Hollywood Ending (2002)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

3 May 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

It's Going to be a Shot in the Dark!

Plot:

A has-been filmmaker is hired to direct his ex-wife, who's now dating the studio boss. But when he arrives on the set, he develops a case of psychosomatic blindness.

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star | Blind | Hollywood | Metaphor | Self Mocking

Cast

Téa Leoni	...	Ellie
Bob Dorian	...	Galaxie Executive
Ivan Martin	...	Galaxie Executive
Gregg Edelman	...	Galaxie Executive
George Hamilton	...	Ed
Treat Williams	...	Hal
Woody Allen	...	Val
Debra Messing	...	Lori
Neal Huff	...	Commercial A.D.
Mark Rydell	...	Al
Douglas McGrath	...	Barbeque Guest
Stephanie Roth Haberle	...	Barbeque Guest
Bill Gerber	...	Barbeque Guest
Roxanne Perry	...	Barbeque Guest
Barbara Carroll	...	Carlyle Pianist
Howard Erskine	...	Carlyle Patron
Yu Lu	...	Cameraman (as Lu Yu)
Barney Cheng	...	Translator
Isaac Mizrahi	...	Elio Sebastian
Marian Seldes	...	Alexandra
Anthony Arkin	...	Audition Reader
Ramsey Faragallah	...	Audition Reader
Olivia Hayman	...	Balthazar Hostess
Peter Van Wagner	...	Balthazar Couple
Judy Toma	...	Balthazar Couple
Tiffani Thiessen	...	Sharon Bates
Jodie Markell	...	Andrea Ford
Sarah Polen	...	Seder Guest
Amanda Jacobi	...	Amanda, Seder Guest
Steve Hurwitz	...	Seder Guest
Ruth Last	...	Seder Guest
Robert Lloyd Wolchok	...	Seder Guest
Joel Eidelsberg	...	Seder Guest
Kenneth Edelson	...	Dr. Koch, Eye Doctor
Ted Neustadt	...	MRI Doctor
Peter Gerety	...	Psychiatrist
Reiko Takahashi	...	Movie Extra
Greg Mottola	...	Assistant Director
Fred Melamed	...	Pappas
Jeff Mazzola	...	Prop Man
Aaron Stanford	...	Actor
Erica Leerhsen	...	Actress
Ray Garvey	...	Grip
Rochelle Oliver	...	Script Supervisor
Joseph Rigano	...	Wally, the Projectionist (as Joe Rigano)
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Banquet Emcee
Mark Webber	...	Tony Waxman
Mary Schmidtberger	...	Galaxie Executive
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marshall Factora	...	Sound Man (uncredited)
Russell Gibson	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Helen Robin	....	co-producer
Jack Rollins	....	co-executive producer
Stephen Tenenbaum	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Wedigo von Schultzendorff		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Alisa Lepselter

Casting by
Laura Rosenthal
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Santo Loquasto

Art Direction by
Tom Warren

Set Decoration by
Regina Graves

Costume Design by
Melissa Toth

Makeup Department
Robert Fama	....	hair stylist
Wayne Herndon	....	key hair stylist
Lori Hicks	....	key makeup artist
Nuria Sitja	....	makeup artist
Francesca Buccellato	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael Parks	....	production supervisor: Los Angeles
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager
Janice Williams	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cary Jones	....	dga trainee
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director
Danielle Rigby	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lawrence Amanuel	....	greensman
Jonathan Arkin	....	assistant art director
Paul Brush Jr.	....	stand-by carpenter (as Paul Brush)
Eric Cheripka	....	assistant property master
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
Alex DiGerlando	....	art department assistant
Peter Gelfman	....	property master
Daniel K. Grosso	....	lead man
Vincent Guarriello	....	chief construction grip
Glenn Lloyd	....	art department coordinator
Sarah Maine	....	art department assistant
Robin McAllister	....	assistant property master
Ben Nicolosi-Endo	....	art department assistant
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (as Ronald Petagna)
Chinyere Ryan	....	scenic artist
Cliff Schorr	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Margot Therre	....	scenic artist
Nick Vanderpool	....	art department assistant (as Nicholas Vanderpool)

Sound Department
Gary Alper	....	production sound mixer
Ryan Collison	....	foley recording engineer
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer: Sound One Corporation
David Flynch	....	foley editor (as Dave Flynch)
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Bradford L. Hohle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Brad Hohle)
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
Todd Milner	....	foley editor
Jamie Morris	....	assistant sound editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Sam Perry	....	boom operator
Stuart Stanley	....	sound effects editor
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist
David Wahnon	....	assistant sound editor
Jerry Yuen	....	cable person

Special Effects by
John Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator
Ron Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator (as Ronald Ottesen)

Stunts
Jay Lee Carrado	....	stunt double (as Jay Carrado)
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Anderson	....	best boy electric
Matt Balzarini	....	second assistant camera
David E. Baron	....	first assistant camera
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Michael Green	....	camera operator
Pedro Hernández	....	best boy grip (as Pedro Hernandez)
Gary Martone	....	key grip
Larry McConkey	....	steadicam operator
Scott H. Ramsey	....	gaffer (as Scott Ramsey)
Mark Schwartzbard	....	camera loader
Tim Davies	....	grip (uncredited)
Tally Morse	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Timothy Reilly	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Mark Schwentner	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting: Kee Casting
Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto	....	casting associate
Bill Tripician	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daniel J. Adkins	....	wardrobe supervisor
Danielle Blumstein	....	costume assistant
Lisa R. Frucht	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Lisa Frucht)
Elizabeth Goodrum	....	shop wardrobe supervisor
Kate Hagner	....	costume assistant
Erica Westheimer	....	assistant costume designer
Sonya M. Andonov	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Sara Corrigan	....	first assistant editor
Morgan Neville	....	assistant editor
Lila Place	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances

Transportation Department
Peter Tavis	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Sarah Allentuch	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Abby Bailey	....	assistant production accountant
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Leo Driver	....	parking coordinator
Tracy Ershow	....	set production assistant
Steve Gilbaud	....	payroll accountant (as Steve Guilbaud)
Alicia Haldenwang	....	assistant production coordinator
Neil Konigsberg	....	location scout
Scott Lazar	....	set production assistant
Adam Leon	....	set production assistant
Marshall Lewy	....	set production assistant
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production accountant
Dedra Mack	....	craft service
Adrian McCullom	....	craft service
John Mitchell	....	production office assistant
Christie Mullen	....	location manager
Lynn H. Powers	....	assistant location manager
Louis Spoto	....	legal services: Loeb & Loeb
Jerome Tarter	....	location assistant
Irwin Tenenbaum	....	legal services: Loeb & Loeb (as Irwin J. Tenenbaum)
Sandra Trebilcock	....	location scout
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Jeremy Kipp Walker	....	production office assistant (as Jeremy Walker)
Doug Webster	....	set production assistant
Eric Wrolstad	....	location scout
Stephen M. Evans III	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)
Samuel V. Franco	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Russell Gibson	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Russ Klein	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	location scout (uncredited)

Thanks
Steve Garfinkel	....	thanks: Kodak Motion Picture
Mike Quon	....	thanks: Designation Inc.

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG
• Gravier Productions
• Perdido Productions

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Bac Films (France)
• Europa Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (Czech Republic)
• Líder Films (Argentina)
• Madman Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Nikkatsu (2005) (Japan) (all media)
• Odeon S.A. (2002) (Greece) (all media)
• Scanbox Danmark (2003) (Denmark) (DVD)

Other Companies

• AIM Productions  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance
• Apple Computer  thanks
• Available Light Productions  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll
• Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (BNC)  grateful acknowlegement and thanks
• Cartier  thanks
• Charles David  thanks
• Chris Stone Fabrics  thanks
• Cineric  opticals
• Danes  thanks
• David Saity Jewelry  thanks
• Davie Brown Entertainment (I)  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• Designation Inc.  thanks
• Effects House, The  titles
• Eileen Fisher  thanks
• Façonnable  thanks
• Frankie B. Jeans  thanks
• Girlfriends L.A.  thanks
• Glamour  thanks
• Greg Johnson  thanks
• HBH  publicity
• Hickey-Freeman Inc.  thanks
• International Film Guarantors  completion guarantee
• J. Lohr Winery  thanks
• J.G. Films  negative matching
• K.A.S. Lighting  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• Kee Casting  extras casting
• Kodak Motion Picture Imaging  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• Loeb and Loeb  legal services
• Louis Vuitton Italia  thanks
• Malo Cashmere  thanks
• Molten Lava  titles
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• Norm Marshall and Associates  thanks
• Orbit Digital  avid equipment
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Panasonic  thanks
• Raygun Electric Video  grateful acknowledgement and thanks
• SG London Branch  bank financing
• Seize Sur Vingt  thanks
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recording mixing
• The Condé Nast Publications Inc.  thanks
• The North Face  thanks
• TyNant Bottled Water  thanks
• Variety Inc. 2001  thanks
• Verso Book Publishers  thanks
• Xeno Lights Inc.  grateful acknowledgement and thanks

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some drug references and sexual material.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (Mono) | Dolby Digital (Mono) | SDDS (Mono)

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-3 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38661) | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The film opened the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene where they pitch the film to Val (about 16:30 into the film) the boom is visible in the mirror.

Quotes:

Val: We once had a discussion about music and he threatened to push me down a flight of stairs.
Psychiatrist: What happened?
Val: It worked. He pushed me down a flight of stairs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Knights of Prosperity: Operation: Ralph (#1.5)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Hooray for Hollywood

Good Woody

This one, unlike many of Woody's pieces over the past decade or so, is neither a failed comedy nor a dullish drama. It's pretty funny all the way through and lacks any pretense of being otherwise. I won't go into the story except to repeat that Woody is a film director here, given a last chance, trying to direct a remake of a 1940s film. He suddenly suffers from hysterical blindness and must make the movie without seeing any of the performances, the rushes, the production design, the promotional material, or anything else. His agent is the only one in on the secret. They enlist the help of a Chinese translator to act as Woody's guide around the set and the rest of the world, but the translator is fired by the Chinese cameraman. So the agent must spill the beans to Woody's separated wife who then acts as her husband's eyes. It all ends happily.

This is a consistently amusing movie. There is even the occasional pratfall that hasn't been seen in a Woody movie for a long time. There are, to be sure, serious undertones that surface from time to time, but they lie lightly on the narrative line. One of these is the still-fuzzy relationship between Woody and his separated wife, Tia Leoni, who is engaged now to Treat Williams, grown bulky and authoritative. The other theme deals with Woody's relationship with his son, Tony. Tony has joined a rock band, if that's the term. His hair is a sickly dark green piled up in an improbable sculpture atop his head, like a Yurok Indian's. He eat rats on stage and has changed his name from Tony Waxman to ScumbagX. Tony once threw his father down a flight of stairs. But, "That was then," says Tony, easily forgiving himself, "and it was stupid." Tony doesn't have the funniest lines in the movie but in one way he gives the most interesting performance in the movie, because he's just about the only actor (not including the two Chinese) who doesn't speak the way Woody does. The nervous mannerisms we've come to recognize are all here in everyone else, and they're funny too, because they fit the characters so well. (They were appropriate to his character in "Broadway Danny Rose," too. And as they weren't when Branaugh used them in "Celebrity.") Here, just about everybody's got them. Hardly a sentence is completed with someone else interrupting or the sentence itself wandering off into space, lost, having forgotten its own beginning. I didn't bother to do a content analysis of the dialog but if "y'know?" isn't the most common utterance I'd be kind of surprised. Stuttering is endemic to the cast. People ask, "Whaddaya mean?" And somebody replies, "Whaddaya mean, whaddo I mean?" Hands flutter as if with lives of their own. The blind Woody praises a promotional poster for the film while admiring its blank back.

He himself is older here, noticeably, but not depressingly. His hair is now gray and his bald patch more pronounced. But he's in good shape and his wit is keen. He plays the blind man in a hilariously exaggerated fashion -- never looking directly at the person he's conversing with, constantly holding his open palms up in front of his chest as if carrying an invisible pumpkin. A writer from "Esquire" tells him fawningly how much she's enjoyed his work while taking notes for a tell-all scandalous hatchet-job about everyone involved in the production, kind of like the number Lillian Ross did on Hemingway for the New Yorker profile or on Huston's "Red Badge of Courage". Unluckily, she wears the same perfume as his wife and, thinking he's talking with Leoni, Allen tells her everything. And it isn't as if the whole film depends on the odd one-liner, although those one-liners are there too. (After regaining his sight, Woody views for the first time the footage he's shot, and he looks stricken. "Call Doctor Kavorkian," he says slowly.) The premise is absurd, of course. No one could pass himself off as sighted under these conditions. But joke follows joke unerringly, sometimes building on one another. Before an important meeting with the film's producer, his wife takes him to the guy's apartment to familiarize him with the layout. This way, you see, he will know where the chair is located, the desk, and the other items of furniture. She tries to be as helpful as possible. While he's wringing his hands in the doorway, she paces off distances in the apartment, telling him, "Okay, now you enter through the door and walk four steps. Then the chair is on your right. But, okay, if Hal is sitting there, you'll take two more steps. Now you turn to the left because that's where the sofa is, but watch out for the lamp." Woody anxiously repeats her instructions -- "watch out for the lamp, and the sofa is, two more paces, no four -- okay -- and then turn left." The instructions become impossibly complicated and confusing and Woody is gripping his head trying to remember them, until everything begins to break down, including the editing, and we get sequences that might have come out of that movie in which Danny Kaye has to remember that "the poison is in the pellet of the picture of the peacock and the flagon with the dragon has the brew that is true." Meanwhile Woody is stumbling around with those forearms stretched before him and a blank gaze, one of Baron von Frankenstein's rejects. During the actual interview he manages to sit on the lamp. You really ought to see this one if you are in the mood for laughs because it's a thoroughly successful comedy.