History Film / KramerVsKramer

* AdultFear: When Ted sees Billy fall from the jungle gym and hurt himself badly. After that scene, you'll understand how Ted is sprinting like a Olympic track star with Billy in his arms to the hospital. The fact that the kid needs stitches and Ted can only hold him as they are painfully sewn is equally painful for the audience too.

* DeadpanSnarker: Ted has his moments such as sarcastically thanking his neighbour Margaret for cheering him up. Billy himself despite being only 7 years old has this great one when Ted picks him up from a birthday party:
"Want to make a bet? All the other mothers were there before you"
* DidNotThinkThisThrough: Margaret admits in court she did persuade her friend Joanna to leave Ted if she was unhappy. She didn’t expect Joanna to literally abandon Billy though which she lampshades during her speech.

* DisappointedInYou: Ted understandably is angry Jim fired him and walks out on him in a huff though to be fair Ted unfortunately did have it coming for the huge mess he caused in the account he was assigned with.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Even though Ted deserved to have Joanna walk out on him due to him choosing work over family he wasn't wrong telling his neighbour Margaret that Joanne walking out on their son Billy was a terrible thing to do. He was also within his rights to tell Joanna during the infamous argument scene at a cafe she can't just walk back into Billy's life after leaving their son for 15 months. Similarly while sympathetic towards Ted on his family issues Ted's boss Jim O'Connor was right to suggest Billy was better off living with relatives. He was also right to scold Ted for missing the deadline due to his parenting and eventually firing him, though it was implied Jim found the latter very hard to do.

* BenevolentBoss: Despite being Ted's boss, Jim is a very good friend of Ted. The pair are seen long after work at the start of the film having a few laughs and Jim awards Ted for his hard work by promoting him to be in charge of the mid Atlantic account and at one point invites Ted for a drink at an office party, which Ted had to refuse as he had to collect his son Billy from a birthday party. But Jim's friendship with Ted is put to the limits when Ted turns up late for a meeting with the board of directors and causing a huge major loss on the account he was assigned with, as well as his duties as a father interfering with his work. And eventually Jim reluctantly fires Ted over luncheon because of the huge mess Ted caused in the account and it is implied not only did Jim loose an employee but a friend because Ted knew Jim wrecked his chances on winning custody over Billy.

* SocietyMarchesOn: A book reviewing films on how they portray trials noted that the Judge in this film rules along largely on the "Tender Years Doctrine" (In the case of child custody, the mother is automatically preferred in court) and noted that a Judge could not get away with that so blatantly now.

'''Ted Kramer''': [[ArmorPiercingQuestion How much courage does it take to walk out on your kid?]]

'''Phyllis''': I'm...bye. [''backs into bedroom. Pause.''] Kramer. I just met your son.\\

'''Phyllis''': Ah... Well, I, it's been really... [''starts backing away from towards the bedroom again''] It's been really nice seeing you, and, ah--

* LeavingYouToFindMyself: Deconstructed. Joanna leaves Ted not out of a vague desire to be a more complete person, but because all her life she's been looked after (by her family, in college) and now that she's married to Ted, he's a workaholic who leaves the entire business of raising Billy and looking after their house to her. She feels totally overwhelmed, doesn't love Ted any more, considers herself to be a terrible parent, and explicit tells Ted that Billy is "better off without me". [[spoiler: That this is not just self-justification on her part is demonstrated when, after she's been awarded custody, she decides that Billy really is better off living with Ted, and decides not to take custody of him.]]

-->'''Phyllis''': I'm a f-friend of, business associate of your father's. Father. Dad.
-->'''Billy''': Do you like fried chicken?
-->'''Phyllis''': Fried chicken, very much.
-->'''Billy''': So do I.\\
[''Awkward pause'']
-->'''Phyllis''': Ah... Well, I, it's been really... [''starts backing away from towards the bedroom again''] It's been really nice seeing you, and, ah--
-->'''Billy''': [''going into the bathroom''] Bye.
-->'''Phyllis''': I'm...bye. [''backs into bedroom. Pause.''] Kramer. I just met your son.

* CallBack: The first meal Ted tries to make his son is french toast, which ends up going terribly due to his inexperience. On their final day together, the two make french toast again, but this time it is much easier.

->'''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''': [[ArmorPiercingQuestion How much courage does it take to walk out on your kid?]]

* AdaptationDyeJob: Joanna is brunette in the book.

* CharacterDevelopment: Ted, practically an absentee dad at the beginning (see EstablishingCharacterMoment below) becomes a caring and devoted father.

* HandOrObjectUnderwear: See NakedPeopleAreFunny below.

-->'''Phyllis''': [''walking naked into the hall while whispering to Ted''] It's just that these morons are violating the FTC regulations so I have to get down there and make sure-- [''turns and sees Billy''] AHH!! [''[[HandOrObjectUnderwear covers her boobs and groin with her hands]]'']
-->'''Billy''': Hi.
-->'''Phyllis''': ...Hi.
-->'''Billy''': What's your name?
-->'''Phyllis''': I'm Phyllis Bernard.
-->'''Billy''': Who?

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novel, Joanna is much more self-centered and narcissistic, whereas in the movie, she comes off as genuinely overwhelmed and unhappy and in need of help. This was because Meryl Streep thought the character as originally written was too unsympathetic, and the filmmakers agreed with her. (So did everybody else, if $106m return on a budget of $8m and five Oscars are anything to go by.[[note]]Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor for Hoffman and Best Supporting Actress for Streep.[[/note]])

Adapted from the novel by Avery Corman, ''Kramer vs. Kramer'' follows the story of Ted Kramer (Creator/DustinHoffman). Ted's a workaholic who is not really involved in the domestic life of his wife Joanna (Creator/MerylStreep) and 6-year-old son Billy. He is forced to become involved immediately one day, when Joanna leaves him, forcing him to raise Billy alone. A year and a half pass before she finally returns to claim Billy; an emotional custody battle ensues.

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novel, Joanna is much more self-centered and narcissistic, whereas in the movie, she comes off as genuinely overwhelmed and unhappy and in need of help. This was because Meryl Streep thought the character as originally written was too unsympathetic, and the filmmakers agreed with her. (So did everybody else, if $106m return on a budget of $8m and five Oscars are anything to go by.[[note]]Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor for Hoffman and Best Supporting Actress for Streep.[[/note]]

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the novel, Joanna is much more self-centered and narcissistic, whereas in the movie, she comes off as genuinely overwhelmed and unhappy and in need of help. This is largely the result of Meryl Streep thinking the character as originally written was "too evil" and not realistic.

-->'''Phyllis''': [''walking naked into the hall while whispering to Ted''] It's just that the morons are violating the LTC regulations so I have to get down there and make sure-- [''turns and sees Billy''] AHH!! [''[[HandOrObjectUnderwear covers her boobs and groin with her hands]]'']

-->'''Phyllis''': [''walking naked into the hall while whispering to Ted''] It's just that the morons are violating the LTC regulations so I have to get down there and make sure-- [''turns and sees Billy''] AHH!! [''[[HandUnderwear covers her boobs and groin with her hands]]'']

-->'''Phyllis''': [''walking naked into the hall while whispering to Ted''] It's just that the morons are violating the LTC regulations so I have to get down there and make sure-- [''turns and sees Billy''] AHH!! [''covers her boobs and groin with her hands'']

while nude, leading to her awkwardly introducing herself while employing [[HandOrObjectUnderwear hand underwear]].

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: After coming home with Ted for a one-night stand, his coworker Phyllis encounters Billy in the hallway.

* NakedPeopleAreFunny: After coming home with Ted for a one-night stand, his coworker Phyllis encounters Billy in the hallway while nude, leading to her awkwardly introducing herself while employing [[HandOrObjectUnderwear hand underwear]].