They Might Be Giants (1971)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Anthony Harvey

Writers:

James Goldman (play)
James Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 February 1972 (Sweden)

Genre:

Mystery | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

When they reach out for each other... they touch every heart... with warmth, charm and laughter!

Plot:

They Might be Giants chronicles the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in modern-day New York City...

Plot Keywords:

Sherlock Holmes | Psychiatrist | Mental Patient | Supermarket | Hermit

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Justin Playfair
Joanne Woodward	...	Dr. Mildred Watson
Jack Gilford	...	Wilbur Peabody
Lester Rawlins	...	Blevins Playfair
Al Lewis	...	Messenger
Rue McClanahan	...	Daisy Playfair
Ron Weyand	...	Dr. Strauss
Oliver Clark	...	Mr. Small
Theresa Merritt	...	Peggy
Jenny Egan	...	Miss Finch
Jane Hoffman	...	2nd Telephone Operator
Michael McGuire	...	Telephone Guard
Eugene Roche	...	Policeman
James Tolkan	...	Mr. Brown
Kitty Winn	...	Grace
Sudie Bond	...	Maud
Staats Cotsworth	...	Winthrop
F. Murray Abraham	...	Clyde (the usher)
Paul Benedict	...	Chestnut Man
M. Emmet Walsh	...	1st Sanitation Man
Louis Zorich	...	2nd Sanitation Man
Ted Beniades	...	Taxi Driver
Worthington Miner	...	Mr. Bagg
Frances Fuller	...	Mrs. Bagg
Ralph Clanton	...	Supermarket Manager
John McCurry	...	Lieutenant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Candice Azzara	...	Teenage Girl (uncredited)
Tony Capodilupo	...	Chief (uncredited)
Matthew Cowles	...	Teenage Boy (uncredited)
Dorothy Greener	...	Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Jacques Sandulescu	...	Mr. Brown's driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Anthony Harvey

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Goldman		play
James Goldman		screenplay

Produced by
Frank Caffey	....	associate producer
John Foreman	....	producer
Jennings Lang	....	producer
Paul Newman	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper

Film Editing by
Gerald B. Greenberg

Production Design by
John Robert Lloyd

Set Decoration by
Herbert F. Mulligan

Costume Design by
Fern Buchner
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Vincent Callaghan	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Morton Gorowitz	....	unit production manager
Jack Grossberg	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Norman I. Cohen	....	assistant director
Louis A. Stroller	....	assistant director

Art Department
Gene Rudolf	....	scenic chargeman (as Eugene Rudolf)

Sound Department
Nathan Boxer	....	sound mixer
Al Nahmias	....	sound editor (as Albert Nahmias)
Sanford Rackow	....	sound editor
Dick Vorisek	....	sound re-recordist

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joseph G. Aulisi	....	associate costume designer
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrober

Music Department
John Barry	....	music supervisor
Ken Thorne	....	conductor
Ken Thorne	....	music arranger
Ken Thorne	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Barbara Rittenberg	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

F. Murray Abraham's movie debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Scott and Woodward are riding in a taxi, from his angle the cab is stopped; from her angle the cab is moving.

Quotes:

Dr. Mildred Watson: You're just like Don Quixote. You think that everything is always something else.
Justin Playfair: Well, he had a point. 'Course he carried it a bit too far. He thought that every windmill was a giant. That's insane. But, thinking that they might be, well... All the best minds used to think the world was flat. But what if it isn't? It might be round. And bread mold might be medicine. If we never looked at things and thought of what might be, why we'd all still be out there in the tall grass with the apes.

Movie Connections:

References Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1937)

Forgotten Favorite

Being American and inadvertently an avid viewer (consumer) of cinema of all genres and qualities, I have to say that this is one of my all-time, forgotten favorites.

Not being a film student or critic, I fall into that overlooked and easily dismissed category called "the audience" which is humorously described as having no knowledge of art, but knowing with certainty what one likes. As such, I can say, unequivocally, that I like this film.

Most important to me as a viewer, above all other aspects of a film, is the story that is being told. If the story is winning, endearing and meaningful, then all else can be forgiven, production quality, even poor acting. Sans the poor acting, "They Might Be Giants" is just such a film.

I won't bore you with the wealth of meaning and depth of insight that I have gleaned from this wonderful story. Suffice it to say that despite what some have chosen to call its' "saccharine" quality (and what I call its' endearing quality), this story has the metaphysical import that elevates it to the level of a modern-day fable for the Western World.

Because I am unstudied and basically an "illiterate" in terms of Western Literature, the references to Don Quiote were completely invisible to me until now. For this enlightenment, I give thanks to the other reviewers. This comparison rings true throughout the story, and has enriched its' overall meaning for me. However, because I was initially unaware of this now obvious reference, for me the "They" in the title of "They Might Be Giants" referred to the very characters, themselves, all of whom are socially flawed, socially marginalized individuals, all of whom are void of "desirability".

As such, these characters, very aptly portrayed by the cast, although quirky, stand-alone individuals respectively, collectively come to represent the "everyman". The impersonal facelessness and the spirit-killing angst of personal worthlessness in midst of the post-industrial age of "modernity" are the windmills at which our Don Quiote, Justin Playfair, tilts. More importantly, we come to understand that this mask of facelessness may well be hiding individuals of truly gigantic spiritual dimensions and human worth. Our fellow human beings, who we pass, nameless, in the streets, "They Might Be Giants"!