Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York

This is a highly, highly recommended film. Very difficult to categorize it. Does not easily fit into the categories of chick flick, rom com, or even comedy vs. Drama.

It is that rare film that can be truly heart warming without being sappy. It is not a retread.

Jeannie Berlin absolutely deserves high praise for this. As great as she was in the 'heartbreak kid', the slays in this.

I have no idea if it is 'in print', etc. But if you are alone one evening, your plans fell through, etc. Watch this.

This film made the film co-op rounds in the mid to late 70's and I probably saw it 3-4 times in college.

As a heterosexual male, just 'getting started', this helped me take the first view into the female psyche.

Adaptation of Gail Parent's celebrated novel about a quirky young woman who heads to New York City in search of a husband, but "finds herself instead" (as they say). Despite soupy production, bad editing and godawful music, Jeannie Berlin manages to shine as Sheila (she's utterly unpredictable and unconventional as a leading lady); Roy Scheider is also terrific in support as an eligible doctor (his spin-the-bottle monologue near the end is gorgeously done). Dated to be certain, but I got many laughs from sad-sack Sheila's predicaments. It's an offbeat, be-true-to-yourself serious-comedy, though hurt overall by a lack of restraint and a jerky narrative. **1/2 from ****

I saw this on television in the early eighties on late night television. Strange but interesting film. As noted in the synopsis on this page, the song "Love me, oh love me, baby won't you love me" stays with you FOREVER. It's the one thing I remember most about the movie, that and the scene where Roy tells Sheila about wetting his pants in gradeschool... Odd film.

I haven't seen this movie in years but I remember it well and have been looking for it on video. So far no luck. Jeanie Berlin is so fabulous as Sheila. Of course if you are a New York single jewish woman (as I am) you would relate to her better, but she is just so perfectly "looser finds herself". The story is much different than that of the book but some of the character remain. But the movie is so 70's it's fun. And you can't help but fall in love with and root for Sheila. Someone out there get this to video!

I have to agree with the other reviewers about the song in this film. It sticks in your head. I saw this film only once some 20 years ago and I have never forgotten it. I could not remember the name of it and I finally discovered it here. The parts I remember the most are the scenes with the song and the scene near the end when Roy Scheider has a monologue talking about a childhood party where he was rejected by a girl, a story he tells in an effort to win back the Sheila Levine. The movie has stayed with me all these years. Its one of many films from the 70s that you catch on a late Sunday night or lazy Sunday afternoon and you watch and realize you have seen a memorable film.