See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers (WGA):

Earl Barret (story) &
Arne Sultan (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

MURDER! The blind guy couldn't see it. The deaf guy couldn't hear it. Now they're both wanted for it.

Plot:

Dave is deaf, and Wally is blind. They witness a murder, but it was Dave that was looking at her, and Wally that was listening...

Plot Keywords:

Witness | Blind Man | Police | Murder | Subway

Cast

Richard Pryor	...	Wallace 'Wally' Karue
Gene Wilder	...	Dave Lyons
Joan Severance	...	Eve
Kevin Spacey	...	Kirgo
Alan North	...	Braddock
Anthony Zerbe	...	Sutherland
Louis Giambalvo	...	Gatlin
Kirsten Childs	...	Adele
Hardy Rawls	...	Beefy Tourist
Audrie J. Neenan	...	Policewoman and Marilyn
Lauren Tom	...	Mitzie
John Capodice	...	Scotto
George Bartenieff	...	Huddelston
Alexandra Neil	...	Sally
Tonya Pinkins	...	Leslie
Bernie McInerney	...	Dr. Cornfeld
Keith Langsdale	...	Male Doctor
Jamie De Roy	...	Female Doctor
Mary Kay Adams	...	Dr. Bennett
Alan Pottinger	...	Parking Attendant
Bill Luhrs	...	Herman
Lisby Larson	...	Reporter
Mark Smaltz	...	Policeman
Rico Elias	...	Policeman
Doug Yasuda	...	Professor Kasuda
James Pyduck	...	Businessman
Michael John McGann	...	Salesman
Edward James Hyland	...	Cabbie (as Edward Hyland)
Thom Curley	...	Laundry Van Driver
John Ring	...	Teller
George Buck	...	Ray, Security Guard
Phil Goodbody	...	Blind Man
George Harris	...	Bartender
Zach Grenier	...	Jerk
Joe Viviani	...	Fingerprint Cop
Alice Spivak	...	Dispatcher
Shiek Mahmud-Bey	...	Walkie-Talkie Cop
Joel Swetow	...	Cabbie
Jane Connell	...	Woman
Pirie MacDonald	...	Lodge Tourist
Manuel E. Santiago	...	Raoul
Harry Madsen	...	Cop with Bullhorn
Tom Kubiak	...	Plainclothes Cop
Cynthia Lopez	...	Puerto Rican Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Harris II	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Burke Morgan	...	Bar Patron in opening fight scene (uncredited)

Directed by
Arthur Hiller

Writing credits (WGA)
Earl Barret		(story) &
Arne Sultan		(story) &
Marvin Worth		(story)
Earl Barret		(screenplay) &
Arne Sultan		(screenplay) and
Eliot Wald		(screenplay) &
Andrew Kurtzman		(screenplay) and
Gene Wilder		(screenplay)

Produced by
Earl Barret	....	executive producer
Burtt Harris	....	executive producer
Erica Hiller	....	associate producer
Arne Sultan	....	executive producer
Jody Worth	....	associate producer (as Jody Taylor Worth)
Marvin Worth	....	producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Robert Gundlach

Art Direction by
James T. Singelis

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Jr.

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Annie M. DeMille	....	hair stylist
Tony Lloyd	....	makeup artist: Mr. Pryor
Toy Van Lierop	....	makeup artist (as Toy Russell Van Lierop)
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist: Mr. Wilder

Production Management
Burtt Harris	....	unit production manager
John J. Healey	....	assistant unit production manager (as John Healey)
Ted Zachary	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie A. Bloom	....	second second assistant director
Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Joe Caracciolo Jr.)
Michael Haley	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mark McGann	....	first assistant director
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director
Glen Trotiner	....	second assistant director
Carla Zackson	....	dga trainee (uncredited)

Art Department
Gerald DeTitta	....	leadman
John R. Ford	....	assistant property master
Viola Frey	....	artist
Scott Gertsen	....	construction coordinator (as K. Scott Gertsen)
Robert Griffon Jr.	....	property master (as Robert J. Griffon)
Alan Kimmel	....	assistant art director
Christopher Nelson	....	set dresser
Manny Sanchez	....	head carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
John H. Arrufat	....	sound editor (as J.H. Arrufat)
Gary Blufer	....	sound effects recordist
Robert Bradshaw	....	sound editor
Gordon Ecker	....	supervising sound editor
John Michael Fanaris	....	sound effects coordinator
Steven Gerrior	....	adr assistant
Michael Hoskinson	....	assistant sound editor (as Mike Hoskinson)
James J. Isaacs	....	sound editor
John Leveque	....	sound editor
Dennis Maitland	....	sound mixer (as Dennis Maitland Sr.)
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer
Gary Parker	....	boom operator
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Joseph T. Sabella	....	foley artist (as Joe Sabella)
Mark Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor (as Donald L. Warner)
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound editor
Scott D. Jackson	....	foley supervisor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Connie Brink	....	special effects
Al Griswold	....	special effects supervisor
Bill Traynor	....	special effects

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunts (as George Aguilar)
Danny Aiello III	....	stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Gary Baxley	....	stunts
Dana D. Bertolette	....	stunts (as Diana D. Bertolette)
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg Elam)
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Edgard Mourino	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Sandy Richman	....	stunts
Michael Russo	....	stunts (as Mike Russo)
Lori Seaman	....	stunts (as Lori M. Van der Veer)
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
Gary Tacon	....	stunts
Roy Thomas	....	stunts
Deborah Watkins	....	stunts
James Welch	....	stunts
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts
Tom Wright	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bobby Brown	....	second assistant camera (as Bob Brown)
Jack Brown	....	first assistant camera
James P. Dolan	....	electrical best boy
James 'Packy' Dolan	....	gaffer (as James E. Dolan)
Tom Gilligan	....	best boy
Michael Ginsburg	....	still photographer
Louis Goldman	....	still photographer
John D. Kennedy	....	dolly grip
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	director of photography: second unit
Ed Quinn	....	key grip (as Edwin A. Quinn Sr.)
Michael Stone	....	camera operator
Billy Kerwick	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Burchard	....	costume supervisor: men
Arlene B. Coffey	....	costume supervisor: women
Lillian Pan	....	assistant costume designer
Jan Finnell	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Leslie Jones	....	assistant editor
Robert P. Walzer	....	assistant editor: second unit

Music Department
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Jeff Seitz	....	score co-producer
Jeff Seitz	....	score engineer

Transportation Department
Edward O'Donnell	....	transportation captain
Thomas Reilly	....	transportation coordinator
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Susan Alschuler	....	unit publicist
Mary Bailey	....	script supervisor
Raul Bonilla	....	assistant: Mr. Pryor
Michael Boonstra	....	assistant location manager
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Debra Mendel Freedman	....	assistant: Mr. Worth
Dean Garvin	....	production assistant (as Dean C. Garvin)
Wendi Haas	....	production office coordinator
Liza J. Harris	....	production assistant
Megan Harris	....	production assistant
Kristie Hart	....	production assistant
Jennie Johnson	....	assistant: Mr. Pryor
Rashon Khan	....	assistant: Mr. Pryor
Patti L. Kleinman	....	assistant: Mr. Worth
Wilson Lyle	....	craft service
David McMurray	....	dance producer: "Anything Can Happen"
Rich Murray	....	production assistant
Bernadette Penotti	....	production assistant
Wister Pilling	....	craft service
Rubén Rodríguez	....	assistant accountant (as Ruben R. Rodriguez)
Todd Rosken	....	assistant: Mr. Worth
Ellen Smith	....	production assistant (as Ellen J. Smith)
Annie Stewart	....	location coordinator
Suzanne E. Vaucher	....	assistant accountant (as Suzanne Vaucher)
David Was	....	dance producer: "Anything Can Happen"
Don Was	....	dance producer: "Anything Can Happen"
Brenda White	....	assistant: Mr. Hiller
Tim Williams	....	production assistant
Elizabeth Yanoska	....	production accountant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Nicholas Wolfert	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Marguerite Guardino	....	thanks
Edward Kelly	....	thanks (as Ed Kelly)
Roberta Mineo	....	thanks
Robert Perrone	....	thanks
Paul Porelli	....	thanks
Ronald S. Reiter	....	thanks
Arne Sultan	....	film dedicated to
Karen Webb	....	thanks

Production Companies

• TriStar Pictures (presents) (as Tri-Star Pictures)

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Other Companies

• T&A Caterers  catering
• TAJ Soundworks  foley recorded at

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Finland:K-14 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Gene Wilder went to the NY League for the Hard of Hearing to study for his role, and he was assigned to his future wife, Karen Boyer.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera dolly tracks when the killers catch Dave and Wally after they escape from the police station.

Quotes:

Cabbie: Let me see a badge!
Kirgo: [holds up gun] This is my badge!

Movie Connections:

Remade as Pyare Mohan (2006)

Soundtrack:

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN

Very funny pairing of the two wonderful comic actors

I remember first seeing this movie when I was about five years old, and I found it hilarious. I caught the movie a couple more times on network TV, but this is the first time I watched it again in its unedited form.

Needless to say, Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder are both wonderful talents with an irreplacable chemistry, and that chemistry is utilized very well throughout. Of course, the brilliantly original premise helps as well. A blind guy and a deaf guy who pair up to solve a murder? Classic! That premise is used wonderfully. There's a great line where they're interrogated and angry officer screams out, "Between the two of you, you saw and heard everything!"

There's a lot of great fish-out-of-water humor involving Pryor's blindness and Wilder's deafness. One of the most hilarious gags, along with the car chase, is when Pryor helps another blind man to walk across the street, and they end up in the back of a truck. Now that's a literal example of the blind leading the blind. Each gag is delivered and timed very well, thanks for the great actors and veteran director Arthur Hiller, who has directed the two leads before in "Silver Streak."

This isn't a perfect comedy. A few gags fall flat, but the key word is "few." Some reviewers and audiences have regarded this as the low point in Wilder's and Pryor's careers. I think of "Another You" as the low point, which is a horribly forgettable comedy that unfortunately was the last film they did together.

A good deal of the gags are far-fetched, but this is a slapstick farce and you have to expect that. That's why I always say that this is a very tricky sub-genre and if not done correctly, the audience will totally stop suspending disbelief and simply scoff at its foolishness.

Fans of Pryor and Wilder should not be disappointed. Also, if you want to see an early (comic) performance by Kevin Spacey, it's also worth checking out. Speaking of worth checking out, Joan Severance provides great eye candy, and she has a couple of nude scenes to boot. I was born in 1982, so this was the first movie where I saw the two comics together on screen, so "See No Evil" is more unique to me than it probably is to others. But come on! With scenes like a high-speed car chase involving a blind man and a deaf man trying to escape, how can this not be regarded as a "unique" comedy?

My score: 7 (out of 10)