Random Hearts (1999)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers (WGA):

Warren Adler (novel)
Darryl Ponicsan (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

8 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance

Tagline:

In a perfect world...they never would have met.

Plot:

After the death of their loved ones in a tragic plane crash 'Harrison Ford' and Kristin Scott Thomas find...

Plot Keywords:

Death | Box Office Flop | Funeral | Sexuality | Victimization

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Dutch Van Den Broeck
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Kay Chandler
Charles S. Dutton	...	Alcee
Bonnie Hunt	...	Wendy Judd
Dennis Haysbert	...	Detective George Beaufort
Sydney Pollack	...	Carl Broman
Richard Jenkins	...	Truman Trainor
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Dick Montoya
Susanna Thompson	...	Peyton Van Den Broeck
Peter Coyote	...	Cullen Chandler
Dylan Baker	...	Richard Judd
Lynne Thigpen	...	Phyllis Bonaparte
Susan Floyd	...	Molly Roll
Bill Cobbs	...	Marvin
Kate Mara	...	Jessica Chandler
Ariana Thomas	...	Shyla Mumford
Nelson Landrieu	...	Silvio Coya
Brooke Smith	...	Sarah
Christina Chang	...	Laurie
Michelle Hurd	...	Susan
Reiko Aylesworth	...	Mary Claire Clark
Raymond Anthony Thomas	...	Officer Clayton Williams (as Ray Anthony Thomas)
Edie Falco	...	Janice
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Nea
Jack Gilpin	...	David Dotson
Mark Zeisler	...	Steven Driker
John Carter	...	Peyton's Father
Davenia McFadden	...	Cassie
Barbara Gulan	...	Maureen
Molly Price	...	Alice Beaufort
Brian Schwary	...	Tad Baker
Priscilla Shanks	...	Susan's Customer
Lynette DuPree	...	Nurse Nancy (as Lynette Du Pre)
Ken Kay	...	Peter Suchet
Susan Hatfield	...	Claire Suchet
Jenna Stern	...	Sally Gabriel
Thomas J. McCarthy	...	Dick Schulte (as Tom McCarthy)
Jan Austell	...	Joe Perella
Aasif Mandvi	...	Electronics Store Salesman
Todd Malta	...	Supermarket Stockboy
Jordan Lage	...	Assistant Prosecutor
Judith Knight Young	...	Clara
Fenton Lawless	...	Officer Lawrence
Deirdre Lovejoy	...	Officer Isabel
Terry Serpico	...	Evidence Technician
Liam Craig	...	Waiter at DC Restaurant
C.S. Lee	...	Luncheonette Counterman
Ellen Foley	...	Young Woman at Fundraiser
Judy Jamison	...	TV Reporter at Hospital
Steven Mark Friedman	...	TV Reporter at Hospital
Becky Veduccio	...	TV Reporter at Hospital
Susan Allenback	...	Airline Spokesperson
Don Scott	...	News Anchor
Dina Napoli	...	News Anchor
Tracey Neale	...	News Anchor
Will Thomas	...	Field Reporter
Andy Fowle	...	Orderly
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	...	Helicopter Pilot - Camera (as Robert Zajonc)
Alan D. Purwin	...	Helicopter Pilot - TV News (as Alan Purwin)
Roy R. Taylor Jr.	...	Helicopter Pilot - WJZ Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michelle Chin	...	Model
Anna Damergis	...	Cop's wife
Jill Gettelson	...	Stewardess
Norm Rebadow	...	Surgeon in Airplane hanger
Gary Wheeler	...	Coroner
Greg Bernhard	...	Airline Mechanic (uncredited)
Diana Berry	...	Flight attendant (uncredited)
Antares Davis	...	Model (uncredited)
Trish Dempsey	...	Airport Traveler (uncredited)
Dawn Douglas	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Deborah Smith Ford	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Jim Goetz	...	Rescue worker (uncredited)
Mariano Gowland	...	Firefighter Rescue Swimmer (uncredited)
David Heline Jr.	...	Reporter's Assistant (uncredited)
Abigail Margulis	...	Dinner Guest (uncredited)
Al Quinn	...	Picture Car (uncredited)
Flip Schultz	...	Airline Customer (uncredited)
Vivienne Sendaydiego	...	Photo Assistant (uncredited)
Deb Snyder	...	Photo Assistant (uncredited)
Alex Trebek	...	Jeopardy Host (uncredited)
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Billy (uncredited)

Directed by
Sydney Pollack

Writing credits (WGA)
Warren Adler		(novel)
Darryl Ponicsan		(adaptation)
Kurt Luedtke		(screenplay)

Produced by
Warren Adler	....	executive producer
Sydney Pollack	....	producer
Marykay Powell	....	producer
Ronald L. Schwary	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Philippe Rousselot

Film Editing by
William Steinkamp

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Barbara Ling

Art Direction by
Chris Shriver

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode

Costume Design by
Bernie Pollack

Makeup Department
LuAnn Claps	....	assistant makeup artist
Naomi Donne	....	key makeup artist
Sharon Kalb	....	additional makeup artist
Michael Kriston	....	hair stylist: Mr. Ford
Michael Laudati	....	makeup artist: Mr. Ford
Jacques Stephane Lempire	....	assistant hair stylist
Lyndell Quiyou	....	key hair stylist
Jay Cannistraci	....	key makeup artist: Miami (uncredited)
Mary Cooke	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor (as Terra Mair-Abroms)
Richard Baratta	....	production manager
Richard Baratta	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shawn Griffith	....	second second assistant director
Amy Lauritsen	....	second assistant director
Brian Moon	....	second second assistant director: Miami
Michael Salven	....	second second assistant director (as Mike Salven)
Kathryn-Ann Oaks Shertzer	....	dga trainee
Denis L. Stewart	....	first assistant director
Jennifer Truelove	....	second second assistant director: New York, Miami

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	construction coordinator
Tommy Allen	....	property master (as Thomas Allen)
Henry Antonacchio	....	construction foreman
Anthony Baldasare	....	on-set dresser
David Beach	....	construction foreman: Washington D.C.
Diana Burton	....	assistant property master
John Davis	....	storyboard artist
Rochelle Edelson	....	stand-by scenic
Jeffrey D. McDonald	....	assistant art director (as Jeffrey McDonald)
Scott P. Murphy	....	set designer
Jeremy D. Pratt	....	construction accountant
Lauri Blaire Schulman	....	art department associate
Nicholas Scott	....	scenic artist
Brooke Knight Warner	....	art department associate: Washington D.C.
Carl Catanese	....	set buyer (uncredited)
Robert Crowley	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ruth Grizzard	....	painter (uncredited)
Michael Herlihy	....	carpenter foreman (uncredited)
Eric Hunsaker	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Kristina Kilpe	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John Mann	....	concept artist (uncredited)
Ted Nolan	....	prop maker (uncredited)
Rick Reeder	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jeffrey Rollins	....	set dresser: New York (uncredited)
Michael Scarola	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Barbara S. Shelton	....	on-set dresser: Florida (uncredited)
Roger Sherman	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Paul Steinberg	....	key shop electric (uncredited)
Drew Vandervelde	....	art depertment assistant (uncredited)
Cary Whittaker	....	greens (uncredited)
Alyssa Winter	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bartlett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Benjamin Beardwood	....	dialogue editor
Joe Earle	....	sound editor (as Joseph H. Earle Jr.)
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor (as Chris Flick)
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Allan Hartz	....	adr supervisor (as Allen Hartz)
Scott Hecker	....	supervising sound editor
David L. Horton Jr.	....	foley editor (as David Horton Jr.)
Barbara Issak	....	adr editor
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kenneth L. Johnson	....	sound editor
Gary Lewis	....	dialogue editor
David Melhase	....	adr editor
Danny Michael	....	production sound mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Eric A. Norris	....	sound editor
Ralph Osborn III	....	dialogue editor (as Ralph H. Osborn III)
Jeff Rosen	....	foley editor (as Jeffrey Rosen)
Brian Ruberg	....	foley mixer
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator
Mark Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe White	....	cable person

Special Effects by
Rick Bongiovanni	....	effects crew: KNB Effects
J.C. Brotherhood	....	special effects (as Jonathan C. Brotherhood)
Jason Collins	....	lab technician: KNB Effects Group
Neil Ruddy	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jeff Wolverton	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunt coordinator
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunts
Rick Michaels	....	precision driver
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	stunts
Donald John Hewitt	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jerry Bertolami	....	best boy grip
Kenny Burke	....	second grip (as Kenneth Burke)
Ronald Burke	....	dolly grip
Andrew Casey	....	Steadicam operator
Andrew Casey	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Andrew Cheung	....	grip: New York
Matt Chubet	....	company grip
Xiomara Comrie	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
David M. Dunlap	....	director of photography: second unit
Ken Ferris	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Joseph Grimaldi	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Joe Grimaldi)
David James	....	still photographer
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician
Peter A. Mian	....	video assist operator (as Peter Mian)
William D. Moran	....	company grip
Heather Norton	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Bill O'Leary	....	gaffer
John Panuccio	....	rigging grip
Louis Petraglia	....	rigging electrician
Tom Prate	....	key grip (as Thomas J. Prate)
Pamela Rittelmeyer	....	assistant camera: "b" camera
Tom Schnaidt	....	camera loader
Nicolas Stern	....	video playback operator
Eric Swanek	....	Steadicam assistant
Eric Swanek	....	assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot: camera helicopter (as Robert Zajonc)
Keith Bernard	....	rigging best boy electric (uncredited)
Dean Citroni	....	grip (uncredited)
Rob Coughlin	....	electrician (uncredited)
Susan Gabbay	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (uncredited)
Tim Gordon	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael Lyon	....	underwater electrician: underwater unit (uncredited)
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Greg Patterson	....	set lighting (uncredited)
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator (uncredited)
Herb Silverman	....	electrician (uncredited)
Rick Strodel	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Mikie Heilbrum	....	casting: New York (as Mikie Heilburn Baltimore)
Pat Moran	....	casting: Baltimore
Pat Moran	....	casting: New York
Kimberly Skyrme	....	extras casting: Washington D.C.
Miura Smith	....	casting assistant
Angela Athayde	....	extras casting production assistant (uncredited)
Ginny Galloway	....	extras casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Timothy Alberts	....	key wardrobe (as Tim Alberts)
Kate Edwards	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Kate E. Edwards)
Mara Majorowicz	....	set costumer
Robert M. Moore	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Robert Moore)
Sabrina Rosen	....	wardrobe
Ann Roth	....	gowns: Ms. Thomas
Rose Wells	....	key wardrobe
Heather Holmes	....	costumer (uncredited)
Jeannie H. Kelly	....	additional costumer (uncredited)
Roseann Milano	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Marcia Patten	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Audrey Evans	....	second assistant film editor (as Audrey J. Evans)
Brett Lavinthal	....	first assistant film editor
Stuart Sperling	....	assistant editor
Debra L. Tennant	....	first assistant film editor
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Terence Blanchard	....	musician: trumpet
Stuart Grusin	....	music editor
Donald Murray	....	composer's consultant (as Don Murray)
John Palatucci	....	musician: bass
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor
Nigel Olsson	....	musician: drums (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard Holston	....	transportation co-captain
Michael Hyde	....	transportation captain (as Mike Hyde)
Manny Quinones	....	transportation co-captain: Washington D.C.
Gilbert Young	....	transportation captain: Washington DC
K.C. Colebrooke	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)
Bobby Marsh	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jason Altieri	....	production assistant: second unit
Michael Bederman	....	first assistant accountant
Erica Cerilli	....	production secretary
Ann Christman	....	production secretary
Devin Clancy	....	set production assistant
Melissa Stanley Cohen	....	production coordinator
Mauricio de la Vega	....	production assistant
Michael Dellheim	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Arden Doss	....	assistant: Ms. Powell
Gordon Driver	....	computer playback operator
Bronwen Epstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Eric Errington	....	set production assistant
Tink Ten Eyck	....	production accountant
Carol Flaisher	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Robb Foglia	....	production office assistant: Washington D.C.
Dominic Giannetti	....	production assistant
R. Colette Hailey	....	location manager: Miami (as R. Collette Hailey)
Bill Hardy	....	production assistant
Kali Harrison	....	set production assistant
Jeff Johnson	....	set medic
Mary A. Kelly	....	script supervisor
Samara Koffler	....	assistant: Mr. Ford
Scott Kordish	....	production coordinator
Jason Lambro	....	production office assistant: Washington D.C.
Joseph Martin	....	location scout: Washington D.C.
Frank McKenna	....	craft service
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach: Ms. Thomas
Matthew Ogens	....	set production assistant
Kathy Orloff	....	unit publicist
Donna Ostroff	....	assistant: Mr. Pollack
Greg Outcalt	....	production office assistant
Christopher Pensiero	....	production office assistant
Luis Perez	....	choreographer
Martina Pozzi	....	set production assistant
Diane Rosenberg	....	production office assistant: Washington D.C.
Jen Roskind	....	assistant: Mr. Schwary
Ann Roth	....	clothing designer: Ms. Thomas
Patrick Sadler	....	production office assistant: Washington D.C.
Andrew Saxe	....	assistant location manager
Ben Selkow	....	set production assistant
Jamie Sheridan	....	production assistant
Becky Veduccio	....	assistant: Ms. Thomas
Christian von Tippelskirch	....	location manager
C. Ransom Walrod	....	marine coordinator
Patricia A. Walrod	....	assistant marine coordinator (as Patti Walrod)
Peter Weireter	....	security: Mr. Ford
Keri Wilson	....	assistant: Mr. Pollack (as Keri Peranich-Wilson)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	aerial coordinator
Marcy Arnold	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Heath Jacob Baldwin	....	additional office production assistant: New York (uncredited)
Denise A. Beale	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kathleen Beall	....	location scout (uncredited)
Anne Cabral	....	assistant production coordinator: Florida (uncredited)
Cristiana Caimmi	....	publicist (uncredited)
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
James Mitchell Clyde	....	water safety: marine unit (uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	....	assistant avid technician (uncredited)
Rob Dickerson Jr.	....	staff set production assistant (uncredited)
Rita Duffey	....	location scout (uncredited)
Will Edwards	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Amy Eldridge	....	first assistant accountant: Florida (uncredited)
Elizabeth Elwell	....	location scout (uncredited)
Elissa Ewalt	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sparky Hawes	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kelly King	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Stephanie Lovell	....	additional set production assistant: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Jennifer Lyne	....	location scout (uncredited)
John Marston	....	location projectionist: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Eric Morgan	....	production assistant: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Caleb Omens	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Macall B. Polay	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Jennifer Radzikowski	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Christopher Scott	....	production assistant: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Jim Small	....	location scout (uncredited)
Irapaul Turner	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Hilary Walker	....	location scout (uncredited)
Shayne A. Wilson	....	freelance script coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Christopher Ford	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Mirage Enterprises
• Rastar Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures Mexico (Mexico)
• Columbia Pictures (USA)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

Other Companies

• Phill Norman and Co.  titles
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Studio Sea  marine coordination
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Tomkats Catering  caterer: washington dc
• Tony's Food Service  catering

MPAA:

Rated R for brief violence, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | USA:R (certificate #36468) | Malaysia:18SX | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

During production planning for this film, the studio contacted American Airlines to request information about its "CARE Team" in order to portray the movie airline's response team more accurately. American declined, seeing no upside in being associated with a film about a crash.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Dutch and Kay exit the airport, presumably either Reagan National or Dulles, upon their return from Miami. Dutch says something like, "I live in Northwest," referring to NW Washington DC. The Lincoln Memorial is behind them as they drive across Memorial Bridge, which means they are going into Virginia and away from DC, which is the wrong way.

Quotes:

Phyllis Bonaparte: I really don't think you should be alone right now.
Dutch Van Den Broeck: Oh, yeah? I was alone before you got here.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game K N B: (2007-03-15)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Good Thing

dull, dreary romantic tale

Has there ever been a more dour, dreary and depressing movie romance than "Random Hearts," a film that drones on for 131 grueling minutes and traps two wonderful actors, Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas, in its diabolical clutches?

Ford is a police sergeant working in internal affairs and Thomas is a New Hampshire congresswoman whose paths cross when their spouses, who are having a secret affair with each other, die in a plane crash. Drawn together by both circumstance and grief, the two begin a tentative love affair despite the many complications it sets up.

The actors do their best given the stark limitations of portraying two people overcome with despair, but the audience is nevertheless subjected to more than two hours of unrelieved gloominess. In a sense, it is a bit of a relief to see a romantic film that is not all lightheartedness and carefree silliness, but a subject as profound as the study of grief and loss on the human psyche demands a less conventional, more imaginative and serious a format than this film provides. (The brilliant film, "Fearless," from 1993 is a startling case in point). The actions of the characters often ring false as when, for instance, the two grieving spouses, sitting in a car, suddenly begin grappling in a wild sexual frenzy, a moment that elicits giggles from the audience because it is so lacking in motivation and preparation. Moreover, the film pads out its narrative by constantly cutting away to an irrelevant and wholly underdeveloped subplot involving Ford's pursuit of a murderous cop - a sideshow that results in a completely ludicrous shooting scene that undercuts the seriousness of the film's purpose.

"Random Hearts" is an obvious and, perhaps, even admirable attempt to bring a more mature, adult-oriented love story to the screen. It's a shame, then, that all involved seem to have confused dreariness with profundity and gloominess with depth.