S.O.B. (1981)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writer:

Blake Edwards (writer)

Release Date:

1 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Once upon a time in Hollywood...

Plot:

A film-within-a-film: a fading movie producer has a plan for a successful movie: get a actress famous...

Plot Keywords:

Twisted Version Of Current World | Travesty | Film In Film | Perversion | Eulogy

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Julie Andrews	...	Sally Miles
William Holden	...	Tim Culley
Marisa Berenson	...	Mavis
Larry Hagman	...	Dick Benson
Robert Loggia	...	Herb Maskowitz
Stuart Margolin	...	Gary Murdock
Richard Mulligan	...	Felix Farmer
Robert Preston	...	Dr. Irving Finegarten
Craig Stevens	...	Willard
Loretta Swit	...	Polly Reed
Robert Vaughn	...	David Blackman
Robert Webber	...	Ben Coogan
Shelley Winters	...	Eva Brown
Jennifer Edwards	...	Lila
Rosanna Arquette	...	Babs
John Pleshette	...	Capitol Studios Vice-President
John Lawlor	...	Capitol Studios Manager
Ken Swofford	...	Harold Harrigan
Hamilton Camp	...	Mr. Lipschitz
Paul Stewart	...	Harry Sandler
Mimi Davis	...	Mrs. Benson
Benson Fong	...	Chef
Bert Rosario	...	The Gardener
Larry Storch	...	Guru
David Young	...	Sam Marshall
Byron Kane	...	Funeral Home Owner
Virginia Gregg	...	Funeral Home Owner's Wife
Herb Tanney	...	Burgess Webster (as Stiffe Tanney)
Joe Penny	...	Officer Buchwald
Erica Yohn	...	Agnes (Costume Designer)
Katherine MacMurray	...	Tammy Taylor
Gene Nelson	...	Clive Lytell
Paddy Stone	...	Barker
Charles Lampkin	...	Butler
Stephen Johnson
Kevin Justrich
Pat Colbert
Kimberly Woodward
Scott Arthur Allen
Corbin Bernsen
Joseph Benti
Rebecca Edwards
Neil Flanagan
Todd Howland
Jill Jaress
Alexandra Johnson
Len Lawson
Shelby Leverington
Gisele Lindley
Dominick Mazzie
Fay McKenzie
Bill McLaughlin
Tony Miller
Dave Morick
Charles Parks
Charles Rowe
James Purcell
Gay Rowan
Borah Silver
Ken Smolka
Henry Sutton
Noel Toy
Howard Vann
Sherri Zak		(as Sharri Zak)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nadejda Klein
Troubles	...	Burgess Webster's Dog
Robert Ayers	...	Guy at party (uncredited)
Todd Everett	...	Guard / Cop (uncredited)
Linda Ryan	...	Studio secretary (uncredited)

Directed by
Blake Edwards

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Blake Edwards		writer

Produced by
Tony Adams	....	producer
Blake Edwards	....	producer
Gerald T. Nutting	....	associate producer
Michael Wolf	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Harry Stradling Jr.

Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters

Casting by
Eileen Mack Knight
Barbara Miller

Production Design by
Rodger Maus

Art Direction by
William Craig Smith

Set Decoration by
Jack Stevens

Costume Design by
Theadora Van Runkle

Makeup Department
John Isaacs	....	hair stylist: Miss Andrews
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist
Ron Snyder	....	makeup artist
Georgina Williams	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Lynn Guthrie	....	production manager
Chuck Murray	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emmitt-Leon O'Neill	....	second assistant director
L. Andrew Stone	....	first assistant director
Yoram Ben-Ami	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Michael C. Ayers	....	property master (as M.C. Ayers)
Dominic Belmonte	....	property master: musical sequences
Craig Gentry	....	stand-by painter
David L. McGuire	....	swing
C.P. 'Cass' Quitan	....	second property master
Michael J. Smith	....	construction coordinator
Don Sutton	....	lead man

Sound Department
Brydon Baker III	....	cable person
Ronald R. Cooper	....	boom operator
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound effects editor
Ray O'Reilly	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leonard Peterson	....	sound re-recording mixer
M. Curtis Price	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don Sharpless	....	sound mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Burke	....	special effects

Stunts
Buzz Bundy	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Joe Dunne	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as Dave Ellis)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Victor Paul	....	stunts
George Robotham	....	stunts
Fred M. Waugh	....	stunts (as Fred Waugh)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glen Wilder)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Armando Contreras	....	dolly grip
Don E. FauntLeRoy	....	second assistant camera
Tom May	....	key grip
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
John McCoy	....	vtr operator
Jeff McGrath	....	best boy
Richard Craig Meinardus	....	first assistant camera
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer (as Ralph Nelson Jr.)
Don Stott	....	gaffer
Richard Tim Vanik	....	camera operator
Scott C. Williman	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Winnie D. Brown	....	costumer: women
Bruce R. Hogard	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Geoffrey Edwards	....	assistant editor
Robert Pergament	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bodie Chandler	....	music supervisor
John C. Hammell	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Billy G. Arter	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Richard Baum	....	production assistant
Bea Blondell	....	production auditor
Trish Caroselli	....	assistant to producers
Danny P. Freiburn	....	craft service
Frank Inn	....	animal trainer
Leslie Johnson	....	student intern
Lindsey Jones	....	director of publicity
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Ron Rapiel	....	production consultant
Gloria Salas	....	production auditor
Debbie Smith	....	production coordinator
Paul Snider	....	production assistant
Syri Stoll	....	assistant to producers
Paddy Stone	....	choreographer
Jerry Trent	....	assistant choreographer

Production Companies

• Artista Management
• Geoffrey Productions
• Lorimar Film Entertainment

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Artédis (1984) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• Motion Picture Marine  yacht and marine services by
• Warner Brothers  current copyright proprietor

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Norway:16 (1981) | Australia:M | UK:AA | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Artista Management

Trivia:

This was William Holden's last movie. Shortly after completing "S.O.B." he slipped and fell, cutting his head open and bleeding to death. He had been drinking heavily.

Quotes:

Ben Coogan: I'm going to throw up.
Dr. Irving Finegarten: Ah! The last of your excremental bodily functions!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: Lethal Weapons (#3.7)" (2001)

A biting comedy for adults.

How rare it is to see a terrific comedy meant for adults. "S.O.B." is Blake Edwards dark look at life in Hollywood. And believe me he pulls no punches. Everyone and everything is a target and he hits it almost every time.

"S.O.B." tells the story of a big director whose latest film is the biggest flop in movie history. Despondent he spends the first half of the film trying to kill himself and the second half trying to save the film by re-shooting it as an arty porno film complete with a nude scene by the virginal female lead (played by the virginal Julie Andrews).

As I said no stone goes unturned. We get hints of drugs, death, murder, suicide, sex, homosexuality (both men and women), transvestism, back stabbing, grave robbing, and much more. But it is done in a tone that is dark but extremely funny. Watching William Holden, Robert Preston, and Robert Webber in their scenes in the third act is worth the time alone. And, yes, we do get to see Julie Andrews in a brief topless shot. It's nice if you like her but nothing special.

The only complaint is that the film runs a bit too long. Edwards would have benefited the film with a trimming of about 15 minutes. But if you like your comedy dark, this is a must see.