The Big Town (1987)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Ben Bolt
(more)

Writers:

Clark Howard (novel)
Robert Roy Pool (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

When things get hot, people get burned . . . bet on it! (Video Australia)

Plot:

It is 1957. J.C. Cullen is a young man from a small town, with a talent for winning at craps, who leaves...

Plot Keywords:

Chicago Illinois | El Train | Beautiful Woman | Female Nudity | Violence

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	J.C. Cullen
Diane Lane	...	Lorry Dane
Tommy Lee Jones	...	George Cole
Bruce Dern	...	Mr. Edwards
Lee Grant	...	Ferguson Edwards
Tom Skerritt	...	Phil Carpenter
Suzy Amis	...	Aggie Donaldson
David Marshall Grant	...	Sonny Binkley
Don Francks	...	Carl Hooker
Del Close	...	Deacon Daniels
Meg Hogarth	...	Dorothy Cullen
Cherry Jones	...	Ginger McDonald
Alvaro D'Antonio	...	Prager (as Mark Danton)
David James Elliott	...	Cool Guy (as David Elliott)
Steve Yorke	...	Garage Boy
Chris Owens	...	Garage Boy
Sean McCann	...	Roy McMullin
Kevin Fox	...	Boss's Son
Marc Strange	...	Madigan
Don Lake	...	Patsy Fuqua
Angelo Rizacos	...	Harold
Chris Benson	...	Shooter
Gary Farmer	...	Duke
Diego Matamoros	...	Sid
Sarah Polley	...	Christy Donaldson
Kirsten Bishop	...	Adele
Kenneth McGregor	...	Bartender (as Ken McGregor)
Viki Matthews	...	Gem Club Dancer
Cherie McGroarty	...	Gem Club Dancer
Sandy Czapiewski	...	Gem Club Dancer
Marie Siebert	...	Gem Club Dancer
Julie Conte	...	Gem Club Dancer
Alan C. Peterson	...	Doorman (as Alar Aedma)
Sam Malkin	...	Bernstein
Robert Morelli	...	Sideburns
Layne Coleman	...	Murphy
Lolita Davidovich	...	Black Lace Stripper (as Lolita David)
William Colgate	...	Gem Club Gambler (as Bill Colgate)
William Forrest MacDonald	...	Gem Club Gambler
Len Doncheff	...	Gem Club Gambler
Michael Caruana	...	Gem Club Gambler
Richard Comar	...	Gem Club Gambler
Lubomir Mykytiuk	...	Gem Club Gambler
Robert Ramsay Collins	...	Gem Club Gambler
Errol Slue	...	Friendly Guy
Gerry Pearson	...	Baptist Preacher
Hugo Dann	...	Elmo
John Evans	...	Marvin Brown
J. Winston Carroll	...	Detective (as J.W. Carroll)
Diane Gordon	...	Mrs. Rogers
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Mavor	...	Gambler (uncredited)

Directed by
Ben Bolt
Harold Becker		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Clark Howard		(novel "The Arm")
Robert Roy Pool		(screenplay)

Produced by
Don Carmody	....	co-producer
Gene Kraft	....	executive producer
Martin Ransohoff	....	producer
Jon Turtle	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Michael Melvoin

Cinematography by
Ralf D. Bode

Film Editing by
Stuart H. Pappé		(as Stuart Pappé)

Casting by
Nancy Klopper

Production Design by
Bill Kenney

Art Direction by
Dan Yarhi

Set Decoration by
Mark S. Freeborn		(as Mark Freeborn)
Rose Marie McSherry

Costume Design by
Wendy Partridge

Makeup Department
David R. Beecroft	....	hair stylist
Diana Ladyshewsky	....	assistant hair stylist
Teresa Robinson	....	assistant makeup artist
Katherine Southern	....	makeup artist
Tim Mogg	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael Brownstone	....	unit manager
Joyce Kozy King	....	production manager
John Zane	....	unit production manager: Chicago

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don French	....	first assistant director
Terry Gould	....	third assistant director
Howard Rothschild	....	second assistant director
Andrew Shea	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Maher Ahmad	....	art director: Chicago
Daniel R. Bradette	....	assistant set decorator (as Daniel Bradette)
J. Tracy Budd	....	property master (as Tracy Budd)
Brian Carson	....	scenic artist
Devra Cohen	....	production assistant: art department
Dennis Davenport	....	assistant art director
Bruno De La Celle	....	assistant property master
Raymond W. Fleishman	....	set decorator: Chicago (as Raymond Fleischman)
Marjorie Fritz-Birch	....	property buyer: Chicago (as Marjorie Fritz Birch)
Aaron Holden	....	property master: Chicago
Henry Ilola	....	head carpenter
Gustave Meunier	....	property buyer (as Gus Meunier)
Kathleen Sullivan	....	property buyer: Chicago (as Kate Sullivan)
Donald Vandewater	....	construction supervisor (as Don Vandewater)
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	painter (uncredited)
Robert E. Knight	....	supervising signwriter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Brassaw	....	adr assistant
Ross Carter	....	assistant sound editor
Alison Clark	....	sound effects editor
Alison Fisher	....	assistant sound editor
Alison Grace	....	dialogue editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sharon Lackie	....	supervising sound editor: Canada
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Owen Langevin	....	sound mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Randy Milligan	....	boom operator
Robert Nichols II	....	sound re-recordist
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael O'Farrell	....	supervising sound editor: Canada
Gary Ritchie	....	sound re-recordist (as Gary F. Ritchie)
Norman B. Schwartz	....	dialogue editor
James Simcik	....	adr editor
Peter Thilaye	....	sound effects editor (as Peter Thillaye)
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neil Trifunovich	....	special effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Clare	....	key grip: Chicago
Eugene F. Crededio	....	gaffer: Chicago (as Gene Credidio)
Jay Fortune	....	gaffer
Gail Harvey	....	still photographer
Cal Kohne	....	key grip
Billy Miller	....	key grip
Thom Ryan	....	focus puller
Dave C. Sheridan	....	clapper loader (as David Sheridan)
Don Smetzer	....	still photographer: Chicago (as Don Smitzer)
Michael Stone	....	camera operator
Matt Tundo	....	camera operator: second unit
Paul Vombrack	....	camera operator: Chicago (as Paul Vom Brack)
Rick Young	....	gaffer
Shaw Hawkins Burrows	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Andy Langevin	....	electrician (uncredited)
Robert D. McBride	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tracy Shaw	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Stuart Aikins	....	casting: Toronto
Peter Lavender	....	extras casting
Debbie Durkin	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gail Filman	....	assistant costume designer
Thomas L. Pankiewich	....	costume supervisor (as Tom Pankiewich)

Editorial Department
Anita Brandt-Burgoyne	....	assistant editor: USA
Michael Pacek	....	assistant editor: Canada
Paisley Pappé-Iredell	....	editorial trainee (as Paisley Pappé)
Peter Ransohoff	....	assistant editor: USA
Robin Russell	....	assistant editor: Canada
Kim Secrist	....	associate film editor

Music Department
John Beug	....	music supervisor
Frank Fitzpatrick	....	music editor
Paula McKee	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
Norm Henderson	....	transportation coordinator
William J. Martin	....	transportation captain: Chicago (as Bill Martin)
Robert Wallace	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Diane Bandolas	....	production accountant
Alexia Beach	....	craft service
Oriana J. Bielawski	....	assistant: Mr. Carmody (as Oriana Bielawski)
James F. Breithaupt	....	assistant production accountant (as Jim Breithaupt)
Michael Brownstone	....	location manager
Susanna David	....	continuity supervisor
Al Ebner	....	unit publicist
Dona Friedberg	....	researcher
Karon Levin	....	assistant: Mr. Bolt
Dennis Lindbergh	....	craft service: Chicago
Pat Lydon	....	location manager: Chicago
Vince Nyuli	....	location manager
Kelly Robinson	....	choreographer
Jason V. Rodney	....	production office assistant (as Jason Rodney)
Patrice Ryan	....	title designer (as Patty Greer)
Edwin Silberstang	....	gambling consultant (as Ed Silberstang)
Amy Zagorski	....	production secretary: Chicago
Deborah Zwicker	....	production coordinator
Mark W. Hindle	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Mark Moore	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Albacore Productions Inc.
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Starlight
• Vestron Video (video)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Canada:R | Iceland:14

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Albacore Productions Inc.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Although set in 1957, when J.C. and Aggie get off the street car, there is an '80s model Cadillac in the street behind them, followed by another late-model car.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ha-Kluv (1989)

Soundtrack:

HARLEM NOCTURNE

Excellent movie

Very entertaining, and a great cast as noted. I'd like to add that Bruce Dern did a fine job also, as is usually the case. Worth renting if you can find it, which has proved difficult for me. Also note that the Amazon link from this page currently goes to a different movie of the same name.