Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even (1992)

Director:

Joan Micklin Silver

Writers (WGA):

Frank Mugavero (story) and
Mark Goddard (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A girl fed up with her quirky, disfunctional family runs away from home, casusing all of them to spend time with eachother.

Plot Keywords:

Breaking The Fourth Wall | Family | Teen | Independent Film

Cast

Griffin Dunne	...	David
Dan Futterman	...	Josh
Patricia Kalember	...	Barbara
Jenny Lewis	...	Corinne
Ben Savage	...	Sam
Jessica Seely	...	Jessie
Adrienne Shelly	...	Stephanie
David Strathairn	...	Keith
Trenton Teigen	...	Kurt
Margaret Whitton	...	Melinda
Hillary Wolf	...	Laura Chartoff
Sean Blackman	...	Runaway Boy #1
Joe D'Angerio	...	Mr. Zordani
Cory Danziger	...	Leonard
Leslie Kendall	...	Melissa (as Leslie Engelberg)
Bill Erickson	...	Trooper #1
Angelina Estrada	...	Rosario
Meagen Fay	...	Mom
Ashton Flinders	...	Kid #6
Ethan Flinders	...	Kid #5
Marc Grapey	...	Employee
Googy Gress	...	The Dad
Jim Haynie	...	Sheriff
Samir Kamoun	...	Driver
Denis Heames	...	Runaway Boy #2
Buck Kartalian	...	Dog Owner
Salomon I. Marx	...	Trooper #2 (as Salomon Marx)
Keith MacKechnie	...	Patrolman
Harmony Murphy	...	Kid #3
Lori June Moore	...	Concerned Camper
Michael Murphy	...	Kid #4
Reilly Murphy	...	Kid #2
Shaggy Murphy	...	Kid #1
Ivory Ocean	...	Teacher
Joann Passantino	...	Runaway Girl
Joey Sciacca	...	Hank
Paul E. Short	...	Trooper #3 (as Paul Short)

Directed by
Joan Micklin Silver

Writing credits (WGA)
Frank Mugavero		(story) and
Mark Goddard		(story) and
Melissa Goddard		(story)
Frank Mugavero		(screenplay)

Produced by
Melissa Goddard	....	executive producer
Peter Morgan	....	executive producer
Gerald T. Olson	....	producer
Laurie Perlman	....	producer

Original Music by
Patrick Williams

Cinematography by
Theo van de Sande

Film Editing by
Janice Hampton

Casting by
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Victoria Paul

Art Direction by
Brad Ricker

Set Decoration by
Joyce Anne Gilstrap

Costume Design by
Jane Ruhm

Makeup Department
Gandhi Bob Arrollo	....	makeup department head
John C. Damian	....	assistant hair/makeup
Linda De Andrea	....	key hair stylist supervisor
Angela Levin	....	key hair stylist
Angela Levin	....	key makeup artist
Susan Mayer	....	assistant makeup artist (as Susan 'Sam' Mayer)

Production Management
Ken Golden	....	unit production manager
Ric Keelsy	....	post-production supervisor
Deborah Moore	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Leveen	....	second assistant director
David Sardi	....	first assistant director
Daniel Silverberg	....	second second assistant director
John R. Woodward	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Carl Algee	....	swing gang
James Baldwin	....	swing gang
Kay Bay	....	buyer
Bonnie Bennetts	....	buyer
Bruce Rand Berman	....	swing gang
Scot Broadus	....	set crew
Beth Bronson	....	scenic department
Rob Brown	....	construction coordinator
Paul J. Buckley	....	carpenter
Henry Buescher	....	carpenter
John Bullard	....	carpenter
Cheri Candido	....	assistant property master
Jose Clemente	....	assistant carpenter
Larry A. Cornick	....	art production assistant (Lawrence A. Cornick)
Michael S. Day	....	property master
Joe Del Monte	....	carpenter
Robert de Vico	....	construction foreman
Frank Ferguson	....	carpenter
Gerard Forrest	....	carpenter
Patricia Garrity	....	key set dresser
Michael Goddard	....	art production assistant
Michael Goyak	....	swing gang
Jim T. Graham	....	swing gang
Bernard Griesz	....	carpenter
Aaron Groszmann	....	swing gang
Mark Hannah	....	assistant carpenter
George Hinzo	....	lead scenic painter
Hugo J. Hosek	....	scenic department
James Hura	....	swing gang
Devlin Lenew	....	carpenter (as Devlin Lerew)
Douglas Lidz	....	carpenter
Elroy J. Matoba	....	swing gang
Norm Maxwell	....	carpenter
Brant McCarthy	....	carpenter
Eugene McCarthy	....	property master
Paul McConnell	....	swing gang
Karin L. McGaughey	....	assistant to designers
Steven Miller	....	swing gang (as Steve Miller)
Martin Milligan	....	swing gang
John Moore	....	carpenter
Kyle Nichoff	....	swing gang
Hal Olofsson	....	swing gang
Shawn Probst	....	swing gang
Eric Ramsey	....	storyboard artist
Tony Reynolds	....	swing gang
Hector Rivera	....	swing gang
Paul H. Roberts	....	carpenter
David Ronemus	....	carpenter
Sandy Schaak	....	propmaker foreman
John Setzer	....	carpenter
Maya Shimoguchi	....	set designer
Tozar Simich	....	carpenter
Wendy Smith	....	art department coordinator
Sandra Stewart	....	buyer
Todd Syrek	....	property maker
Toddy Syrek	....	carpenter
José Antonio Torres	....	property maker
Joseph Torres	....	carpenter
Phil Tubach	....	lead man
Adolofo Vegara	....	carpenter
Vee Vitanza	....	scenic department
Taunie Vrenon	....	scenic department
Eric Yornt	....	carpenter
Chris Snyder	....	construction foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sue Blainey	....	assistant sound editor
Brent Brewington	....	boom operator
Paul Bureek	....	apprentice sound editor
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist (as Nancy Linden)
Louis Cerborino	....	sound editor
Vida Fitzgerald	....	apprentice sound editor
Starr Furlotte	....	assistant sound editor
Wendy Hedin	....	supervising sound editor
Adam Joseph	....	cable person
Richard King	....	assistant sound editor
Hal Levinsohn	....	adr editor (as Hal Levinson)
Hal Levinsohn	....	dialogue editor (as Hal Levinson)
Robert Morgan	....	boom operator
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist
David Wahnon	....	assistant sound editor
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Martin Bresin	....	special effects coordinator (as Marty Bresin)

Stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunt coordinator
David LeBell	....	stunts (as David Le Bell)
Lynn Salvator	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Waide R. Allen	....	electrician
Jaime Barber	....	first assistant camera
Huston Beaumont	....	rigger
Paul J. Bellman	....	staff videographer
Brian Bernstein	....	steadicam operator
Levon Besnelian	....	dolly grip
Stephenie Blakemore	....	electrician
John Carney	....	rigger
Louis Cicero	....	grip
John T. Connor	....	second assistant camera
Darryl Deo Cowheard Jr.	....	electrician (as Darryl Cowheard)
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip
Willie E. Dawkins	....	electrician
Maurizio Dotto	....	second assistant camera
Kimo Easterwood	....	electrician
Duncan Filson	....	rigger
Samuel Fischer	....	co-grip
Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald	....	grip
Charley Gilleran	....	best boy grip
Bruce Alan Greene	....	steadicam operator
David Hennings	....	camera operator
Wes Houle	....	rigger
Chrisitn S. Hurley	....	second second assistant camera
William K. Koski	....	electrician
Amy Laakman-Davis	....	grip (as Amy Laakman)
Michael Lambert	....	electrician
Roger S. Mack	....	camera intern
Matt Mania	....	rigger
John Maninger	....	best boy electric
Tony Mazzucchi	....	best boy grip
Ryan Nellis	....	still photographer
Tom Nichols	....	dolly grip
Terry O'Deen	....	grip
Briggs Palmer	....	first assistant camera
Daniel Pershing	....	grip
Bill Pierson	....	grip
Billy Pierson	....	company grip
Joseph Ressa	....	electrician
Amy Roth	....	second second assistant camera
Jay R. Schwartz	....	lighting board operator
Charles M. Smallwood	....	best boy grip
Skip Smith	....	company grip
P.M. Sudmerer	....	rigger
Mark Tammy	....	second assistant camera
Newton TerMeer	....	gaffer
Randolph J. Verdigo	....	grip
Tom Yatsko	....	first assistant steadicam

Casting Department
Kate Richey	....	casting assistant
James Vanko	....	extras casting: Mammoth

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jon Boyden	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sandy Kenyon	....	wardrobe assistant (as Sandra Kenyon)
Melissa Merwin	....	costume supervisor
Anne Carter Parker	....	wardrobe assistant
Scott Tomlinson	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Scott Bar Tomlinson)

Editorial Department
David Dalton	....	apprentice editor
Joe Fineman	....	executive in charge of post-production
Thalia Harithas	....	post-production coordinator
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Erica Huggins	....	assistant editor
Nicholas Martin	....	assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Bruno Paquette Jr.	....	apprentice editor
Stuart Sperling	....	assistant editor
Josie Wechsler	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Shopan Entesari	....	music supervisor
Edward Karam	....	orchestrator
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor
Greg Sheldon	....	creative music placement
Greg Sheldon	....	music editor
Patty von Arx	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
Carl Algee	....	driver
Ted Basso	....	driver: production van
Richard Burch	....	driver
Louis Ciceros	....	driver
David Downs	....	shotmaker driver
Rebecca Forbes	....	driver
Tom Goodman	....	driver
Stephen Gray	....	transportation co-captain
John Huht	....	driver
Christopher Joachins	....	driver
David Joseph	....	driver: production van
Brian Moore	....	transportation coordinator
Lori June Moore	....	driver
Rob Morton	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver
Dan Rycerz	....	driver
Patrick Ryco	....	driver
Bruce Scott	....	driver
Tony Sgueglia	....	driver
Robin Twogood	....	driver
Jennifer Watson	....	driver
Chris Wentzel	....	driver
Roland Wilson	....	driver

Other crew
Christopher C. Bardin	....	assistant to producers
Ed Berghino	....	assistant location manager
Scotty Bergstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Blain Bregel	....	stage security
Daniel Burns	....	on-the-set production assistant
Michelle Carson	....	on-the-set production assistant
Diane Cornell	....	assistant production accountant
Caren Elin	....	studio teacher
Steve Elster	....	studio teacher
Erin D. Field	....	production assistant
Greg Grant	....	accounting production assistant
Timothy Gray	....	production executive
Dan Kaplow	....	production coordinator
Besty Knecht	....	on-the-set production assistant
Marc Lasko	....	location scout
Cindy Litman	....	contract supervisor
William Lybeer	....	craft service
Jana Marx	....	assistant to executive producer
Sandra McNeil	....	studio teacher
Steven Melching	....	production assistant
Sally Morton	....	legal assistant
Paul Mouradjian	....	assistant production assistant
Debbie Nelson	....	on-the-set production assistant
Charles Pollard	....	synthesizer programmer
Joanna Rees	....	assistant production coordinator
Gail Rodono	....	production controller
Anthony Rosen	....	assistant: Joan Micklin Silver
Phillip L. Rosen	....	production attorney
Tony Salome	....	location manager
Ann C. Salzer	....	on-the-set production assistant
Bret Sarton	....	assistant script supervisor
Lesa Shapiro	....	on-the-set production assistant
Anne Strick	....	unit publicist
Jim Vanko	....	mammoth location services
Annie Welles	....	script supervisor
Chris Wentzel	....	media liaison
Benjamin Whitehouse	....	production accountant
Chris Witherspoon	....	film reviewer
Woody Wood	....	mechanic

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema
• MG Entertainment Inc.
• Perlman Productions

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• New Line Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Stepkids

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Arroyo-Seco Ranger District, Angeles National Forest, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Goofs:

Continuity: As Laura is taking a picture of the Smith family (when she first meets them), she is holding the camera vertically in one shot, and then horizontally in the next.

Quotes:

Laura Chartoff: Why torture yourself when life will do it for you. Who said that? I did! Go ahead and quote me.

Movie Connections:

References "The Brady Bunch" (1969)

An Underrated Gem

I have always found this film an enjoyable and fun movie that uses satire to deliver some profound insights into modern American blended families. The film focuses on Laura Chartoff (Hillary Wolf), a delightfully sarcastic and self aware preteen and her dysfunctional family. Laura hates the family situation she has been forced into, but also finds she doesn't know how to convey this to either of her divorced parents, self absorbed and materialistic Melinda (Margaret Whitton) and well meaning but inarticulate David (Griffin Dunne).

After a particularly nasty fight with her mom and stepdad,Keith(David Strathairn) Laura runs away with her stepbrother Josh (Dan Futterman),who is estranged from the family. Soon all of Laura's family arrive at the lake house where she and Josh have been staying, and she takes off again, believing Josh has betrayed her trust.

In the days that follow, Laura will discover some fundamental truths about family as she makes her way alone in the world. Meanwhile,back at the lake, Laura's various family members-parents, stepparents,and siblings all come to realizations about their relationships that are alternately funny, touching, and poignant.

This is truly a great film which few people even know about-an underrated gem. Filled with vibrant performances-especially by the wonderful Dan Futterman, by Patricia Kalembar as Laura's beloved stepmother, Barbara, and by a pre-"Boy Meets World" Ben Savage as Laura's know-it-all half brother, Sam. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie. You won't be disappointed.