Jeremy (film)

Jeremy
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Arthur Barron
Produced by	Elliott Kastner George Pappas
Written by	Arthur Barron
Starring	Robby Benson Glynnis O'Connor
Music by	Lee Holdridge
Cinematography	Paul Goldsmith
Edited by	Zina Voynow
Production company	Kenesset Film Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	May 1973 (Cannes Film Festival)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Jeremy is a 1973 American romantic drama film starring Robby Benson and Glynnis O'Connor as two Manhattan high school students who share a tentative month-long romance. It was the first film directed by Arthur Barron, and won the prize for Best First Work in the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. Benson was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance as the title character.

Jeremy Jones (Benson) is a shy, bespectacled Jewish fifteen-year-old living in a New York City apartment with his parents, who are busy with their own pursuits and leave him mostly on his own. He attends a private high school that focuses on the performing arts, where he is a serious student of cello who aspires to musical greatness. He has an after-school job as a dog walker. His other interests include reading poetry, playing chess and basketball, and following horse racing, where he can consistently pick winners, though he never places a bet himself. At school, he enters an empty classroom looking for chalk, sees a girl (O'Connor) inside practicing ballet, and is instantly smitten with her beauty. They talk briefly, but he is flustered and completely forgets to ask her name. He later finds out she is a new student named Susan Rollins, and that she is older than him and in a higher grade. Jeremy follows her from a distance for a few days, but is too shy to approach her, so his more confident friend Ralph takes matters into his own hands and explains the situation to her, and she sends the message back to Jeremy that he should call her. However, Jeremy decides not to call after seeing her walking with a handsome older boy. Shortly afterwards, Susan attends a school recital where Jeremy plays the cello as a featured soloist. She is impressed by his playing and congratulates him afterwards, motivating him to finally call her and ask her out.

On their first date, Jeremy finds out that Susan's mother is dead, and that she and her father just moved to New York from Detroit so her father could take a new job. Susan and Jeremy enjoy each other's company and they begin walking to school together every day, visiting places such as the park and racetrack, and generally spending a lot of time together for the next three weeks. Jeremy confides to Ralph that he is falling in love. One rainy afternoon while playing chess in Jeremy's room, Susan and Jeremy profess their love for each other and then make love for the first time.