Ally Sheedy Only the Lonely Movie Overview
Only the Lonely is a 1991 American romantic comedy-drama starring Ally Sheedy as a single mother in Chicago. The film was directed by Chris Columbus and produced by Hughes Entertainment and Imagine Entertainment. It features John Candy, Maureen O'Hara, and Ally Sheedy in lead roles. The movie explores themes of family, duty, and romance. For a broader look at the studio system and production economics, see the Wikipedia entry for Only the Lonely here.
The film was released in the United States on July 12, 1991, by 20th Century Fox. The runtime is 108 minutes and the MPAA rating is PG-13. The story follows Danny Muldoon, a police officer, and his relationship with Rose Panowich, played by Ally Sheedy. The movie was marketed as a family-oriented comedy with dramatic undertones. The production budget was reported at approximately $14 million, according to contemporary trade reports.
Box Office Performance and Financial Results
Only the Lonely earned roughly $7.9 million in its opening weekend in the United States. The domestic total gross came in at approximately $24.9 million, while international markets added a modest amount. The worldwide total was around $25 million, making it a commercial underperformance relative to its budget. The film competed with other summer releases and did not recoup its production and marketing costs at the box office. For more on box office tracking methodology, see Box Office Mojo here.
Home video and television later became the primary revenue channels for the film. The movie was released on VHS and LaserDisc in the early 1990s and later on DVD. Streaming availability has varied by platform over time. The film is currently listed on digital storefronts such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, where it can be rented or purchased. These digital sales and licensing deals generate ongoing, if smaller, revenue streams for the rights holders.
Production Companies and Key Credits
The film was produced by Hughes Entertainment, John Hughes's company, and Imagine Entertainment, co-founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. 20th Century Fox served as the distributor. The screenplay was written by John Hughes, who also wrote the story. The cinematography was handled by Tak Fujimoto, and the music score was composed by Maurice Jarre. These credits are standard for a late-1980s and early-1990s Hollywood studio production.
For investors and researchers, the film illustrates the financial risk of mid-budget comedies in the early 1990s. The production cost, combined with marketing, exceeded the theatrical returns. The film's later value comes from ancillary markets and catalog licensing. The rights are now managed through Disney, which acquired 20th Century Fox's film library. For information on studio acquisitions and library valuations, see the SEC filing summary for The Walt Disney Company here.