Surviving Desire (1991)

Director:

Hal Hartley

Writer:

Hal Hartley (writer)

Release Date:

26 November 1993 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Jude, a college literature professor, falls for one of his students. She is more interested in the empirical...

Plot Keywords:

Teacher Student Relationship | Independent Film

Cast

Martin Donovan	...	Jude
Matt Malloy	...	Henry
Merritt Nelson	...	Katie
Julie Kessler	...	Jill (as Julie Sukman)
Mary B. Ward	...	Sofie
Thomas J. Edwards
George Feaster
Lisa Gorlitsky
Emily Kunstler
John MacKay
James Michael McCauley
Vincent Rutherford
Gary Sauer
Steven Schub
Hannah Sullivan		(as Patricia Sullivan)
David Troup
Hub Moore
John Sharples
Dan Castelli
Craig Adams

Directed by
Hal Hartley

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hal Hartley		writer

Produced by
Jerome Brownstein	....	producer
Ted Hope	....	producer
James Schamus	....	associate producer

Original Music by
The Great Outdoors
Hal Hartley		(as Ned Rifle)

Cinematography by
Michael Spiller

Film Editing by
Hal Hartley

Casting by
Wendy Ettinger

Production Design by
Steve Rosenzweig

Art Direction by
Karin Wiesel

Set Decoration by
Andras Kanegson

Costume Design by
Alexandra Welker

Makeup Department
Judy Chin	....	hair stylist
Judy Chin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Beth Boyd	....	production co-ordinator (as Beth A. Boyd)
Cecilia Kate Roque	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Apicella	....	first assistant director
Brian Gutherman	....	second assistant director
Pamela Koffler	....	second second assistant director (as Pam Koffler)

Art Department
Dan Carlucci	....	carpenter
Robert Cloutier	....	carpenter
Laurie F. Cohen	....	scenic artist (as Laurie Frederick)
David Doernberg	....	assistant props (as Dave Doernberg)
Jennifer Fuqua	....	production assistant
Daniel Ouellette	....	prop master
Joel Tishcoff	....	art department production assistant

Sound Department
Jeff Pullman	....	sound mixer
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fontaine Stevens	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Breen	....	best boy (as Richard T. Breen)
Paul Candrilli	....	key grip
Sarah Cawley	....	assistant camera
Pippo Gerona	....	third grip
Karsten Gopinath	....	swing
Richard Ludwig	....	still photographer
Linda Phillips	....	third electric
Tracy Spielman	....	second assistant camera
Frank Stubblefield	....	gaffer (as W. Stubblefield)
William J. Taylor	....	dolly grip
Eric M. Klein	....	best boy grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ken Duphiney	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fionnuala M. Lynch	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Steve Hamilton	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Dennis Curry	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Lisa Brownstein	....	production assistant
Amy DiDomenico	....	craft service
Nina Froriep	....	production assistant
Lawrence P. Ganem	....	assistant location manager (as Lawrence Ganem)
Carla Gerona	....	production assistant
Bob Gosse	....	assistant to Mr. Hartley
Martha Griffin	....	intern
Carleen L. Hsu	....	assistant to Mr. Hartley (as Charleen Hsu)
Greg Hunter	....	production assistant
Veronica Johnson	....	product placement
Jeff Kaplan	....	titles
Nancy Kriegel	....	production auditor
Christina Larsson	....	assistant production co-ordinator
Fred Mandel	....	production assistant
Ann F. Markel	....	location manager (as Ann Markel)
J. Max Ruschak	....	assistant auditor
Adrienne Tien	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• American Playhouse
• True Fiction Pictures

Distributors

• ICA Projects (1994) (UK) (theatrical)
• Wellspring Media (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Quotes:

Katie: [talking to a stranger walking by] Hey! Will you marry me? Please.
Henry: Why do you wanna marry me?
Katie: Why not?
Henry: I could think of a lot of reasons if I weren't so drunk.
Katie: Why are you so drunk?
Henry: I dunno. The nights are too long.
Katie: The nights are too long because you have no one to share them with.

Movie Connections:

References Vredens dag (1943)

Soundtrack:

Drug Test

Delightful intellectual comedy

This movie is not for everyone; the illiterate and anyone who can't appreciate dialogue that sounds just as dead pan as it should aren't going to understand what's going on here at all. This movie takes a simple relationship, and, in a rather dead pan, witty manner, the characters go through the motions of a long term relationship in about a day. The dialogue is absolutely delicious, and the supporting characters are wonderful. The movie does a magnificent job of dissecting the personality of stereotypical people and relationships. Those who can appreciate the style will be rolling on the floor laughing.