State and Main (2000)

Director:

David Mamet

Writer (WGA):

David Mamet (written by)

Release Date:

12 January 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

When a film crew came to Waterford, Vermont - They Shot First And Asked Questions Later.

Plot:

A movie crew invades a small town whose residents are all too ready to give up their values for showbiz glitz.

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Film Making | Film In Film | Statutory Rape | Product Placement

Awards:

7 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Michael Higgins	...	Doc Wilson
Michael Bradshaw	...	Priest
Morris Lamore	...	Bunky
Allen Soule	...	Spud
Clark Gregg	...	Doug Mackenzie
Rebecca Pidgeon	...	Ann
Ricky Jay	...	Jack
Julia Stiles	...	Carla
Matt Malloy	...	Hotel Clerk
Charles Durning	...	Mayor George Bailey
Tony V.	...	Water Delivery Man
Tony Mamet	...	Electrician
Jack Wallace	...	Bellhop
Michael James O'Boyle	...	Chuckie
Charlotte Potok	...	Maude

Also Known As:

Séquences et conséquences (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief sexual images.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Beverly, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Filmtown Entertainment

Trivia:

David Paymer, as producer Marty Rossen speaks a line of dialogue that is a direct homage to his work in "The Larry Sanders Show" (1992) playing the overly enthusiastic PR flack Norman Litkey when he says, "I'm wetting myself."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Joseph and Annie are sitting in front of the statue towards the beginning, Joseph's coffee switches hands between shots.

Quotes:

Joseph Turner White: You believe that?
Ann Black: I do if you do.
Joseph Turner White: But it's absurd.
Ann Black: So is our electoral process. But we still vote.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dialing Up 'Cellular' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Song of the Old Mill

A movie made in a small town about making a movie in a small town.

I had only seen one Mamet film before (Spanish Prisoner) and I was impressed with the snappiness of the dialog. "State and Main" has that same snappiness, and uses many of the same actors that Mamet has used over the years, including his wife, Rebecca Pidgeon (bookstore owner), who I actually like a lot. "State and Main" is a comedy, but one which is supposed to make a fairly accurate, though somewhat exaggerated, statement of what it is like to invade a small town to make a movie. This one is set in fictitious Waterford, Mass., and the title is derived from the scene of the car accident which becomes the center of a controversy that threatens the whole project. Julia Stiles is the teen girl that Alec Baldwin's character takes an unwholesome interest in.

William H. Macy (director), David Paymer (producer, lawyer), Sarah Jessica Parker (female star), Philip Seymore Hoffman (scriptwriter), Charles Durning (mayor), Patti Lupone (mayor's wife) also are well-cast in this film.

The small town, before the film crew gets there, is very similar to the town of "Pleasantville", but in full color. The film crew and operation becomes Waterford's "education." Chosen for it's mill, finding that it burned down in 1960 requires them to change the script.

The extras are very limited on this DVD, but it includes a commentary track by several of the actors. Unfortunately, much of their commentary is praise of Mamet, which takes away from the potentially more interesting commentary on various aspects of the scenes they are in. Still, it is helpful in understanding what went into this very entertaining film.