Frankie and Johnny (1991)

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers (WGA):

Terrence McNally (play)
Terrence McNally (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

You never choose love. Love chooses you.

Plot:

Johnny has just been released from prison, and gets a job in a cafe beside waitress Frankie. Frankie is a bit of a loner...

Plot Keywords:

Cafe | Restaurant | Love | True Love | Friend

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins

Cast

Al Pacino	...	Johnny
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Frankie
Hector Elizondo	...	Nick
Nathan Lane	...	Tim
Kate Nelligan	...	Cora
Jane Morris	...	Nedda
Greg Lewis	...	Tino
Al Fann	...	Luther
Ele Keats	...	Artemis
Fernando López	...	Jorge
Glenn Plummer	...	Peter
Tim Hopper	...	Lester
Harvey Miller	...	Mr. Rosen
Sean O'Bryan	...	Bobby
Goldie McLaughlin	...	Waitress Helen
Phil Leeds	...	Mr. DeLeon
Marvin Braverman	...	Officer Joe
Calvin Jung	...	Officer Lee
Frank Campanella	...	Retired Customer
Julie Paris	...	Pregnant Customer
Allan Kent	...	Racetrack Customer
Bud Markowitz	...	Juggler Customer
Elizabeth Kerr	...	Senior Citizen Customer
Marty Nadler	...	Rude Customer
Jeff Michalski	...	Seizure Customer
Diane Frazen	...	Whispering Customer Marge
Hyman Fishman	...	Cora's customer
Ronny Hallin	...	Biker Customer
Harvey Keenan	...	Salesman Customer
Pricilla Phillips	...	Snooty Customer
Joy Rosenthal	...	Snooty Customer
Robert Brunner	...	Accident Driver
Mark Scarola	...	Garment Worker
Karin Calabro	...	Dental Technician
Flora Berniker	...	Flora
Steve Restivo	...	Night Cook
Nick Gambella	...	Night Busboy
Hope Alexander-Willis	...	Night Waitress
Barbara Mealy	...	Night Waitress
Barbara London	...	Night Waitress
Al Sapienza	...	Peter's Roommate
Diana Kent	...	Nick's Wife
Tracy Reiner	...	Attorney at Party
Eugenia Bravos	...	Grandma
Gena Bravos	...	Greek Dancer
Shirley Kirkes	...	Greek Dancer (as Shirley Kirks)
Joli Lallo	...	Jorge's Girlfriend
Ira Glick	...	Mutzie Calish
Shannon Wilcox	...	Christine the Hooker
Dey Young	...	Johnny's Ex-Wife
Paul Tinder	...	New Husband
Barbara Marshall	...	Helen's Nurse
Scott Marshall	...	Sidewalk Preacher (as Scott A. Marshall)
Karen Case Cook	...	Megaphone Lady
Shawn Frank McLean	...	Penny Pitcher
John Goldman	...	Parking Lot Owner
Ashley Baynes	...	Johnny's Daughter
Valery Baynes	...	Johnny's Daughter
Paul Allison	...	Johnny's Son
Richard Allison	...	Johnny's Son
Blanche Bronte	...	Flower Vendor
Lorna Thayer	...	Flower Vendor
Mychael Bates	...	Flower Driver
Terri Sigrist	...	Bowling Twin
Lori Sigrist	...	Bowling Twin
Zachary Weintraub	...	Handsome Bowler
Laurie Quinn	...	Pretty Girl Bowler
Gordon Belson	...	Marlon the Disc Jockey
Lucinda Crosby	...	The Abused Neighbor
Shane Ross	...	Sexy Neighbor
Richard Gillis	...	Sexy Neighbor
Robert Ball	...	Haircombing Neighbor
Lou Evans	...	Eating Couple
Barbara Nabozny	...	Eating Couple
K Callan	...	Frankie's Mother
Frank Buxton	...	Minister
Dedee Pfeiffer	...	Frankie's Cousin (as De Dee Pfeiffer)
Marc Raducci	...	Cousin's Husband
Bill Applebaum	...	Baby's Godfather
Keith Martell	...	Party Child
Sophie von Haselberg	...	Party Child
Bettiann Fishman	...	Aunt Bette
Lori Marshall	...	Party Guest
Krista H. Davis	...	Bus Rider
Kelly McCray	...	Bus Rider
Blair Richwood	...	Bus Rider
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Bernard	...	Greek Band Leader (uncredited)
Jonathan Coder	...	Bus Rider (uncredited)
Nick Pernice	...	Stranger who knocks into groceries (uncredited)
Dante Spinotti	...	Man on bus (uncredited)

Directed by
Garry Marshall

Writing credits (WGA)
Terrence McNally		(play "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune")
Terrence McNally		(screenplay)

Produced by
Nick Abdo	....	co-producer
Garry Marshall	....	producer
Charles Mulvehill	....	executive producer
Alexandra Rose	....	executive producer
Michael Lloyd	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas
Battle Davis

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Art Direction by
Carol Winstead Wood		(as Carol W. Wood)

Set Decoration by
Kathe Klopp

Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton

Makeup Department
Sheryl Berkoff	....	makeup artist: Mr. Pacino
Alan D'Angerio	....	hair stylist: Ms. Pfeiffer
Nadia DiPaulo	....	makeup artist
Naomi Donne	....	makeup artist: Ms. Pfeiffer (as Naomi Beth Dunne)
Bernadette Mazur	....	makeup artist: Ms. Pfeiffer, New York
Nadege Schoenfeld	....	body makeup artist (as Nadege F. Schoenfeld)
Peggy Semtob	....	hair stylist: Mr. Pacino (as Peggy P. Semtob)
Julia L. Walker	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Patricia Churchill	....	unit production manager
Celia D. Costas	....	production manager: New York (as Celia Costas)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nick Abdo	....	second unit director
Tony Adler	....	second assistant director: New York
Nandi Bowe	....	second assistant director: second unit
Nandi Bowe	....	second second assistant director
Dan Coffie	....	dga trainee (as Daniel G. Coffie)
Susan E. Fiore	....	second second assistant director: New York
Bettiann Fishman	....	first assistant director: New York
Bettiann Fishman	....	second assistant director
Rebecca Saionz	....	DGA trainee: New York
Ellen H. Schwartz	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mychael Bates	....	assistant property master
Gary A. Brewer	....	lead person
William D. Derham	....	assistant property master
Kathleen Dolan	....	set decorator: New York
Wayne Fisher	....	prop person
Harold Fuhrman	....	set designer (as Harold L. Fuhrman)
Dwayne Grady	....	prop person (as Dwayne D. Grady)
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator
Larry Haney	....	prop person
Leon Harris	....	senior illustrator
Barbara A. Kastner	....	assistant property master: New York (as Barbara Kastner)
Randlett King Lawrence	....	construction foreperson
Tom McDermott	....	set dresser: New York
Ann Miller	....	property master: New York
John Ryan	....	prop person
Tom Shaw Jr.	....	property master
D.A. Zingelewicz	....	production painter
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	carpenter (uncredited)
John Kasarda	....	art director: New York (uncredited)
Paul Stanwyck	....	head painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Andre Bacha	....	dialogue editor
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
John 'Pee Wee' Carter	....	sound mixer: second unit (as John Carter III)
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith	....	dialogue editor (as Lucy Coldsnow)
John M. Colwell	....	sound editor (as John Colwell)
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
David DeGeus	....	assistant sound editor (as Dave DeGeus)
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist
Mark C. Grech	....	utility sound technician
Devon Heffley Curry	....	adr editor (as Devon Curry)
Samuel F. Kaufman	....	sound recordist
Andrea Lakin	....	sound recordist
Joseph A. Mayer	....	supervising adr editor (as Joe Mayer)
Michael Mirkovich	....	assistant sound editor (as Mike Mirkovich)
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kim Nolan	....	assistant sound editor
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer (as Tom O'Connell)
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Sabat	....	sound mixer: New York
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator: New York
Greg Salmon	....	boom operator: second unit
Timothy P. Salmon	....	boom operator
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Karen Spangenberg	....	supervising dialogue editor
Keith A. Wester	....	sound mixer
Karen G. Wilson	....	dialogue editor (as Karen Wilson)
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Butch Wolf	....	foley editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Danny Lester	....	special effects foreperson (as Dan Lester)
Thomas R. Ward	....	special effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Amorelli	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Michael J. Amorelli)
Paul Amorelli	....	set lighting electrician
Lou Barlia	....	camera operator (as Louis Barlia)
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
James D. Doherty	....	grip
Albert Eismount	....	set lighting electrician
Ken Fisher	....	panaglide assistant
Albert Fitch	....	head rigging electrician
Dennis Gamiello	....	first company grip: New York
Lloyd Gowdy	....	set lighting electrician
Brad M. Hazen	....	set lighting electrician (as Brad Hazen)
Albert Hood	....	set lighting electrician
James Thomas Jarrell	....	set lighting electrician
Jeffrey Laszlo	....	second camera operator
John Lowry	....	rigging grip: New York
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera: New York
John Nash	....	grip
Terence Nightingall	....	first assistant cinematographer: second unit
Peter Norman	....	camera operator: New York
Andrew Priestley	....	second assistant camera: New York (as Andrew Priestly)
Ray Quinlan	....	chief lighting technician: New York
Michael Raspa	....	second assistant cinematographer
Richard Redlin	....	second company grip
Scott M. Robinson	....	first company grip
Richard 'Rico' Sands	....	chief lighting technician: second unit (as Rick Sands)
George R. Schrader	....	dolly grip
Michael J. Selph	....	film loader
George Silic	....	set lighting electrician (as George G. Silic)
William Silic	....	chief lighting technician (as William M. Silic)
Donald E. Thorin Jr.	....	first assistant camera (as Donald Thorin Jr.)
Francis X. Valdez III	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Bryan Yaconelli	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Steve Yaconelli	....	director of photography: second unit
Elizabeth Ziegler	....	panaglide operator (as Liz Ziegler)
Jenna Abrahamson-Minardi	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
David Canestro	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Jack Coffen	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Kenneth Estes	....	video playback operator (uncredited)
Chris Hammond	....	electrician (uncredited)
Simon Jayes	....	crane operator: Technocrane (uncredited)
Michael A. McFadden	....	grip (uncredited)
Carl A. Vidnic	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandy Holt	....	voice casting
Mimi Maynard	....	voice casting
Michael Orloff	....	casting associate
Mariann H.W. Lee	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elinor Bardach	....	key costumer (as Elinor C. Bardach)
Juliann M. Smith	....	costumer
Mary Elizabeth Still	....	costume supervisor
Rhona Meyers	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Brian L. Chambers	....	associate film editor
Richard Currie	....	apprentice film editor
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Tony Kadell	....	assistant film editor
Nina Kawasaki	....	apprentice film editor
Laura Krumholz	....	apprentice film editor
David Landau	....	post-production assistant
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Richard Bernard	....	soloist: bouzouki
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Joseph S. DeBeasi	....	music editor
Xavier Du Bois	....	music coordinator
Carl Fortina	....	orchestra contractor
Marvin Hamlisch	....	conductor
Jim Harrison	....	supervising music editor
G. Marq Roswell	....	music supervisor (as G. Mark Roswell)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Torrie Zito	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Tom Briggs	....	transportation captain
Joseph Fanning	....	transportation captain: New York (as Joe Fanning)
Tom F. Thomas	....	transportation coordinator (as Tom Thomas)
Richard Curry	....	driver: Ms. Pfeiffer (uncredited)
Bobby Marsh	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Adell Aldrich	....	script supervisor
Steven Baruch	....	stage producer: "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"
Suzette Boyd	....	assistant: Mr. Mulvehill and Mr. Abdo
Gena Bravos	....	production assistant: second unit
Diane Burstein	....	production assistant
Caryn E. Campbell	....	production assistant
Pat Chapman	....	production office coordinator (as Patricia S. Chapman)
Robin Citrin	....	location manager
Frederic B. Clark IV	....	production assistant: New York
Krista H. Davis	....	secretary to Mr. Marshall
Ron Eisenman	....	first aid
Richard Ericson	....	dialect coach: Ms. Pfeiffer
Jane Nerlinger Evans	....	production office coordinator: New York
Marisa Forzano	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino
Richard Frankel	....	stage producer: "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"
Diane Frazen	....	executive assistant: Mr. Marshall
Connie Fredricks	....	production assistant
Judy Hallin	....	assistant production coordinator (as Judy L. Hallin)
Wendy S. Hallin	....	production assistant
Jody Hummer	....	assistant location manager
Patti Lewis	....	production assistant
Maria Marini	....	assistant auditor: New York
Paula Mindyas	....	assistant: Ms. Pfeiffer
Anne M. Mirch	....	production assistant
Christo Morse	....	production assistant: New York
Donald Murphy	....	production assistant: New York
Irina Naydichev	....	assistant production accountant
Jono Oliver	....	production assistant (as Jono)
Marco A. Orozco	....	production assistant (as Marco Orozco)
Tim L. Pearson	....	assistant production auditor
Eileen Peterson	....	unit publicist
Marlon Pollick	....	assistant to cast
Perry M. Rein	....	assistant to cast
Susan Rossi	....	production assistant: New York
Aaron Sadovsky	....	production assistant: New York
Annette Sahakian Davis	....	assistant: Mr. Pacino
Peter H. Saisselin	....	assistant production auditor
Margaret Stevens	....	assistant: Ms. Rose
Sybil	....	mismatches
Susan Towner	....	production auditor
Thomas Viertel	....	stage producer: "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune"
Matthew T. Weiner	....	production assistant: New York (as Matt Weiner)
Zachary Weintraub	....	production assistant
Paul Zulkowitz	....	location manager: New York
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Billy A. Fox	....	location scout (uncredited)
Robert Malina	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Reid Rosefelt	....	unit publicist: New York (uncredited)

Thanks
Barbara Marshall	....	special thanks (as Barbara Sue Wells)
Laurie Metcalf	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Paramount Communications Company (USA)
• Paramount (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• R/Greenberg Associates  main and end titles designed by
• Technicolor  color timing
• Warner Bros. Studio Facilities  music score recorded at

Also Known As:

Frankie & Johnny (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One scene called for actor Al Pacino to be surprised after opening a door. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) was filming in a nearby studio, so director Garry Marshall arranged for Kirk and Spock be on the other side of the door that Pacino opened.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer come home after their first date. They begin to make the bed. Al Pacino starts to take his jacket off. When he jumps on the bed to bite her butt, his jacket is completely on, and he must take it off again.

Quotes:

Frankie: Why are you doing this?
Johnny: Everything I want is in this room.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cuatro estaciones (2010) (TV)

Soundtrack:

DANGEROUS ON THE DANCE FLOOR

A romantic, popcorn-and-wilted-roses kind of comedy-drama...

You have to give the filmmakers credit: they did attempt to deglamorize Michelle Pfeiffer to fit into Kathy Bates' off-Broadway role of a waitress with no prospects who finds herself attracted to the new cook at the restaurant. Michelle's innate sparkle manages to shine through the dowdy clothes and plain-Jane appearance, and yet the miraculous thing is, her casting doesn't hurt the movie and her performance is one of the best things about "Frankie and Johnny". Pfeiffer and Al Pacino are a good screen match, and if they don't especially resemble the characters they're playing, they at least don't throw the tone out of whack (this is a Garry Marshall movie after all, so it's bound to have a bumpy narrative). Terrence McNally's play was about hard truths and sex on a low income; this is a big, charming commercial comedy-drama, directed with energy but no real flair. Pacino lays on the Prince Charming-pizazz a bit heavily, and Nathan Lane works overtime at being adorable as the proverbial gay best friend, but it certainly isn't a bad movie. It works on a certain level, even if it doesn't resemble reality or the original play. *** from ****