Only When I Laugh (1981): cast, story & where to watch
1981 · Film · ★ 5.9
Released in 1981, Only When I Laugh is a comedy and drama film directed by Glenn Jordan, running about 120 minutes. “It'll make you laugh...'til you cry.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A boozy Broadway actress comes out of a 12-week cure to face the problems of her best friends as well as her needy daughter. She tries to balance the terrors of returning to work with the demands of all around her with humor and insight, while staying off the booze.
Who’s in it. Only When I Laugh stars Marsha Mason as Georgia, Kristy McNichol as Polly, James Coco as Jimmy and Joan Hackett as Toby, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, Only When I Laugh has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Only When I Laugh page.
If you liked it. Fans of Only When I Laugh tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Only When I Laugh (1981)?
- In US, Only When I Laugh is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Only When I Laugh worth watching?
- Only When I Laugh holds an audience score of 5.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Only When I Laugh?
- Only When I Laugh stars Marsha Mason, Kristy McNichol, James Coco, Joan Hackett and David Dukes.
- When was Only When I Laugh released?
- Only When I Laugh was released in 1981, with a runtime of about 120 minutes.