Kramer vs. Kramer

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 film drama which was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning five:  Best Picture (Producers Richard Fischoff and Stanley Jaffe), Best Director (Robert Benton), Best Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Best Supporting Actress (Meryl Streep) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Robert Benton).  Justin Henry (eight years-old) was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, which was won by Melvyn Douglas (seventy-eight years old) in Being There.

In the movie, Ted Kramer (Hoffman), an advertising executive, arrives home one night to hear from his wife, Joanna Kramer (Streep), that she is leaving him and their six year-old son, Billy Kramer (Henry).  She claims Ted married the wrong woman and that she is not a fit mother for her son.  

On the night of her departure, Ted seems almost sorry that Joanna does not take Billy with her as it would be difficult for Ted to raise Billy alone.  As a matter of fact, Ted's role as father is as he said, "to bring home the bacon."  Now he would have "to cook the bacon, too."

"Ted and Billy initially resent one another as Ted no longer has time to carry his workload (at the office), and Billy misses his mother's love and attention.  (However,) after months of unrest at home, Ted and Billy learn to cope with each other and gradually bond as father and son."

After an absence of fifteen months, Joanna returns after finding herself in California with the help of a "very good" therapist.  She wants her son back.  Now, very different than before, Ted will fight her in court for the custody of their son.  

In 1979 and before, the American judicial system assumed that "a child is best raised by its mother."  It is still the case in Brazil.  Thus, according to the judge, Billy is best raised by Joanna ("I really believe he needs me more"), in spite of the fact that she  abandoned him for fifteen months and that his father Ted stepped in and did a great job.  

As a father myself in 1979 (of my four year-old daughter, Rachel), I was especially moved when Ted testifies in court.  

"I'd like to know what law is it that says that a woman is a better parent simply by virtue of her sex...I don't know where it's written that says that a woman has a corner on that market that a man has any less of those emotions (love for a child) than a woman does."

I believe we have moved as a society in a new direction (more equality between men and women) since Kramer vs. Kramer became part of American culture.  I think the above custody trial would have a different result today.