About Schmidt (2002)

Director:

Alexander Payne

Writers (WGA):

Louis Begley (novel)
Alexander Payne (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 December 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Schmidt Happens

Plot:

Warren Schmidt is a man in his 60's. While trying to run his daughter's life, he realizes that he wasted his.

Plot Keywords:

Retirement | Marriage | Restaurant | Answering Machine | Gas Station

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 29 nominations

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	Warren Schmidt
Kathy Bates	...	Roberta Hertzel
Hope Davis	...	Jeannie Schmidt
Dermot Mulroney	...	Randall Hertzel
June Squibb	...	Helen Schmidt
Howard Hesseman	...	Larry Hertzel
Harry Groener	...	John Rusk
Connie Ray	...	Vicki Rusk
Len Cariou	...	Ray Nichols
Mark Venhuizen	...	Duncan Hertzel
Cheryl Hamada	...	Saundra
Phil Reeves	...	Minister in Denver
Matt Winston	...	Gary Nordin - Warren's Replacement
James M. Connor	...	Randall's Best Man (as James Micheal Connor)
Jill Anderson	...	Bridesmaid Reading St. Paul
Vaughan Wenzel	...	Man Mourning Helen
Judith Kathryn Hart	...	Woman Mourning Helen
Marilyn Tipp	...	Neighbor Lady (scenes deleted)
Robert Kem	...	Priest in Omaha (as Reverend Robert Kem)
Melissa Hanna	...	Dairy Queen Employee
Tung Ha	...	Frat Kid
James J. Crawley	...	Other Frat Kid
Mary Beth Nelson	...	Bartender
Steve Heller	...	Tire Store Employee (as Stephen Heller)
Lester Kills Crow	...	Native American Cashier
Thomas Michael Belford	...	Funeral Director
McKenna Gibson	...	Six-year-old Jeannie
Emily McNaughton	...	Twelve-year-old Jeannie
Beth Heimann	...	Wedding Singer #1
Linda Wilmot	...	Wedding Singer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Huse	...	Chuck Woodard (uncredited)
Joe Kunze	...	Partygoer #1 (uncredited)
Angela Lansbury	...	Herself (voice) (uncredited)
Mark J. O'Leary	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Michael Tolochko	...	Surly Denver Neighbor Taking Trash Out (uncredited)

Directed by
Alexander Payne

Writing credits (WGA)
Louis Begley		(novel "About Schmidt")
Alexander Payne		(screenplay) &
Jim Taylor		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bill Badalato	....	executive producer
Michael Besman	....	producer
Harry Gittes	....	producer
Rachael Horovitz	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rolfe Kent

Cinematography by
James Glennon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kevin Tent

Casting by
Lisa Beach
Sarah Katzman

Production Design by
Jane Ann Stewart

Art Direction by
T.K. Kirkpatrick		(as Tim Kirkpatrick)
Pat Tagliaferro

Set Decoration by
Teresa Visinare

Costume Design by
Wendy Chuck

Makeup Department
Carrie Angland	....	makeup artist: Mr. Nicholson
Danielle Cunningham	....	makeup artist
Emjay Olson	....	key hair stylist
Angie Paul	....	hair stylist
Jeanne Van Phue	....	key makeup artist
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist: Mr. Nicholson
Lisa Brockman-Kalz	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Stacy Heatherly	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bill Badalato	....	unit production manager (as William Badalato)
Billy Badalato	....	production supervisor
Carla Fry	....	executive in charge of production
Rick Reynolds	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rocco Marra	....	additional second assistant director
Shari Nicotero	....	second assistant director
George Parra	....	first assistant director
David Waters	....	second second assistant director (as David 'Muddy' Waters)

Art Department
Rob Baker	....	utility construction
Dave Brown	....	shop steward
Nathan Carlson	....	graphic designer (as Nate Carlson)
Andrew Wayne Carson	....	set dresser
Jack Clowers	....	set dresser
Paula Clowers	....	set dresser
Kevin Cowan	....	carpenter
Michael Daly	....	carpenter
Ron Gielow	....	co-construction coordinator
Merve Johnson	....	co-construction coordinator
Melanie Jones	....	painter foreman
Rick Kaufman	....	carpenter
Sora Kimberlain	....	set painter
Robert E. Knight	....	lead painter (as Robert Ellison Knight)
Craig Lee	....	set painter
Patrick Lees	....	leadman
Tanya B. Magidow	....	assistant property master (as Tanya Magidow)
Chanda McConnell	....	additional property
Stephen Miller	....	construction gang boss (as Steve Miller)
Jeffrey M. O'Brien	....	property master (as Jeff O'Brien)
Ron Rhodes	....	co-construction coordinator
Michael Tagel	....	paint gang boss
Debi Shirk Tagliaferro	....	construction auditor (as Debi Tagliaferro)
Packy Tagliaferro	....	construction production assistant
Brian Vogelgesang	....	set dresser
Steven Wolfe	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Scott Austin	....	daily sound transferer
Javier Bennassar	....	sound effects editor
John Cannon	....	sound assistant
Claudia Carle	....	adr recordist
Mark Choi	....	sound effects editor (as Mark Hunshik Choi)
Patrick Cyccone Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lisle Engle	....	sound effects editor
Frank Gaeta	....	sound designer
Frank Gaeta	....	sound supervisor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
David Grant	....	dialogue editor
Ann Hadsell	....	adr mixer
Rickey Hawkes	....	utility sound technician
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kimaree Long	....	adr supervisor
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Mark Ormandy	....	additional sound
Michelle Pazer	....	dialogue editor
Art Rochester	....	sound mixer
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Unsun Song	....	sound recordist
David Stanke	....	sound assistant
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeff Wilhoit)
Greg Zimmerman	....	foley recordist

Special Effects by
Pat Tagliaferro	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Erik Henry	....	visual effects supervisor
Robert Stromberg	....	matte painter
Edward Helmers	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Laurie Powers	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Mark Sawicki	....	optical camera (uncredited)
Patrick Zentis	....	digital compositor: Digital Backlot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Axtell	....	electrician
Michael Baird	....	video assist operator
Claudette Barius	....	still photographer
Monty Bass	....	grip
Dave Behn	....	grip
Quintin Bogard	....	rigging electrician
Dennis Buffum	....	electrician
Dwight Campbell	....	chief lighting technician
Lora Davis	....	grip
Milo Durben	....	dolly grip
Robert Edesa	....	additional photographer (as Bob Edesa)
Robert Edesa	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Bob Edesa)
Paul Eichler	....	electrician
Geoff Eng	....	electrician
Melissa Freeman	....	camera loader
Kevin Ketelhut	....	rigging electrician
Aaron Lemere	....	electrician
Stephen B. Martinez	....	best boy grip (as Stephen Martinez)
Mike Mastre	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Scott McCarthy	....	additional camera loader
Simone Perusse	....	best boy electric
Radan Popovic	....	additional photographer
Radan Popovic	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Kaile Shilling	....	additional photography supervisor
Dennis Shotsman	....	grip
John A. Small	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as John Small)
R. Michael Stringer	....	key grip
Jay Swanson	....	rigging electrician
Michael Tolochko	....	rigging gaffer
Travis Williams	....	rigging electrician
Steve Wolpa	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
James M. Wykoff	....	grip (as Mike Wykoff)
Justin Akers	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
Craig Ladwig	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Patriq Luo	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip (uncredited)
John Pycha	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Chad Bishoff	....	extras casting assistant
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
John Jackson	....	casting: Midwest
Teresa Affleck	....	casting intern (uncredited)
Kathleen Chopin	....	casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jeannine Bourdaghs	....	costume supervisor
Linda Carol Flake	....	set costumer (as Linda Flake)
Christel Highland	....	set costumer
Nava R. Sadan	....	wardrobe: Mr. Nicholson (as Nava Sadan)
Susan Strubel	....	set costumer
Cat Cacciatore	....	additional costumer (uncredited)
Jeannie H. Kelly	....	additional costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
David Berman	....	apprentice editor
Tom Dailey	....	first assistant editor: avid
Danya Joseph	....	first assistant film editor
Jody Levin	....	executive in charge of post-production
Mato	....	color timer
Mark Scovil	....	assistant editor
Carla Swanson	....	montage: Warren
Jayson Wall	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Tony Blondal	....	orchestrator
Bob Bowen	....	music executive
Paul Broucek	....	music executive
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
Richard Ford	....	music editor
Larry Groupé	....	conductor
David Sabee	....	music contractor
Annie Searles	....	music clearances
Lori Silfen	....	music business affairs
Kerry Wikstrom	....	additional orchestrator
Shie Rozow	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chet Badalato	....	driver: Mr. Nicholson
Steve Brill	....	transportation coordinator
Joe Brumbaugh	....	driver
Larry Cain	....	transportation captain (as Larry 'Weasel' Cain)
Angie Carraher	....	driver
Gary Edelman	....	transportation captain
Lindsay Elliott	....	driver (as Lindsey Elliott)
Floyd Erwin	....	driver
Michael Grooms	....	driver (as Mike 'Sluggo' Grooms)
Donald Jones	....	driver
Gracie Klein	....	driver
Gary Labs	....	driver
Dave Nickel	....	driver
Gary Roberts	....	driver (as Gary 'Jonboy' Roberts)
Robert J. Rocco	....	driver (as Robert Rocco)
Lawrence Root	....	driver (as Lawrence 'Sparky' Root)
Bernard Sczemanski	....	picture car captain (as Bernard 'Ski' Sczemanski)
Tony Swartz	....	driver
Carla Klein	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Erika Anderson	....	set production assistant
Sam Arent	....	set production assistant
Anne Badalato	....	accounting clerk
Tommy Baratta	....	chef: Mr. Nicholson (as Tommy Barratta)
Dana Belcastro	....	production executive
Carolyn Blackwood	....	production attorney
Tracy Boyd	....	assistant: Alexander Payne
Kaylene Carlson	....	production coordinator
Laurie Cartwright	....	risk management
Laura Chang	....	production office assistant
Stephen Coleman	....	technical consultant (as Stephan Coleman)
Teresa Cowan	....	craft service assistant
Jeff Egan	....	production safety
Karen Eisenstadt	....	production accountant
Stacy Eyrich	....	location assistant: Mr. Nicholson
Nicholas Fitzgerald	....	set production assistant (as Nick Fitzgerald)
April Fitzsimmons	....	set production assistant
Jim Foyt	....	projectionist
Will Gatlin	....	craft service
Josh Geller	....	set production assistant (as Josh Gellar)
Lynn Giordano	....	assistant: Jane Stewart
Jeffrey Gladu	....	payroll accountant (as Jeff Gladu)
Emily Glatter	....	supervising production coordinator
Sherri Robin Goldman	....	first assistant accountant (as Sherri Goldman)
Brian Grummert	....	additional accounting clerk
John Hackett	....	double: Mr. Nicholson
John Hackett	....	stand-in: Mr. Nicholson
Gene L. Hamilton	....	photo double (as Gene Hamilton)
Gene L. Hamilton	....	stand-in (as Gene Hamilton)
Joshuwa Hannum	....	photo double
Joshuwa Hannum	....	stand-in
Marc Jacobs	....	production resources
Wayne Lamkay	....	assistant production coordinator
Mike Latenser	....	assistant location manager
John Latenser V	....	location manager
Sagan Lewis	....	photo double
Sagan Lewis	....	stand-in
Kendra Liedle	....	location production assistant
Roland Manarin	....	production secretary
Andrew Matthews	....	financial advisor
Jennifer Mount	....	risk management
Dawn Perlin	....	executive assistant: Mr. Nicholson
Dawn Pieke	....	photo double
Dawn Pieke	....	stand-in
Paul Prokop	....	production controller
Steven John Reynolds	....	second assistant accountant (as Steve Reynolds)
Rebecca Robertson	....	script supervisor
Amy Romeo	....	production office assistant
Oswaldo Rosa	....	chef: Mr. Nicholson
Suzanne Rosencrans	....	business affairs executive
Amy Russell	....	clearances: The Clear Choice
Kaile Shilling	....	assistant: Alexander Payne
Aaron Smith	....	production office assistant
David Sporn	....	business affairs administrator
Lee Tucker	....	preview technical supervisor
Edward C. Wang	....	assistant: Harry Gittes
Rick Williams	....	assistant: Michael Besman
Deborah Wuliger	....	unit publicist
Teresa Affleck	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Helen Blume	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Peter Pham	....	additional production assistant: second unit (uncredited)
Traci Stick	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Kirk Tedeski	....	video coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Julie Ginsburg	....	thanks: Omaha Film Commission Office (as Julie Ginsberg)
Laurie Richards	....	thanks: Nebraska Film Commission Office
Kathy Sheppard	....	thanks: Omaha Film Commission Office

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema
• Avery Pix (uncredited)

Distributors

• Paradiso Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2002) (USA) (theatrical) (an AOL Time Warner company)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2004) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Nexo (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Humax Pictures (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Canvas (2006) (Belgium) (TV)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (VHS)
• GAGA (2004) (Japan) (all media)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• New Line Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Talpa (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects (uncredited)
• E=mc² (uncredited)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance provided by (as AON/Albert G. Ruben)
• Atumusica  music preparation
• Cast & Crew Payroll Services  payroll (as Cast & Crew)
• Childreach/Plan  thanks
• Clear Choice, The  clearances
• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints (as Deluxe)
• Double Tire Guest Suites, Central  thanks
• FotoKem Laboratory  color (as Fotokem)
• Le Mobile Remote Recording Studios  score recorded by (as Le Mobile Remote Recording Services)
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative cutting (as Magic Film & Video)
• Midnight Medics  set medic
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Nebraska Film Commission Office  thanks
• New Line Records  soundtrack released by
• Omaha Film Commission Office  thanks
• Omaha Police & Fire Departments  thanks
• Pearson Television  "The Private Navy of Sergeant O'Farrell" footage courtesy of (as Pearson Television)
• Premiere Radio Networks  audio of "The Rush Limbaugh Show" courtesy of
• Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP)  "Guiding Light" footage courtesy of (as Proctor & Gamble Productions Inc.)
• Seattlemusic  score performed by
• Signet Sound Studio  score mixed at (as Signet Sound Todd Studios)
• Soundelux  sound editorial
• St. Thomas Chapel, Seattle  score recording (as St. Thomas Chapel, Bastyr University, Seattle)
• TM Motion Picture Rentals  grip and electrical equipment furnished by (as TM Motion Picture Equipment)
• Todd Studios  re-recording services
• Tony's Catering  catering
• Winnebago Industries  thanks

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 (original rating) | Finland:K-3 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Canada:14A | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38731)

Filming Locations:

Boulder, Colorado, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Once the filmmakers bought the rights to the Louis Begley novel, they kept the title and the main character but changed just about everything else. In the book, the main character lived in the Hamptons and his daughter was about to marry a lawyer.

Goofs:

Continuity: The broccoli changes position between shots on Schmidt's plate during Ray's speech.

Quotes:

Jeannie Schmidt: All of a sudden you're taking an interest in what I do? You have an opinion about my life *now*? Okay, you listen to me. I am getting married the day after tomorrow and you are going to come to my wedding and you are going to sit there and enjoy it and support me or else you can just turn right around right now and go back to Omaha.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Best! Movies! Ever!: Road Trips (#1.14)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Takin' Care of Business

Life's quirks

I love Nicolson and I thought his work in this film was as good as any I have seen him do in any of his previous films. My accolades must begin with the writers for creating such a beautiful novel and script-a perfect canvas for the many fine actors in this film upon which they wove their considerable magic. There were no killings, no car chases, no violence of any kind-I'm surprised that Hollywood distributed it.

Such a slice of life-American life with it's many warts-warts that the Americans probably don't even recognize: Winnebagos like moving palaces, freeway monuments to genocide, business that consumes it's workers only to dump them unceremoniously, too much of everything that amounts to emptiness, etc., etc. The novel by Begley, upon which the film was based, illustrated this consumer emptiness brilliantly by the inclusion of the bookends to the film, the sponsorship of the Tanzanian child by Schmidt. The child's material emptiness was contrasted with Schmidt's emotional emptiness in a way America does not recognize much less watch on the screen.

The last part of the movie dealing with the marriage of Schmidt's daughter to a man who came from a diametrically opposite "new age" family was an unstated acknowledgment by his daughter that she wanted nothing of her father's values-she wanted a complete break and she was going to marry the break.

A fascinating, complex movie and I'm sorry I didn't see it much earlier.