Kramer vs. Kramer

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Ted Kramer: Margaret, I just need to know something. Did you put Joanna up to this?
Margaret Phelps: No, I did not put Joanna up to this.
Ted Kramer: Give her a little pep talk, maybe?
Margaret Phelps: Joanna is a very unhappy woman and it took a lot of courage to walk out this door.
Ted Kramer: How much courage does it take to walk out on your kid?

Adapted from the novel by Avery Corman, Kramer vs. Kramer follows the story of Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman). One day, his wife Joanna (Meryl Streep) leaves him, forcing him to raise their son, Billy, alone. A year and a half pass before she finally returns to claim Billy; an emotional custody battle ensues. This was 1979's Oscar winner for Best Picture, and the film that earned Hoffman and Streep their first Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Best Director and Adapted Screenplay wins brought the total to five.

Tropes used in Kramer vs. Kramer include: