My Dinner with Andre (1981)

Director:

Louis Malle

Writers:

Andre Gregory (writer)
Wallace Shawn (writer)

Release Date:

11 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory, apparently playing themselves, share their lives over the course of an evening meal at a restaurant...

Plot Keywords:

Restaurant | The Little Prince | Philosophy | Sahara | Flag

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Wallace Shawn	...	Wally Shawn
Andre Gregory	...	Andre Gregory
Jean Lenauer	...	Waiter
Roy Butler	...	Bartender

Directed by
Louis Malle

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Andre Gregory		writer
Wallace Shawn		writer

Produced by
Dave Franke	....	associate producer
George W. George	....	producer
Beverly Karp	....	producer
Keith W. Rouse	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Allen Shawn

Cinematography by
Jeri Sopanen

Film Editing by
Suzanne Baron

Production Design by
David Mitchell

Art Direction by
Stephen McCabe

Set Decoration by
Doug Kraner		(as Douglas Kraner)

Costume Design by
Jeff Ullman		(as Jeffrey Ullman)

Makeup Department
Barbara Rouse	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Lloyd Kaufman	....	production manager (as Lloyd Kaufmann)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Norman Berns	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jean-Vincent Fournier	....	properties (as Vincent Fournier)

Sound Department
Michael R. Burnstine	....	boom operator (as Michael Burnstine)
Jean-Claude Laureux	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Pedro Bonilla	....	assistant camera
Robert Lechterman	....	gaffer
Diana Michener	....	still photographer
Ralph Perri	....	key grip
Robert Strong	....	grip
Doug Sutton	....	first electrician (as Douglas Sutton)
John Thomas	....	second electrician
Deborah Watkins	....	grip

Editorial Department
James Bruce	....	assistant editor
Keith W. Rouse	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Joseph Villa	....	musician: piano, "First Gymnopédie"

Other crew
Ruth Ansel	....	title designer
Richard Blankenship	....	production assistant
James Bruce	....	production coordinator
Matthew Gaddis	....	production assistant
George W. George	....	presenter
France Lachapelle	....	script supervisor (as France LaChapelle)
Vincent Malle	....	assistant to director
Richard Siegel	....	production assistant
Michael White	....	associate presenter
Scott MacDonough	....	publicity coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Mercedes Gregory	....	special thanks
Dede Leiber	....	special thanks
Steve Leiber	....	special thanks
Margaret Ramsey	....	special thanks
George Ross	....	special thanks
Max Stafford-Clark	....	special thanks
Frederick M. Supper	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Saga Productions Inc.
• The Andre Company

Distributors

• New Yorker Films (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinegate Ltd. (198?) (UK) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Lorber Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Momentum Pictures Home Entertainment (2001) (UK) (VHS)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1984) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• Atlas Theatre Company Inc.  special thanks
• Gensaco Marketing  certain properties
• Mason Candlelight Company  certain properties
• Norman Winston Foundation  special thanks
• Oneida Silversmiths Inc.  certain properties
• Royal Court Theatre  special thanks
• Saga Productions Inc.  production supervised by
• Syracuse China Inc.  certain properties
• Troma Entertainment  additional production services by
• Upstate Films Inc.  special thanks
• Virginia Film Office  special thanks

Also Known As:

My Dinner with André (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Jefferson Hotel - 101 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, Virginia, USA

Company:

Saga Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The low-budget flick was shot in an abandoned hotel in Virginia - in the winter. "Since we didn't have the money to heat the hotel, (producer Beverly Karp) brought me a bit of cognac from time to time," recalls a co-producer. The crew kept warm by wearing ski clothes; the actors just had to act warm, aided by the lights and long underwear.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of wine in Wallace Shawn's glass varies in a manner not consistent with his drinking from it (or having it refilled).

Quotes:

Andre: I wouldn't put on an electric blanket for any reason. First, I'd be worried if I get electrocuted. No, I don't trust technology. But I mean, the main thing, Wally, is that I think that kind of comfort just separates you from reality in a very direct way.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just Shoot Me!: My Dinner with Woody (#2.6)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Gymnopedie 1

Can you listen?

The reviewer "Morlock" could not have been more wrong. I disagree emphatically with everything he's said. I guess that's a sign of good art -- two people see two completely different things.

Watching this movie does test your listening skills. And by "listening" I mean actually digesting and understanding what is said. The movie is a conversation, and yes, sometimes conversations go off in tangents or shift gears in mid-idea. After listening to these men's conversation I certainly came away ready to start a few of my own.