Intolerable Cruelty (2003)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Joel Coen
(more)

Writers (WGA):

Robert Ramsey (story) &
Matthew Stone (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

10 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Crime

Tagline:

A romantic comedy with bite.

Plot:

A revenge-seeking gold digger marries a womanizing Beverly Hills lawyer with the intention of making a killing in the divorce.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Lawyer | Battle Of The Sexes | Oil Tycoon | Gold Digger

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

George Clooney	...	Miles
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Marylin
Geoffrey Rush	...	Donovan Donaly
Cedric the Entertainer	...	Gus Petch
Edward Herrmann	...	Rex Rexroth
Paul Adelstein	...	Wrigley
Richard Jenkins	...	Freddy Bender
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Howard D. Doyle
Julia Duffy	...	Sarah Sorkin
Jonathan Hadary	...	Heinz, the Baron Krauss von Espy
Tom Aldredge	...	Herb Myerson
Stacey Travis	...	Bonnie Donaly
Jack Kyle	...	Ollie Olerud
Irwin Keyes	...	Wheezy Joe
Judith Drake	...	Mrs. Gutman
George Ives	...	Mrs. Gutman's Lawyer
Booth Colman	...	Gutman Trial Judge
Kristin Dattilo	...	Rex's Young Woman
Wendle Josepher	...	Miles' Receptionist
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Nero's Waitress
Mia Cottet	...	Ramona Barcelona
Kiersten Warren	...	Claire O'Mara
Rosey Brown	...	Gus's Pal
Ken Sagoes	...	Gus's Pal
Dale E. Turner	...	Gus's Pal
Douglas Fisher	...	Maitre d'
Nicholas Shaffer	...	Waiter
Isabell O'Connor	...	Judge Marva Munson (as Isabell Monk O'Connor)
Mary Gillis	...	Court Reporter
Colin Linden	...	Father Scott
Julie Osburn	...	Stewardess
Gary Marshal	...	Las Vegas Waiter
Blake Clark	...	Convention Secretary
Allan Trautman	...	Convention Lawyer
Kate Luyben	...	Santa Fe Tart
Kitana Baker	...	Santa Fe Tart
Camille Anderson	...	Santa Fe Tart
Tamie Sheffield	...	Santa Fe Tart
Bridget Marquardt	...	Santa Fe Tart
Emma Harrison	...	Santa Fe Tart
John Bliss	...	Mr. MacKinnon
Patrick Thomas O'Brien	...	Bailiff
Sean Fenton	...	Bailiff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Royce D. Applegate	...	Mr. Gutman (uncredited)
Justine Baker	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Bruce Campbell	...	Soap opera actor on TV (uncredited)
Barbara Kerr Condon	...	Herb Myerson's Private Nurse (uncredited)
Jason De Hoyos	...	Gardener (uncredited)
Larry Vigus	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Susan Yeagley	...	Tart #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		(uncredited)

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Ramsey		(story) &
Matthew Stone		(story) and
John Romano		(story)
Robert Ramsey		(screenplay) &
Matthew Stone		(screenplay) and
Ethan Coen		(screenplay) &
Joel Coen		(screenplay)

Produced by
John Cameron	....	co-producer
Ethan Coen	....	producer
Sean Daniel	....	executive producer
Robert Graf	....	associate producer
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Grant Heslov	....	co-producer
James Jacks	....	executive producer
James Whitaker	....	co-producer
Joel Coen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ethan Coen		(as Roderick Jaynes)
Joel Coen		(as Roderick Jaynes)

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
Leslie McDonald

Art Direction by
Tony Fanning

Set Decoration by
Nancy Haigh

Costume Design by
Mary Zophres

Makeup Department
Trish Almeida	....	key hair stylist
Jean Ann Black	....	makeup designer (as Jean Black)
Patti Brand	....	additional makeup artist
Karyn Huston	....	hair stylist: Ms. Zeta-Jones
Peggy Nichols	....	additional makeup artist
Waldo Sanchez	....	hair stylist: Mr. Clooney
Amy Schmiederer	....	key makeup artist
Kelvin R. Trahan	....	hair designer (as Kelvin Trahan)
Cindy J. Williams	....	makeup artist: Ms. Zeta-Jones (as Cindy Williams)
Anita Brabec	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Laverne Caracuzzi	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Thomas Opitz	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
John Cameron	....	unit production manager
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Todd Anderson	....	second unit director
Betsy Magruder	....	first assistant director
Rusty Mahmood	....	second second assistant director
Jonathan McGarry	....	second assistant director
Krista Reymann	....	dga trainee
Peter Dress	....	day player additional second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	unit limner
Paige Augustine	....	assistant set decorator
Cliff Bergman	....	foreman
Jack Blanchard	....	set dresser
James M. Davis	....	general foreman (as Jim Davis)
Jann K. Engel	....	set designer
Joe Griffith	....	illustrator (as Joseph F. Griffith Jr.)
Scott G. Jones	....	set dresser
Adam Kirby	....	set dresser
Ritchie Kremer	....	property master
Leslie 'Tinker' Linville	....	set dressing gang boss (as Leslie Linville)
John Hammer Maxwell	....	on-set dresser (as John H. Maxwell)
Jeff Passanante	....	construction coordinator
Monica Perez	....	assistant property master
Nashon Petrushkin	....	set dresser
Sara Philpott	....	set dressing coordinator
Lori Rowbotham	....	set designer (as Lori Rowbotham Grant)
Brian Seccombe	....	property assistant
Mark Sparks	....	foreman (as Mark A. Sparks)
Angela Stauffer	....	art department coordinator
Karen Teneyck	....	graphic designer
Edward L. Turk	....	foreman
Jason Weil	....	assistant art director
Mark Weissenfluh	....	leadman (as Mark C. Weissenfluh)
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	head greens coordinator (uncredited)
Thomas E. Brown	....	paint supervisor (uncredited)
Chris Casny	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Cora Lee Coomber	....	construction accountant (uncredited)
Oscar Delgadillo	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Anthony Klaiman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Cameron Matheson	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Kari J. Nowell	....	props: Las Vegas (uncredited)
Tom Sharp	....	draper (uncredited)
Ara Soudjian	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Sheila Thomas	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Benjamin Cheah	....	foley editor (as Ben Cheah)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Costanzo)
Kelly Doran	....	sound utility
Mark Filip	....	apprentice sound editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lewis Goldstein	....	dialogue editor (as Lew Goldstein)
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator (as Randy Johnson)
Peter F. Kurland	....	production sound mixer (as Peter Kurland)
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer (as George Lara)
Skip Lievsay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Cate Montana	....	assistant sound editor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Orrico	....	first assistant sound editor (as Billy Orrico)
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Joanna Bush	....	digital archivist (uncredited)
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Alex Raspa	....	adr mixer: New York (uncredited)
David Warzynski	....	foley assistant (uncredited)
David Warzynski	....	foley librarian (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John L. Chaldu	....	special effects technician (as John Chaldu)
Joe Heffernan	....	special effects technician
Emmet Kane	....	special effects coordinator
L.A. McConnell	....	special effects technician (as Lee Alan McConnell)
Roland Blancaflor	....	special makeup effects technican: Rick Baker/Cinovation Studio (uncredited)
Thomas Zell	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
J. John Corbett	....	digital artist: Big Film Design
Shellaine Corwel	....	lead compositor: Rhythm & Hues
Bill Georgiou	....	roto artist: Rhythm & Hues
Heather Jennings	....	visual effects producer: Rhythm & Hues
Gene Kozicki	....	digital production supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
Mike Meaker	....	matte painter: Rhythm & Hues
Betsy Paterson	....	visual effects supervisor: Rhythm & Hues (as Betsy Patterson)
Steven J. Scott	....	digital color timer: EFilm
Craig Seitz	....	2D supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
Amit Sethi	....	digital artist: Big Film Design
Jon Maichel Thomas	....	digital artist: Big Film Design
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals (uncredited)
Daniel Aristoteles Collins	....	systems/operations: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)
Brandon Craig	....	render supervisor (uncredited)
Chris Dawson	....	motion control camera operator (uncredited)
Phil Holland	....	scan- and record coordinator (uncredited)
Matt Kelly	....	compositor (uncredited)
Ntana Key	....	digital intermediate paint artist (uncredited)
Kevin Lin	....	digital cleanup artist (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)
Jeff McLean	....	compositor (uncredited)
Fred Simon	....	systems support: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)
Marla Valentine	....	systems operator: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)

Stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Lisa Hoyle	....	stunts
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts (as Eddie Watkins)
Danny Wynands	....	stunts (as Dan Wynands)

Camera and Electrical Department
Erik Bernstein	....	best boy electric
Josh Blakeslee	....	second assistant camera (as Joshua Blakeslee)
Will Dearborn	....	loader
Clinton Dougherty	....	camera operator (as Clint Dougherty)
Kevin Fahey	....	best boy rigging grip
Charley Gilleran	....	key rigging grip (as Charlie Gilleran)
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Bruce Hamme	....	dolly grip
Andy Harris	....	first assistant camera
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
Michael A. McFadden	....	best boy grip (as Mike McFadden)
Chris Napolitano	....	rigging gaffer
David Parks	....	best boy rigging electric (as Dave Parks)
Rick Rader	....	rigging grip foreman
Randy Woodside	....	chief lighting technician
Colin Anderson	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
James Barrett	....	electrician (uncredited)
Alex M. Cacciarelli	....	motion control video assist (uncredited)
Richard Clark	....	video playback operator (uncredited)
Billy Craft	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Julian de la Pena	....	electrician (uncredited)
Seong Dilg	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Andrew Dumas	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
Jeff Durling	....	dimmer operator (uncredited)
Raymond Gonzales	....	electrician (uncredited)
Christopher Kiso	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Charles Papert	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Sean Smith	....	electrician (uncredited)
Andy Young	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
David Anthony	....	extras casting
Judy Cook	....	extras casting
Tracy Dixon	....	extras casting
Sondra James	....	voice casting
Rachel Tenner	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jenny Eagan	....	costumer
Diana Edgmon	....	costumer
Annie Garrity	....	costumer
Ariel Gold	....	costumer
Alix Hester	....	costumer
Cookie Lopez	....	key set costumer
Robin McMullan	....	costume supervisor (as Robin McMullen)
Andrew Slyder	....	set costumer
Christine Wada	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Karyn Anonia	....	apprentice editor (as Karyn L. Anonia)
Emily Calederone	....	post-production assistant (as Emily Calderone)
David Diliberto	....	associate film editor
Kate E. Emmert	....	post-production assistant
Catherine Farrell	....	apprentice editor
Daniel Fort	....	consultant: digital editing (as Dan Fort)
Chris Jensen	....	digital colorist assistant: EFilm
Katie Mcquerrey	....	assistant editor (as Katie McQuerrey)
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Ian Silverstein	....	assistant editor: LA
Neil A. Stelzner	....	first assistant editor
Michael A. Wong	....	consultant: digital editing (as Michael Wong)
Kenny Becker	....	color timer (uncredited)
Hilda Saffari	....	digital intermediate producer (uncredited)

Music Department
Evan Barker	....	music copyist
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	score orchestrator
David Diliberto	....	music supervisor
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Tony Finno	....	music copyist
Danl M. Kasow	....	assistant music editor (as Danl Kasow)
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Sonny Kompanek	....	score orchestrator
Adriana Marinescu	....	music copyist
Kathy Nelson	....	executive in charge of music: Universal Pictures
Dean Parker	....	score producer
Sandra Park	....	contractor
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)
Jason Stasium	....	digital score recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Ripple	....	transportation dispatcher
Timothy P. Ryan	....	transportation captain (as Tim Ryan)
Don Tardino	....	transportation coordinator
Gil Amaral	....	driver (uncredited)
Buddy Hunter	....	driver (uncredited)
Jack Jay Reece	....	driver (uncredited)
Roger Wooge	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Rod Bacote	....	assistant location manager
Randall Balsmeyer	....	titles designer: Big Film Design
Randall Balsmeyer	....	titles supervisor: Big Film Design
Carrie Cantore	....	assistant location manager
Julie Carideo	....	production coordinator (as Jules Carideo)
Amy Minda Cohen	....	assistant: Mr. Clooney (as Amy Cohen)
Jennifer Cote	....	assistant: Ms. Zeta-Jones
Jenny DeArmitt	....	production secretary
David Diamond	....	key assistant location manager
Jason Cooper Hall	....	assistant: Mr. Cameron / Mr. Graf
Judy Heinzen	....	assistant location manager
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach (as Liz Himmelstein)
Ryan Hintz	....	second assistant accountant
Stephani Hunter	....	assistant production coordinator
Nancy G. James	....	craft service (as Nancy James)
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor (as Tom Johnston)
Kathy Kelehan	....	titles producer: Big Film Design
Cheryl Kurk	....	production accountant
David R. Lawson	....	medic
Angel McConnell	....	assistant: Mr. Clooney
Patricia Mary Murphy	....	serious matters (as Patricia Mary Murphy, Esq.)
Nicholas David Nesbitt	....	set production assistant (as Nick Nesbitt)
Taylor Phillips	....	set production assistant
Mandy Philpott	....	office production assistant
Keith Potter	....	set production assistant
Miguel Raya	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Ferguson Reid	....	medic (as Dr. Ferguson Reid, MD)
Stephen Ross	....	office production assistant
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager (as Ned Shapiro)
Todd Spears	....	payroll accountant
Louise Spencer	....	unit publicist (as Louise A. Spencer)
Kristan Wagner	....	additional location manager
Karen Yokomizo	....	first assistant accountant
Terrence B. Zinn	....	office production assistant
Greg Burkart	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Ivan Drehspul	....	airline technical supervisor (uncredited)
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Josh Gallegos	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael A. Heath	....	asset manager (uncredited)
Kimberly Logan	....	assistant: Cedric the Entertainer (uncredited)
Travis Nicholson	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Palmer	....	assistant: Sean Daniel (uncredited)
Gregory J. Pawlik Jr.	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Monica Perez Gelbman	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
John H. Price	....	on-set interviews (uncredited)
Peter Pamela Rose	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Bill Timoney	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Coldwell	....	special thanks: Caesar's Palace/Park Place Entertainment
Ron Cozart	....	special thanks: Caesar's Palace/Park Place Entertainment
Michael Heenan	....	special thanks: Caesar's Palace/Park Place Entertainment
Bill Hudson	....	special thanks: Apple Computer
Alan J. Schoolcraft	....	acknowledgment: fondly remembered (as Alan Schoolcraft)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (present)
• Imagine Entertainment (present)
• Alphaville Films (in association with) (as Alphaville)
• Mike Zoss Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical) (North America)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Paradise Group (2003) (Russia) (all media)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Canada (2004) (Canada) (DVD) (as Universal Studios Canada)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (200?) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Rhythm and Hues (visual effects by) (as Rhythm & Hues)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitoring (as Film & TV Unit A Program of American Humane [AHA 00427])
• Apple Computer  special thanks
• Apple/Final Cut Pro  edited on (as Final Cut Pro)
• Big Film Design  titles designed by
• Brite Smile  special thanks
• Caesar's Palace  special thanks (as Caesar's Palace/Park Place Entertainment)
• Classic Images  stock footage courtesy of: train
• Corbis  special thanks
• Deluxe  dailies
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Forum Shops At Caesar's, The  special thanks
• Hip-O Records  soundtrack on (as Hip-O / UMG Soundtracks)
• Hollywood Rentals Productions Services  lighting equipment (as Hollywood Rentals)
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• J.L. Fisher  dollies
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Kohler Co.  special thanks (as Kohler, Inc.)
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex 535 cameras provided by (as Otto Nemenz)
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities (as Post Factory)
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• Right Track Recording  score recorded at (as Right Track Studios)
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services
• Tony's Food Service  caterer
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting
• UMG Soundtracks  soundtrack on (as Hip-O / UMG Soundtracks)
• Universal Studios  copyright owner: animated Universal Studios logo © 1997

Also Known As:

Intolerable (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and brief violence.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) (2003) | UK:12A (original rating) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | France:U | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG (Canadian Home Video rating) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7 | Germany:12 (bw) | Netherlands:MG6 | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 (No. 39509)

Filming Locations:

Caesar's Palace - 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

When Weezy Joe shoots himself, the glass behind him has a hole in the shape of a heart where the bullet went through.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Marilyn and Miles are at the restaurant her hair goes back and forth from behind her shoulders.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Donovan Donaly: [singing] I'm just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told.

Movie Connections:

Features La bête humaine (1938)

Soundtrack:

Feels So Good

Back to form.

I had been slightly disappointed with the Coens' previous *The Man Who Wasn't There* -- it was, in my judgment, their first non-masterpiece since their apprentice-work *Blood Simple*. While all their films are self-consciously derivative, *Wasn't There* was derivative without the wit (though brilliantly filmed and acted regardless).

*Intolerable Cruelty* is a return to a less fussy Coen style. It's lean, mean, to the point, no wasted scenes. And it's very witty, featuring dialogue and references that have clearly sailed over the average idiot's head, as well as the fairweather Coen Brothers fan's head. Joel and Ethan remind us here that a mainstream IDEA for a movie is not equivalent to a STUPID idea for a movie. The movie mixes wild slapstick with delicious bon mots. There's always something going on. And the picture looks fantastic (another triumph for DP Roger Deakins), showing us a shimmering, sunlit paradise of an almost mythical Los Angeles. The leads, George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones, are also shot to advantage: neither have looked better, and Zeta Jones in particular practically sucks your breath away every time she appears in a different Rodeo Drive confection. Yowza!

The film failed, as almost all Coen Brothers' movies fail, at the box office because, while delightful and funny, it's also ICE-COLD. The filmmakers, as they always do, distance us from the characters, inviting us to contemplate them rather than to get emotionally involved with them. This is a formula for box-office disaster, especially for romantic comedy. The women-demographic who came expecting a chick-flick were turned off cold, and the guys stayed away, anyway. Coen Brothers "fans" once again proved to be a fickle bunch, lambasting the film as too "mainstream" while utterly failing to get the subtext. These are the same "fans", by the way, who avoided *Lebowski* and *Hudsucker* and *Barton Fink* because it was too "excessive" and/or "weird". Make up your minds, fairweathers. In any case, I'll be one of the "I-Told-You-Sos" when, a decade hence, *Intolerable Cruelty* will be regarded as one of the few intelligent romantic comedies made in recent times.

Let me put it this way: if you think a movie in which the two romantic leads put a contract on each other is too "mainstream", you've revealed yourself as a poseur who should leave the amateur reviewing to the grown-ups. Have a nice day.