Bartleby (2001)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jonathan Parker

Writers:

Herman Melville (story)
Jonathan Parker (screenplay) ...

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

I would prefer not to.

Plot:

A clueless boss has no idea what to do with his mundane office worker whose refusal of duties only gets worse each passing minute.

Plot Keywords:

Office | Records | Employee | Work | Cult Favorite

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Paymer	...	The Boss
Crispin Glover	...	Bartleby
Glenne Headly	...	Vivian
Maury Chaykin	...	Ernest
Joe Piscopo	...	Rocky
Seymour Cassel	...	Frank Waxman
Carrie Snodgress	...	Book Publisher
Dick Martin	...	The Mayor
Greta Danielle Newgren	...	Boss's Date
Ken Murakami	...	Landlord
Josh Kornbluth	...	Property Manager
Nick Scoggin	...	Street Philosopher
Stoney Burke	...	Soup Kitchen Server
Terry Allen Jones	...	New Tenant
Stu Klitsner	...	Professor Bum (as Stuart Klitsner)

Also Known As:

Bartleby at the Office (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Novato, California, USA

Company:

Parker Film Company

Goofs:

Continuity: When the boss's date is straddling him in his office, sometimes her hair is wrapped in a scarf and sometimes it's not.

Quotes:

Rocky: Let me tell you something: It's the sensitive guy that gets the needy woman.
Ernie: Yeah, well it's the worm that gets the hooker.

Movie Connections:

Version of Bartleby (1970/I)

Soundtrack:

Preludes

Crispin Glover was born to play this role

Based on the classic novella `Bartleby the Scrivener' by Herman Melville, but updated to reflect our current era, Bartleby features the always esoteric Crispin Glover in the title role. Depending on how you view it, Bartleby is either a protagonist or antagonist; a man who answers an ad for a `boring job, no room for advancement and low wages' who decides one day that he doesn't want to work anymore. Not only does he not want to work anymore, but he insists on coming to the office every day, and answers every request made of him with `I would prefer not to.'

Bartleby appears to be short on substance, but is actually quite thought provoking. Not having read the Melville story, I cannot make comparisons between it and the film, but standing alone, the film was quite entertaining. The sparse yet colorful set design was a perfect compliment to the eccentricities of the film, and the cast was both surprising and intriguing. Crispin Glover has never yet failed a role and seems perfectly suited as the lead. The supporting cast includes many character actors, among them, Joe Piscopo – an interesting but very appropriate choice in the role as the office blowhard.

While this film will not entertain most, it is recommended for anyone looking for a quiet independent film that tells more of a story upon reflection than while actually experiencing it.

--Shelly