Who's That Girl (1987)

Director:

James Foley

Writers:

Andrew Smith (story)
Andrew Smith (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 August 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Romance

Tagline:

A funny thing happened on the way to the bus station.

Plot:

An uptight New York tax lawyer gets his life turned upside down, all in a single day, when he's asked to escort a feisty and free-spirited female ex-convict whom asks him to help prove her innocence of her crime.

Plot Keywords:

Innocence | Ex Convict | Lawyer | Parolee | Shoplifting

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Madonna	...	Nikki Finn
Griffin Dunne	...	Louden Trott
Haviland Morris	...	Wendy Worthington
John McMartin	...	Simon Worthington
Bibi Besch	...	Mrs. Worthington
John Mills	...	Montgomery Bell (as Sir John Mills)
Robert Swan	...	Detective Bellson
Drew Pillsbury	...	Detective Doyle
Coati Mundi	...	Raoul
Dennis Burkley	...	Benny
James Dietz	...	Buck
Cecile Callan	...	Sandy - Wendy's Friend
Karen Elise Baldwin	...	Heather - Wendy's Friend (as Karen Baldwin)
Kimberlin Brown	...	Rachel - Wendy's Friend
Crystal Carson	...	Denise - Wendy's Friend
Elaine Wilkes	...	Holly - Wendy's Friend
Tony La Fortezza	...	Cabbie #1
Thomas Pinnock	...	Cabbie #2
Alvin Hammer	...	Cabbie #3
Sean Sullivan	...	Gun Dealer
Helen Lloyd Breed	...	Co-op Board Chairwoman
Dalton Dearborn	...	Co-op Member #1
Robert Weil	...	Co-op Member #2 (as Robert E. Weil)
Robert Cornthwaite	...	Minister
Albert Popwell	...	Parole Chairman
Alice Nunn	...	Woman Parole Member
Gary Basaraba	...	Shipping Clerk
Ron Taylor	...	1st Dock Worker
Stanley Tucci	...	2nd Dock Worker
Mike Starr	...	Shipping Co-Worker
Dwight Crawford	...	Bicycle Messenger
Laura Drake	...	Shirley
Efrat Lavie	...	Entourage Saleswoman
Mary Gillis	...	Gown Woman
Roy Brocksmith	...	Crystal Salesman
Ted Hayden	...	Flatware Salesman
Deryl Carroll	...	Florist
Beatrice Colen	...	Secretary
Susan Bugg	...	Law Secretary
Robert Clotworthy	...	Lawyer
Lexie Shine	...	Judy
Faith Minton	...	Donovan
Judy Kerr	...	Prison Oficer
Darwyn Carson	...	Prison Reception Guard
Andre Rosey Brown	...	Record Store Security Guard
Brad Rearden	...	Record Store Cashier
Bert Rosario	...	Greasy Guy
Patrick McCord	...	Traffic Cop
Liz Sheridan	...	Nurse #1
Shari Summers	...	Nurse #2
Glenn Plummer	...	Harlem Kid #1 (as Glen Plummer)
Lance Slaughter	...	Harlem Kid #2
Alon Williams	...	Harlem Kid #3
Mario Gardner	...	Harlem Kid #4
Dennis Brown	...	Harlem Kid #5
Carmen Filpi	...	Street Bum #1
Robert Benjamin Pope	...	Street Bum #2
Gerald Orange	...	Drunk in Harlem Hallway
Shelly Lipkin	...	Tiffany Salesman
Ellen Crawford	...	Tiffany Saleswoman
Pat Romano	...	Rolls Royce Thief #1
Gary Tacon	...	Rolls Royce Thief #2
Jinaki	...	Lady on Bus
Glen Chin	...	Bank Guard
Lloyd Kino	...	Bank Officer
Clive Rosengren	...	Bus Driver
Scott Harms	...	Motorcycle Cop
Cristian Letelier	...	Motorcycle Cop
Sanders Cupac	...	Motorcycle Cop
Meilani Figalan	...	Amazon Woman
Philip Romano	...	Fencing Opponent (as Phil Romano)
Lea Lashaway	...	Screaming Woman
Michael Scott Henderson	...	Raoul's Driver
Marilyn Ammons	...	Prisoner
Murray	...	Murray
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arthur Tovey	...	Butler (uncredited)

Directed by
James Foley

Writing credits
Andrew Smith		(story)
Andrew Smith		(screenplay) &
Ken Finkleman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Roger Birnbaum	....	executive producer
Peter Guber	....	executive producer
Rosilyn Heller	....	producer
Jon Peters	....	executive producer
Andrew Smith	....	associate producer
Bernard Williams	....	producer

Original Music by
Stephen Bray

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont		(director of photography) (as Jan Debont)

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring		(as Pembroke Herring)

Casting by
Glenn Daniels

Production Design by
Ida Random

Art Direction by
Donald B. Woodruff		(as Don Woodruff)

Set Decoration by
Cloudia		(as C L O U D I A)

Costume Design by
Deborah Lynn Scott

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist: Madonna
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist (as Scott Eddo)
Donna Barrett Gilbert	....	key hair stylist (as Donna Barrett-Gilbert)
Francesca Paris	....	hair stylist: New York
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist: Madonna (as Ed Ternes)

Production Management
G. Mac Brown	....	unit production manager: New York
Sheridan Dar Reid	....	unit production manager (as Sheridan Reid)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah M. Brim	....	second assistant director: New York (as Sarah Brim)
Ric Kidney	....	first assistant director
Daniel R. Suhart	....	second assistant director (as Dan Suhart)
Tena Psyche Yatroussis	....	second assistant director (as Tena Yatroussis)
Matt Fenton	....	apprentice assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jack Blackman	....	art director: New York
Leslie Bloom	....	set decorator: New York (as Les Bloom)
Russell Bobbitt	....	assistant property master
William Boyd	....	mill foreman
Oscar Delgadillo	....	gang boss
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
David Q. Quick	....	property master (as David Quick)
Jimmy Raitt	....	property master: New York
Martha Johnston	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Curda	....	adr mixer
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Dee Dee Goldner	....	assistant sound editor
James Hebenstreit	....	boom operator
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Robert Henderson)
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor (as Joey Ippolito)
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Walter Newman	....	sound editor
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brooke H. Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson Ward)
Ed White	....	production sound mixer
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Connie Brink	....	special effects: New York (as Conrad Brink)
Richard O. Helmer	....	special effects coordinator
Richard L. Hill	....	special effects (as Richard Hill)
James D. Schwalm	....	special effects (as Jim Schwalm)

Visual Effects by
Peter Donen	....	visual effects supervisor
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist
Mark Sullivan	....	matte artist

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunt player
Clay Boss	....	stunt player
Polly Burson	....	stunt player (as Polly Bursan)
Monty Cox	....	stunt player
Joe Daly	....	stunt player
Bud Davis	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Dockstader	....	stunt player
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunt player (as Jon Epstein)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunt player
Greg Gault	....	stunt player
Beau Gibson	....	stunt player
Andy Gill	....	stunt player
Randy Hall	....	stunt player
Charles Hart	....	stunt player
Robert Keller	....	stunt player
Bill Madden	....	stunt player (as William Madden)
Victor Magnotta	....	stunt coordinator: New York
Victor Magnotta	....	stunt player
Ron Oliney	....	stunt player
Lonnie Parkinson	....	stunt player
Don Pulford	....	stunt player
Branscombe Richmond	....	stunt player
Dennis Scott	....	stunt player
John Sherrod	....	stunt player
Mike Tillman	....	stunt player
Steve Vandeman	....	stunt player (as Steve Vanderman)
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (uncredited)
Craig Lietzke	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Edward A. Ayer	....	gaffer (as Ed Ayer)
James R. Belletier	....	second assistant camera: New York (as Jimmy Belletier)
Norman Buck	....	key grip: New York
Bill Decker	....	key grip
Ken Fisher	....	second assistant camera
William Kenney	....	dolly grip (as Bill Kenney)
James Malone	....	best boy electric: New York
James McGrath	....	dolly grip: New York
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera: New York
Jane O'Neal	....	still photographer
Keith Orefice	....	electrical best boy
Jürgen Vollmer	....	still photographer: New York (as Jurgen Vollmer)
Richard Walden	....	additional camera operator
William Waldman	....	first assistant camera (as Bill Waldman)
William Ward	....	gaffer: New York (as Billy Ward)
Sandy Williams	....	best boy grip
Alexander Witt	....	camera operator
Thomas Enright	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael T. Travers	....	grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bob Scott	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Phyllis Corcoran-Woods	....	costume supervisor
Dallas D. Dornan	....	costumer (as Dallas Dornan)
Julie Glick	....	costumer
George L. Little	....	costume supervisor (as George Little)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Craig Herring	....	assistant editor
Joe Mosca	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor
Patrick Leonard	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
William Curry	....	transportation captain: New York (as Bill Curry Sr.)
Ron Kelley	....	transportation captain
Robert Neilson	....	transportation coordinator (as Bob Neilson)

Other crew
Todd Arnow	....	production accountant: New York
Robin Citrin	....	location manager
Julia Cort	....	production runner
Melissa Crowe	....	personal assistant: Madonna (as Melissa Crow)
Brad Epstein	....	assistant: Bernard Williams
Jonathan Filley	....	location manager: New York
Mark Finerman	....	production runner
Stuart Fink	....	unit publicist
Michael Gannon	....	assistant: James Foley
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Tom Malanga	....	production accountant
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor (as Lyn McKissick)
Sharon Morov	....	production secretary
Karen Moy	....	assistant: Rosilyn Heller
Lisa Pivnick	....	production runner
Ron Saffold	....	craft service
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager
Cathy K. Stoia	....	production office coordinator: New York
Dana Williams	....	production associate
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Grant Reid	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Guber-Peters Company, The
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (Greece) (VHS)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (Greece)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Apogee Productions (visual effects) (as Apogee Inc.)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Broadcast Arts Productions  title sequence (as Broadcast Arts Inc.)
• California Film Office, The  special thanks
• City of Los Angeles  special thanks
• City of New York, The  special thanks
• Hollywood Animal Rentals  Murray trained by (as Hollywood Animals Rentals)
• Jelly's Jams LLC  music publisher
• Jellybean Music Publishing  music publisher
• K!SSPROOF Entertainment  cast appearance booking
• Sire Records Company  soundtrack
• Sylvia Fay Casting  extras casting: New York
• TAJ Soundworks  foley recording

Also Known As:

Slammer (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

UK:PG (cut) | Singapore:PG | UK:PG (video re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | USA:PG (No. 28651) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Guber-Peters Company, The

Trivia:

The film was originally titled "Slammer" until Madonna wrote and decided to use Who's That Girl as the film's theme song. The song went to #1 on the Billboard chart in August 1987.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the first shot of Louden crashing through the gate and the limo dangling over the edge of the parking structure, you can clearly see that it is a stunt driver in a hat in the driver's seat when the car is shown from the side. When it cuts back to inside the car, Louden is in the driver's seat again.

Quotes:

Nikki Finn: [after jumping from one building over to another, to Louden] Jump!
Louden Trott: [reaching the edge of the building, nervous]
Nikki Finn: Come on!
Louden Trott: Are you insane?
Nikki Finn: I did it, you can do it!
Louden Trott: You're a criminal, I'm a tax attorney! I'll be alright here, I'm sure somebody'll call the cops.
Nikki Finn: They are the cops!
Louden Trott: [shots are being fired behind him, nonstop]
Louden Trott: [nervously] Maybe if I just explain...
Nikki Finn: Explain what, Trott? That we were buyin' four stolen semi-automatic weapons on your gold card?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in So Wrong They're Right (1995)

Soundtrack:

Step By Step

Better than most of the recent "comedies" that focus on "gross-out" humor.

Admittedly I was only 13 years old when I first saw this movie (in the theater), but it has always been one of my favorites.

The story line was held together with some of the best lines. (I still quote them today). Madonna gets slammed for so many reasons, this movie should not be one of them. She and Griffin Dunne made a fun, quirky couple. It did not pretend to be anything than what it was, and who can find fault with that?

This movie was part farce, part mystery (okay, not up to Agatha Christie standards) and part romantic comedy. It was no worse than most films that fall into the romantic comedy genre, if anything it is one of the better ones.

For those of you out there who hate Madonna, by all means avoid this film, why torture yourself? But for anyone who likes her, or just wants to see a light, fluffy story with some great music (let's hear it for Scritti Politti)then "Who's That Girl" is a fun, nostalgic trip that will have you laughing in no time.

Laugh at Buck, the delivery driver, or Griffin Dunne in that top hat and tails, and who could forget the bridesmaids, having been kidnapped and tied together, hitting on the cops? I'm laughing just thinking about it.