Writing

Mordecai Richler

Born — Died

1931-01-27 — 2001-07-03

Place of birth

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Known for

Writing

Credits

10 titles

Mordecai Richler, CC (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian author, screenwriter and essayist who shaped literature for nearly 50 years. A leading critic called him "the great shining star of his Canadian literary generation" and a pivotal figure in the country's history. His notable works include "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz," "St. Urbain’s Horseman," "Solomon Gursky Was Here," and "Barney’s Version," and the Jacob Two-Two Children's stories, adapted into a movie and TV series. His 1989 novel Solomon Gursky Was Here was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1990. Known for his provocative essays spanning nationalism to sports, Richler received the Order of Canada before his …

Known for

Fun with Dick and Jane poster
6.6

When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.

Fun with Dick and Jane

1977

Room at the Top poster
6.9

An ambitious young accountant schemes to wed a wealthy factory owner's daughter, despite falling in love with a married older woman.

Room at the Top

1958

Joshua Then and Now poster
5.4

Based on a novel by Mordecai Richler, allegedly his autobiography, it tells the story of a Jewish writer, from his life as a young boy in Montreal to his more complicated grown-up life.

Joshua Then and Now

1985

Life at the Top poster
5.9

Successful businessman Joe Lampton is married to the wealthy Susan, has two children, and lives in the mill town of Warley in northern England. But his career seems to have plateaued, leaving him disillusioned. This feeling is only exacerbated when he discovers his wife's infidelity with local man Mark. So he takes up with attractive TV host Norah and moves with her to London, aiming to reignite the fire that drove him to the top.

Life at the Top

1965

The Wild and the Willing poster
5.8

Harry Brown is a somewhat rough and wild university student, who has the ability to win friends, especially the underdogs like Phil who doesn't play 'rugger' and can't sink a whole pint of beer, and African student Reggie. He also has a way with the girls....

The Wild and the Willing

1962

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz poster
6.1

The younger son of a working-class Jewish family in Montreal, Duddy Kravitz yearns to make a name for himself in society. This film chronicles his short and dubious rise to power, as well as his changing relationships with family and friends. Along the way the film explores the themes of anti-semitism and the responsibilities which come with adulthood.

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

1974

Behind the camera

Fun with Dick and Jane poster
6.6

When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.

Fun with Dick and Jane

1977

Room at the Top poster
6.9

An ambitious young accountant schemes to wed a wealthy factory owner's daughter, despite falling in love with a married older woman.

Room at the Top

1958

Joshua Then and Now poster
5.4

Based on a novel by Mordecai Richler, allegedly his autobiography, it tells the story of a Jewish writer, from his life as a young boy in Montreal to his more complicated grown-up life.

Joshua Then and Now

1985

Life at the Top poster
5.9

Successful businessman Joe Lampton is married to the wealthy Susan, has two children, and lives in the mill town of Warley in northern England. But his career seems to have plateaued, leaving him disillusioned. This feeling is only exacerbated when he discovers his wife's infidelity with local man Mark. So he takes up with attractive TV host Norah and moves with her to London, aiming to reignite the fire that drove him to the top.

Life at the Top

1965

The Wild and the Willing poster
5.8

Harry Brown is a somewhat rough and wild university student, who has the ability to win friends, especially the underdogs like Phil who doesn't play 'rugger' and can't sink a whole pint of beer, and African student Reggie. He also has a way with the girls....

The Wild and the Willing

1962

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz poster
6.1

The younger son of a working-class Jewish family in Montreal, Duddy Kravitz yearns to make a name for himself in society. This film chronicles his short and dubious rise to power, as well as his changing relationships with family and friends. Along the way the film explores the themes of anti-semitism and the responsibilities which come with adulthood.

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

1974

No Love for Johnnie poster
6.7

Johnnie Byrne is a member of the British Parliament. In his 40s, he's feeling frustrated with his life and his personal as well as professional problems tower up over him. His desires to win the next election are endangered by his constant looking for love and he is faced with the choice of giving up a career in politics or giving up the woman he loves.

No Love for Johnnie

1961

Dearth of a Salesman poster
NR

Comedy short starring Peter Sellers. Previously thought lost, but discovered in a skip outside Park Lane Films.

Dearth of a Salesman

1957

Insomnia is Good for You poster
8.0

Sellers as the same salesman character he was in Dearth Of A Salesman is unable to sleep for 62 hours as he frets over one weekend about a meeting with his boss on Monday that he doesn't know the reason for.

Insomnia is Good for You

1957

The Wordsmith poster
9.0

Penned by Mordecai Richler and set in wartime Montreal, this touching telefilm stars Saul Rubinek as Mervyn Kaplansky, a young writer from Toronto who boards with a family on St. Urbain Street only to find his aspirations undermined by the colourful yet desperate characters that surround him. Rubinek delivers a very touching performance as the boyish idealistic writer, and he is backed by a strong supporting cast that includes Harvey Atkin, Janet Ward and Peter Boretski.

The Wordsmith

1979