Get Shorty (1995)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Barry Sonnenfeld

Writers (WGA):

Elmore Leonard (novel)
Scott Frank (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Attitude Plays a Part.

Plot:

A mobster travels to Hollywood to collect a debt and discovers that the movie business is much the same as his current job.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Movie Business | Producer | Mobster | Loan Shark

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

John Travolta	...	Chili Palmer
Gene Hackman	...	Harry Zimm
Rene Russo	...	Karen Flores
Danny DeVito	...	Martin Weir
Dennis Farina	...	Ray 'Bones' Barboni
Delroy Lindo	...	Bo Catlett
James Gandolfini	...	Bear
Jon Gries	...	Ronnie Wingate
Renee Props	...	Nicki
David Paymer	...	Leo Devoe
Martin Ferrero	...	Tommy Carlo
Miguel Sandoval	...	Mr. Escobar
Jacob Vargas	...	Yayo Portillo
Linda Hart	...	Fay Devoe
Bobby Slayton	...	Dick Allen
Ron Karabatsos	...	Momo
Alison Waddell	...	Bear's Daughter
Amber Waddell	...	Bear's Daughter
John Cothran Jr.	...	Agent Curtis
Jack Conley	...	Agent Dunbar
Bernard Hocke	...	Agent Morgan
Big Daddy Wayne	...	Ray Barboni's Bodyguard
Jay Montalvo	...	Big Guy with Escobar (as Xavier Montalvo)
Carlease Burke	...	Rental Car Attendant
Vito Scotti	...	Manager at Vesuvio's
Rino Piccolo	...	Waiter at Vesuvio's
Alfred Dennis	...	Ed the Barber
Ralph Manza	...	Fred the Barber
Zed Frizzelle	...	Kid at Lockers
Harry Victor	...	Limo Driver with Sign
Patrick Breen	...	Resident Doctor
Barry Sonnenfeld	...	Doorman
Donna W. Scott	...	Screaming Woman
Zack Phifer	...	Ivy Restaurant Maitre d'
Greg Goossen	...	Duke, Man at the Ivy (as Gregory B. Goossen)
Stephanie Kemp	...	Ivy Restaurant Waitress
Rebeca Arthur	...	Las Vegas Waitress
Jeffrey J. Stephen	...	Bones' Buddy (as Jeffrey J. Stephan)
Ernest 'Chili' Palmer	...	Bones' Buddy #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Bega	...	Vikki Vespa (uncredited)
Brian Reed Garvin	...	Plane Guy (uncredited)
David Groh	...	Buddy Lupton (uncredited)
Harvey Keitel	...	Himself (uncredited)
Penny Marshall	...	Herself (Director) (uncredited)
Bette Midler	...	Doris Saphron (uncredited)
Alex Rocco	...	Jimmy Cap (Ray Bones' boss) (uncredited)

Directed by
Barry Sonnenfeld

Writing credits (WGA)
Elmore Leonard		(novel)
Scott Frank		(screenplay)

Produced by
Danny DeVito	....	producer
Graham Place	....	co-producer
Susan Ringo	....	associate producer
Michael Shamberg	....	producer
Stacey Sher	....	producer
Barry Sonnenfeld	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Lurie

Cinematography by
Donald Peterman

Film Editing by
Jim Miller
Ted Woerner		(video)

Casting by
David Rubin
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Peter S. Larkin

Art Direction by
Steve Arnold

Set Decoration by
Leslie E. Rollins

Costume Design by
Betsy Heimann

Makeup Department
Kareen Boursier	....	hair stylist
Michelle Bühler	....	makeup artist
Jene Fielder	....	makeup artist
Audree Futterman	....	hair stylist
Ron Scott	....	key hair stylist
Ellen Wong	....	key makeup artist
Natalie Wood	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Amy Ness	....	production supervisor
Graham Place	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Cameron	....	first assistant director: reshoots
Alan B. Curtiss	....	first assistant director
Scottie Gissel	....	dga trainee (as Scottie Van de Mark)
Robert Huberman	....	second assistant director
Scott Andrew Robertson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
William Xavier Acedo	....	lead man
Scott Blakney	....	set dresser
Charles Daboub Jr.	....	assistant art director
Scott Farber	....	set dresser
Emily Ferry	....	property master
Rob Garlow	....	propmaker foremen
Otniel Gonzalez	....	assistant property master
Robby Green	....	art department coordinator
Tom Hrupcho	....	paint supervisor
Kristin Frances Jones	....	set dresser
Erin Kemp	....	set designer
Douglas McKay	....	key set dresser
Jim Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator
Joe Ondrejko	....	general foreman
Eric Rosenberg	....	assistant art director
Cole Taylor	....	set construction foreman
Joy Taylor	....	assistant property master
Justin Walker	....	labor foreman
Regina Lee Herve	....	swing gang (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Kam Chan	....	foley editor
Benjamin Cheah	....	sound effects recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Don Coufal	....	production sound
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ezra Dweck	....	foley mixer
Juno J. Ellis	....	adr editor (as Juno Ellis)
Chris Fielder	....	sound assistant
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound effects editor
Gary Holland	....	production sound
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
Annette Kudrak	....	adr assistant
Jeff Levison	....	stereo sound consultant: DTS
Blake Leyh	....	sound effects recordist
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Julie Lindner	....	sound assistant
Eliza Paley	....	dialogue editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Gail Showalter	....	adr supervisor (as Gail Stockton)
Philip Stockton	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Jeff Wexler	....	production sound

Special Effects by
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects coordinator (as Gary Bierend)
Robert DeVine	....	special effects
Danny Gill	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
David Lingenfelser	....	digital artist
Michael J. McAlister	....	visual effects coordinator (as Micheal McAlister)
Alan McFarland	....	miniature plane lighting effects
Stephanie Powell	....	blue screen supervisor
Mykel Denis	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Oscar Dillon	....	stunts
Doc Duhame	....	stunts
Dane Farwell	....	stunts
John T. Grantham	....	stunts (as John Grantham)
Gary Guercio	....	stunts (as Gary L. Guercio)
Gordon Hansen	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Jeff Podgurski	....	stunts
Mark Riccardi	....	stunts
Brian Smrz	....	stunt coordinator
Mark Riccardi	....	stunt double: John Travolta (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Abbey	....	video operator
Michael Anderson	....	second company grip
Brian Bernstein	....	assistant camera
Mark 'Boylee' Boyle	....	loader
Linda R. Chen	....	still photographer
Steve Craft	....	camera loader
Thomas M. Dangcil	....	lighting technician
Rick Davis	....	additional key grip
Dhamarata Dhiensuwana	....	rigging key grip
Malcolm Doran II	....	dolly grip
Raymond Gonzales	....	electrician
Dan Kerns	....	rigging gaffer
David McMillan	....	rigging best boy (as Dave McMillan)
Brian Mills	....	rigging grip
Jeff Murrell	....	chief lighting technician
Jay Peterman	....	first assistant camera
Paul Plannette	....	second assistant camera
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator
Calvin Sterry	....	key grip
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator
Stephen St. John	....	camera operator
Don Tomich	....	assistant lighting technician
Tony Varuola	....	lighting technician
Zoran Veselic	....	Steadicam assistant
Paul Wilkowsky	....	grip
Michael Adler	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dan Riffel	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rosie Heeter	....	casting assistant
Julia Kim	....	casting assistant
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Rawley	....	costumer supervisor
Sabrina Rosen	....	assistant to costume designer
Lori Stilson	....	set costumer
Joan Thomas	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Stephen Fishman	....	post-production assistant
John Steele Hill	....	assistant editor
Mike Koz	....	second assistant editor
Beriau Picard	....	assistant editor
Suzanne Pillsbury	....	first assistant editor
Ken Schretzmann	....	assistant editor: avid
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Dondi Bastone	....	music coordinator
Steven Bernstein	....	conductor
Steven Bernstein	....	orchestrator
Patrick Dillett	....	score mixer
Steve Elson	....	musician
Tony Faulkner	....	music coordinator
Tony Faulkner	....	music coordinator
Alex Gibson	....	music editor
Robert Mackston	....	music editor (as Bobby Mackston)
Denise Okimoto	....	assistant music editor
Karyn Rachtman	....	music supervisor
Satsunderta Reid	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
Rick Chouinard	....	transportation co-captain
Lyle Christensen	....	shotmaker driver
Buddy Hunter	....	driver
David Jernigan	....	transportation captain
James C. Taylor	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Todd J. Adelman	....	production medic
Trisha Barnhart	....	accounting clerk
Jeffrey Berk	....	assistant production coordinator
David M. Bernstein	....	key set production assistant
Becky Brake	....	assistant location manager
Kathleen Campbell	....	assistant: Ms. Russo
Lance Doty	....	assistant: Barry Sonnenfeld
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor
Robbie Goldstein	....	location manager
Greg Goossen	....	stand-in: Mr. Hackman
Melinda A. Grieger	....	stand-in: Rene Russo
Mindy Grieger	....	stand-in: Ms. Russo
Michael Hubert	....	business affairs representative
David Kaufman	....	assistant location manager
Tony Kerum	....	caterer
Corinna M. Korpi	....	production secretary
Ed Lipscomb	....	assistant location manager
Richard Lorenzana	....	accountant
Susan M. Lorenzana	....	assistant accountant
Marcel Lundberg	....	production assistant
Sherry Marshall	....	production coordinator
Bertram McCann	....	marine coordinator
Michelle Minyon	....	assistant: Mr. Shamberg
Amy Pearson	....	assistant production coordinator
Jane E. Russell	....	unit publicist
Nina Saxon	....	title designer
Fred Scialla	....	stand-in: Mr. DeVito
Scott Sener	....	utility stand-in
Jeffrey Stephan	....	stand-in: Mr. Travolta
Lisa Thomas	....	payroll accountant
Alison Treleaven	....	assistant: Stacey Sher
Bob Ader	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Jaap Broeker	....	stand-in: Ned Beatty (uncredited)
Paul Kruhm	....	location services: EastWest Locations (uncredited)

Thanks
Nikki Allyn Grosso	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Jersey Films
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1996) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (video)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1998) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Anatomorphex
• Sessums Engineering (miniature visual effects)

Other Companies

• Antilles Records  soundtrack published by
• C-5  foley recorded at (as C5)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera equipment provided by (as Chapman)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Encore Video  telecine and non-linear technical support
• Grips Unlimited  grip equipment
• Hansard  front projection (as Hansard Enteprises Inc.)
• Hollywood Title  end titles (as Hollywood Title Services)
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Nina Saxon Film Design  main titles
• Out of the Blue  blue screen
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Post-Productions  post-production supervision
• Sound One  sound post-production
• Technocrane Ltd.  remote crane
• Unique Recording  music recorded and mixed at
• Wescam USA  wescam provided by (as Wescam Inc.)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:R (certificate #33866) | Philippines:PG-13 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A (DVD rating) | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Taiwan:R-18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Jersey Films

Trivia:

Miguel Sandoval plays a Colombian drug lord named "Escobar." In Clear and Present Danger (1994) he played a Colombian drug lord named "Escobedo."

Goofs:

Continuity: Chili's cutlery when he is doing lunch with Martin.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tommy Carlo: It's fucking cold outside.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Confession (2005/I)

Soundtrack:

Panacea

Funny, with a terrific Travolta

I am not sure whether I liked the movie or just John Travolta and his character Chili Palmer. I had a lot of fun watching 'Get Shorty', based on the novel by Elmore Leonard, so it doesn't really matter. The movie is about a mobster from Miami, Chili Palmer, who ends up in Los Angeles. After meeting a movie producer named Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman) he gets interested in the movie business. This is the main story, but this movie is based on an Elmore Leonard story so there are a lot of sub-plots with lots of interesting characters, all with great dialogue.

Besides Chili Palmer and Harry Zimm we meet Karen Flores (Rene Russo), an actress known for her screaming, Martin Weir (Danny DeVito) who is the hot actor of the moment, Ray Bones (Dennis Farina) who wants to collect some money that Chili has, Bo Catlett (Delroy Lindo) who wants money fro Harry Zimm, Bear (James Gandolfini) who was a stuntman but now is Bo's bodyguard, Leo Devoe (David Paymer) who stole the money that brought Chili to Los Angeles and Doris (Bette Midler). All characters are colorful, have great dialogue and an interesting part in the story, but all those great things are there together with Chili. For every nice moment Travolta is present.

The actors play their characters very well. Again, Travolta is great and owns the movie, but especially Farina and Hackman do a great job as well. The movie is well directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (from 'The Addams Family'), knowing how to avoid boring moments. The story with its dialogue would be enough to make a nice movie out of it. Fortunately we have the actors and direction to make it even better and definitely more entertaining.