Kramer vs. Kramer story
Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American legal drama film written and directed by Robert Benton, based on Avery Corman's 1977 novel. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry and Jane Alexander. It tells the story of a couple's divorce, its effect on their young son, and the subsequent evolution of their relationship and views on parenting. Kramer vs. Kramer explores the psychology and fallout of divorce, and touches on emerging and prevailing social issues such as gender roles, fathers' rights, work-life balance, and single parents.
19 total · 4 choice · 9 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| custody battle | choice | The story turns on an ugly custody battle between Ted and Johanna over their seven-year-old son, Billy. |
| father and son | choice | The story concerns the deepening relationship between Ted and his son Billy after the mother Johanna walked out. |
| gender issue | choice | The story challenges contemporary stereotypes of the roles of mothers and fathers in raising a child. The viewer is shown that Johanna was in fact capable of pursuing a career as she landed a job with a salary slightly higher that that of her ex-husband, Ted. On the other hand, Ted proved himself to be an excellent father to Billy. |
| single fatherhood | choice | The story concerns Ted Kramer being left to juggle a previously waxing career and raise his six year old son Billy, alone in New York. |
| abandonment | major | Joanna walked out on her young son, Billy, in order to find herself. Billy missed his mother and struggled to process her sudden absence. |
| beating one's self up | major | Ted and Billy at different points expressed remorse over being the cause of Joanna walking out on them. |
| coping with stress at work | major | Ted had trouble balancing being a single father with his duties at his advertising job. |
| divorce | major | Ted and Johanna divorced in the aftermath of her walking out on him and their young son, Billy. Ted discussed his divorce with his neighbor Margaret. |
| family vs. career | major | Both Ted and Johanna struggled with balancing their family obligations with their career aspirations. |
| human childhood | major | The story explores a custody battle from, in part, the point of view of the young boy Billy. |