Geena Davis, who won an Oscar for her performance). The only non-uptight person within shouting distance, Muriel begins to melt Leary's self-protective shell. Once his wife realizes that she has some competition, she makes moves to get him back. But he has by now become accustomed to Muriel's unfettered lifestyle.
  • MPAA Rating: PG
  • Genre(s): Drama,Romance
  • Run Time: 121min.
  • Theatrical Release Date: 12/23/1988
  • DVD Release Date: 01/20/2004
  • Distributor(s): Warner Bros.
  • Director(s): Lawrence Kasdan
  • Starring: William Hurt , Kathleen Turner , Geena Davis , Amy Wright , Bill Pullman
  • Themes: Haunted By the Past,Opposites Attract,Death of a Child,Breakups and Divorces,Starting Over
  • Tone: Humorous,Literate,Talky,Wintry,Melancholy,Understated,Quirky
  • Keywords: death-in-family,dog,ex-wife,family-dynamics,grief,relationship,second-chance,self-discovery
  • Country of Origin: USA (12-23-1988)
  • Language: English

Awards

Academy Awards

Year Award CategoryCast & Crew Result
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actress Geena Davis Won
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Adapted Screenplay Frank Galati Nominated
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Score John Williams Nominated
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture Michael Grillo Nominated
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture Charles Okun Nominated
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Adapted Screenplay Lawrence Kasdan Nominated
1988 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Picture Lawrence Kasdan Nominated

Golden Globes

Year Award CategoryCast & Crew Result
1988 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Drama Nominated
1988 Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Original Score John Williams Nominated
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