Cinderella Liberty (1974)

64% of users liked it
(1,076 ratings)

A "Cinderella Liberty" is Navy jargon for a pass that runs out at midnight. Sailor John Baggs, Jr. (James Caan) has such a pass, and intends to make the most of it while his ship is docked in Seattle. He "wins" prostitute Maggie (Marsha Mason) in a pool game, but backs off at a "wham-bam-thank you… More A "Cinderella Liberty" is Navy jargon for a pass that runs out at midnight. Sailor John Baggs, Jr. (James Caan) has such a pass, and intends to make the most of it while his ship is docked in Seattle. He "wins" prostitute Maggie (Marsha Mason) in a pool game, but backs off at a "wham-bam-thank you ma'am" when he finds out that Maggie has a son, an 11-year-old mulatto (Kirk Calloway) -- and that there's another baby on the way. John has so much empathy for Maggie's travails that he marries her. When she loses her baby, however, Maggie feels unable to resign herself to living with John, plagued by both guilt and an unwillingness to be tied down -- thus forcing John to fight for her. Darryl Ponicsan adapted his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 57 min.
Directed By: Mark Rydell
Written By: Darryl Ponicsan
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics

In Theaters: Dec 18, 1973 Wide
On DVD: Mar 6, 2007

Critic Reviews

Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Great character studies highlight this James Caan vehicle.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Mark Rydell's well acted melodrama, which concerns a sailor on leave who falls for a prostitute and her half-black illegitimate son, is too sentimental, failing to find the right tone.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Steve B

I remember watching this one night when I was about eight and just loving it. I don't know what I got out of it, but the ending really struck me. Love to see it again.