Secondhand Lions (2003)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Tim McCanlies

Writer (WGA):

Tim McCanlies (written by)

Release Date:

19 September 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family

Plot:

A coming-of-age story about a shy, young boy sent by his irresponsible mother to spend the summer with his wealthy, eccentric uncles in Texas.

Plot Keywords:

Money | Lion | Texas | Eye Patch | Beach

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Garth
Robert Duvall	...	Hub
Haley Joel Osment	...	Walter
Kyra Sedgwick	...	Mae
Nicky Katt	...	Stan
Josh Lucas	...	Adult Walter
Michael O'Neill	...	Ralph
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Helen
Eric Balfour	...	Sheik's Grandson
Christian Kane	...	Young Hub
Kevin Haberer	...	Young Garth
Emmanuelle Vaugier	...	Jasmine
Adam Ozturk	...	The Sheik
Jennifer Stone	...	Martha
Mitchel Musso	...	Boy
Marc Musso	...	Boy
Joe Stevens	...	Insurance Salesman
Charles Sanders	...	Gold Salesman
Morgana Shaw	...	Receptionist
Adrian Pasdar	...	Skeet Machine Salesman
Dameon Clarke	...	Animal Truck Driver
Jason Douglas	...	Helper
Rick Dial	...	Feed Store Owner
George Haynes	...	Farmer
Jo Harvey Allen	...	Woman in Hospital
Nadia Shihab	...	Handmaiden
Eugene Osment	...	Doctor
Jace Pitre	...	Frankie
Travis Willingham	...	Hood
Brian Stanton	...	Hood
Kanin Howell	...	Hood
Billy Joe Shaver	...	Biplane Truck Driver
Dennis Letts	...	Sheriff
Daniel Brooks	...	Sheik's Great Grandson
Linus	...	The Dog Pack
Baron	...	The Dog Pack
Nicki	...	The Dog Pack
Rusty	...	The Dog Pack
Tyler	...	The Dog Pack
Taureg	...	Jasmine the Lion
Norton	...	The Pig
Kelsey	...	The Giraffe
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles E. Gray	...	Turkish Soldier
Nick Price	...	Walt's Son #1 (scenes deleted)
Rory Thost	...	Walt's Son #2 (scenes deleted)

Directed by
Tim McCanlies

Writing credits (WGA)
Tim McCanlies		(written by)

Produced by
Janis Rothbard Chaskin	....	executive producer
Kevin Cooper	....	executive producer
Joe Dishner	....	line producer: second unit
Toby Emmerich	....	executive producer
Mark Kaufman	....	executive producer
David Kirschner	....	producer
Karen Loop	....	executive producer
Scott Ross	....	producer
Amy Sayres	....	co-producer
Corey Sienega	....	producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Jack N. Green

Film Editing by
David Moritz

Casting by
Ed Johnston
Emily Schweber

Production Design by
David J. Bomba

Art Direction by
John R. Jensen

Set Decoration by
James Edward Ferrell Jr.

Costume Design by
Gary Jones

Makeup Department
Robin Beauchesne	....	makeup artist
Troy Breeding	....	makeup artist
Bridget Cook	....	department head hair
Claude Díaz	....	key hair stylist
Terri Ewton	....	hair stylist
Tracy Fleming	....	assistant hair stylist
Diane Hardin	....	makeup artist
Darylin Nagy	....	makeup artist
Carla Palmer	....	key makeup artist
Manlio Rocchetti	....	hair stylist: Mr. Duvall
Manlio Rocchetti	....	makeup artist: Mr. Duvall
Melizah Schmidt	....	hair stylist
Pamela S. Westmore	....	makeup artist: Michael Caine
Matt Jordon	....	special makeup effects artist: Alterian (uncredited)

Production Management
Jan Foster	....	unit production manager
Erik Holmberg	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William M. Connor	....	first assistant director
Jonathan McGarry	....	second assistant director
Paul Schmitz	....	additional second assistant director
Katie Tull	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Steve Allen	....	carpenter
Amy Bell	....	assistant property master
Jerry Bingham	....	storyboard artist
Wendy Bonn	....	props
Wendy Bonn	....	scenic artist
E.W. Bradford	....	construction coordinator
Berkeley Breathed	....	artist: Walter's cartoons
Mark Lambert Bristol	....	storyboard artist
Jack Colmenero	....	set dresser
April Crump	....	set dresser
Craig Denham	....	graphic designer
Patricia Dillon	....	draper
William F. Gambill	....	paint foreman
William F. Gambill	....	scenic foreman
Ken Gaston-Kilgore	....	greensman
Stanford Gilbert	....	assistant property master
Shellie Gillespie	....	art department coordinator
Dwayne Grady	....	property master
Kelley A. Hankins	....	scenic artist
Kelley A. Hankins	....	signwriter
Al Hobbs	....	set designer
Teodor Istratescu	....	gang boss painter (as Ted Istratescu)
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Garcia L. Sonia	....	painter
Darren Patnode	....	on-set dresser
Frank Piercy	....	lead scenic artist
Frank Piercy	....	painter
Steve Sawhill	....	lead man
Charles Seale	....	carpenter
Randy Severs	....	carpenter
Corissa Smith	....	scenic artist
Kara Sutherlin	....	stand-by scenic
Tom Ward	....	propmaker gangboss
Robert K. Weinberger	....	carpenter
Stefan Wilcox	....	assistant props
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer
Robert R. Wonson	....	welder: greens
Cher Young	....	painter
David Forline	....	weapon designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
John Bires	....	sound engineer
Stacy Brownrigg	....	production sound mixer: additional photography
Kerry Ann Carmean	....	sound effects editor
Matt Colleran	....	sound re-recordist
Kay Colvin	....	utility sound
Colin Cooper	....	adr recordist
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Laura R. Harris	....	dialogue editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Malham	....	re-recording engineer
Kelly Oxford	....	adr editor
John Pritchett	....	sound mixer
David M. Roberts	....	boom operator
Unsun Song	....	sound re-recordist
David Stanke	....	first assistant sound editor
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Drew Webster	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Wolf	....	sound designer

Special Effects by
William Dawson	....	pyrotechnician
Tony Gardner	....	animatronic effects supervisor
Pete Levin	....	special effects assistant
Jack Lynch	....	special effects technician
Paul Salamoff	....	special effects makeup
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects coordinator
Rick Thompson	....	special effects foreman
Jeffery D. Woodrel	....	special effects technician
Michael Wilks	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dave Adams	....	digital artist
Nancy Bernstein	....	visual effects executive producer: Digital Domain
Chad E. Collier	....	scanning and recording operator: Digital Domain
Shad Davis	....	visual effects coordinator
Ivan DeWolf	....	digital artist
Jason Doss	....	3D integration lead: Digital Do
Scott Edelstein	....	3D Integration supervisor: Digital Domain
Darin K. Grant	....	digital studio management
Timothy Hoffman	....	digital artist
Marty Holthaus	....	tech services: Digital Domain
Todd Isroelit	....	visual effects producer
John Karner	....	digital artist
Heather J. Morrison	....	visual effects editor: Digital Domain
Colleen Murphy	....	digital production coordinator
Erik Nash	....	visual effects supervisor
Brian Peyatt	....	digital producer
Darren Poe	....	compositing supervisor
J. Brent Poer	....	digital studio management
Kelly Port	....	plate supervisor
Olivier Sarda	....	senior digital compositor
Todd Sarsfield	....	digital color grader
Tess Spaulding	....	system administrator
Scott Tessier	....	digital artist: Digital Domain
James D. Tittle	....	digital visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title
Richard Wardlow	....	technical director: Digital Domain
Vernon R. Wilbert Jr.	....	CGI supervisor
Bron Barry	....	visual effects assistant coordinator (uncredited)
Christopher Grandel	....	trailer digital effects, Howard Anderson Company (uncredited)
Brian Openshaw	....	render coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Austin Anderson	....	stunt performer
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunt performer (as Tony Boggs)
Tony Lee Boggs	....	utility stunts: horse work
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunt double
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunt performer (as Joey Bucaro)
Payson Burt	....	utility stunts
Craig Carter	....	stunts
Will Cascio	....	stunt performer
Charles Currier	....	sword fighter
J.J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Greg Dolph	....	sword fighter
David Efron	....	stunt performer
Ramon Frank	....	stunt performer
Joey Hamlin	....	stunt performer
Brian McMillan	....	stunt double
Kevin McMillian	....	stunt performer
Víctor Quintero	....	stunt performer
Jessica Schwartz	....	stunt double
Jessica Schwartz	....	stunt performer
Ann Scott	....	stunt performer
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
R.L. Tolbert	....	stunt performer
Diane Towery	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Troy Anderson	....	electrician
Roger Basquette	....	digital video assist operator
Stephen Beasley	....	rigging electrician
Arthur Blum	....	dolly grip
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer
Mark Colicci	....	assistant camera
Theda Cunningham	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Andy deBruyn	....	grip
David Gasperik	....	additional camera operator
Victoria Gonzales	....	assistant camera
Peter N. Green	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ryan Green	....	camera operator
Harold Groshon	....	best boy electric
Robert Hicks	....	best boy rigging grip
Edison Jackson	....	electrician
Lawrence Karman	....	Steadicam operator
Lawrence Karman	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Kurt Kornemann	....	best boy grip
Jimmy Lindsey	....	camera operator
Greg Lomas	....	grip
Todd Loos	....	rigging grip
James Marks	....	remote camera technician
Eric Pickett	....	second video assist
Gabe Proctor	....	assistant video assist operator
Van Redin	....	still photographer
Robert Rendon	....	second assistant camera: additional photography
Peter D. Roome	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, additional photography
Adam Drew Schwartz	....	assistant camera
Peter Simonite	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Leif E. Ulvog	....	grip
Sebastian Vega	....	additional assistant camera
Atom Vyvial	....	rigging grip
Robert D. Yeoman	....	director of photography: additional photography (as Bob Yeoman)
Jon Bowen	....	electrician (uncredited)
Phillip Renke	....	grip (uncredited)
Gary Tolbert	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kelly Bogdan	....	casting assistant
Lyndsey Gayer	....	casting assistant
Kevin Kray	....	casting assistant
Beth Sepko	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephany Baskin	....	set costumer
Stephen M. Chudej	....	costume supervisor
Melanie Armstrong Fletcher	....	stitcher
Jessica Peel	....	assistant costume designer
Nina Proctor	....	costume supervisor
Leeann Radeka	....	costumer
John H. Smith	....	costume stitcher
Yvonne Wilburn	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Toni Allen	....	negative cutter
Rick Downey	....	negative cutter
Peter Ettinger	....	first assistant editor
Amanda Kirchhoff	....	post-production assistant
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Matthew O. Murphy	....	apprentice editor: film
Gina Zappala	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Bob Bowen	....	music executive
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Peter Fuchs	....	score recordist
Paul Rabjohns	....	music editor
Maggie Rodford	....	score producer
James Shearman	....	conductor
Graham Sutton	....	music editor
Nick Wollage	....	score recordist
Youki Yamamoto	....	keyboard programmer
Youki Yamamoto	....	music programmer

Transportation Department
Monica Allen	....	transportation dispatcher
Don Baer	....	driver: Florida
Jon Bergholz	....	transportation co-captain: Florida
Charles Coulter	....	driver: honeywagon
Sam Craytor	....	driver: construction
Greg Faucett	....	transportation captain
Phil Schriber	....	transportation coordinator
John H. Stephens	....	transportation captain: Florida
Steven Willhoite	....	utility driver
Russell E. Scott	....	picture cars (uncredited)

Other crew
Curtis Akin	....	boss wrangler
Paul Alvarado-Dykstra	....	assistant: Tim McCanlies
Natalie Angel	....	assistant production coordinator
Dawn Barkan	....	animal trainer
Mateo Barnstone	....	assistant location manager
Raymond W. Beal	....	animal trainer
Meg Beatty	....	set production assistant
Brinton Bryan	....	additional set production assistant
Frank Cassavetes	....	assistant: Mr. Duvall
Kathryn Castellanos	....	production assistant
Monique Champagne	....	production assistant
Leo W. Dawson Jr.	....	accounting assistant
Sonia Y. Dawson	....	second assistant accountant
Anthony De Longis	....	sword master
Michael Del Priore	....	production assistant
Tiffany Lynn Drucker	....	production assistant
Stuart Fink	....	unit publicist
Will Foster	....	stand-in
Robbie Friedmann	....	location manager
Karen M. Fuchs	....	payroll accountant
Pam Fuller	....	script supervisor: additional photography (as Pam Fuller Vasquez)
Pam Fuller	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Pam Fuller Vasquez)
Erick Garibay	....	craft service assistant
Gina Grande	....	script supervisor
Stacy Gunderson	....	animal coordinator
Stacy Gunderson	....	animal trainer
Craig Hosking	....	aerial coordinator/pilot
Chris M. Jackson	....	assistant: Michael Caine
Mary Jurey	....	assistant: Mr. Ross and Mr. Cooper
Kate Kelly	....	production coordinator
Nell Kennedy	....	production assistant
Laura King	....	medic
Margo Kornemann	....	construction coordinator
Johnny K.M. Lee	....	production assistant
Larry Madrid	....	animal trainer
Paul Matthaeus	....	title designer
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer
Susan Mieras	....	assistant: Ms. Sedgwick
Ian Moore	....	assistant: Mr. Kirschner and Mr. Sienega
Glen Moorman	....	set production assistant
Kevin Moran	....	swordfights
Joey Naber	....	adr voice
Edward A. Navarro	....	condor operator
Taylor Phillips	....	production assistant
Joel Poage	....	chef
Rachel E. Prentiss	....	production accountant
Thomas Saunders	....	horse wrangler
Jo Ann Smith	....	studio teacher: Mr. Osment (as Jo Ann M. Smith)
Kim Stretch	....	first assistant accountant
Tony Swatton	....	sword maker
Raigen Thornton	....	paramedic: construction department
Karen Wacker	....	production secretary
Karen Wacker	....	travel coordinator
Leigh A. Wilbourn	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Eric S. Anderson	....	title designer (uncredited)

Thanks
John Sayles	....	special thanks
Guillermo del Toro	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents)
• David Kirschner Productions
• Digital Domain
• Avery Pix

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Herald Film Company (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Distribution Company (2004) (Argentina) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Digital Domain (special visual effects and digital animation)
• Artists' Asylum

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  score mixed at
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Kitchen  main and end titles
• FotoKem Film and Video  color timing
• New Line Records  soundtrack published by
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Reel Team, The  adr voice casting
• Slovak Radio Concert Hall  score recording
• Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra  score performed by
• Soundelux  sound editing
• TFN Lighting  grip equipment
• Technique  digital intermediate
• Todd-AO Studios  adr recorded at
• Todd-AO Studios  foley recorded at
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic material, language and action violence.

Runtime:

111 min | USA:109 min | Argentina:120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:LH | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:6 | South Korea:12 | Germany:o.Al. | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Brazil:Livre | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | UK:12 (video rating) | UK:PG (theatrical rating) (cut) | USA:PG (certificate #40021) | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

EASTER EGG: On the special features side of the DVD, go to the deleted scenes section. While at the top of the list, press the "up" button on your remote control and a star will appear and be highlighted. Press the "Okay" button and a clip of outtakes will come on showing all of the filmmakers' attempts at trying to put the rooster on the pig.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The sections of the biplane have obviously been carefully inserted into precut holes made into the barn.

Quotes:

Walter: What's wrong with him?
Garth: Well, a man's body may grow old, but inside his spirit can still be as young and as restless as ever.
Garth: And him - in his day, he had more spirit than twenty men.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 'Secondhand Lions': One Screenplay's Wild Ride in Hollywood (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Texas Playboy Rag

Put Your Hands Together, Clap and Cheer.

Cartoonist Josh Lucas (of "A Beautiful Mind") gets a phone call telling that his two great-uncles have been in an accident. Immediately we see the Lucas character in the form of young Haley Joel Osment as he is literally dropped off with great-uncles Michael Caine and Robert Duvall by lousy mother Kyra Sedgwick in the 1960s. It seems that the two supposedly have a huge fortune somewhere on their property in Texas and Sedgwick, along with several others, have been trying to find the treasures for themselves. Osment seems out-of-place completely at first and his two uncles appear to be cold and unfeeling, but soon Duvall is seen sleep-walking and acts like he is sword-fighting while he does. Osment has never seen anyone act this way before and he becomes curious. He finds a photo of the beautiful and exotic Emmanuelle Vaugier in the house's tower and his want to know the pasts of his uncles' builds. Caine tells Osment of a time at the start of World War I when the duo unwittingly became a part of the French Legion, fighting with the Allies during the war. The war comes and goes and Caine starts to tell of Duvall's love for Vaugier when he was a young man. Naturally she was also wanted by an evil sheik (Adam Ozturk) and thus he had to protect she and himself at all times. Eventually the stories conclude and Osment finds out how the two got their money. But could it be possible that what Caine has been conveying are just stories and not the true reality? "Secondhand Lions" (the title refers to an old lion that Duvall and Caine buy during the course of the picture) is one of those movies that makes you feel that there are still good people in Hollywood who really want to develop nice family-oriented films that cater to all age groups. Writer/director Tim McCanlies shows real potential here and Osment continues to amaze. He holds his own with legends Caine and Duvall from the word go. Osment, who is the most atypical youngster in Hollywood these days (never selling out to be in junk like "Freddy vs. Jason" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake), just keeps on growing and maturing as a performer. His range was amazing in "The Sixth Sense" and he has not lost his gift, instead he has cultivated it further. Definitely not a perfect film, but still a very enjoyable trip to the movies that stands tall during a year of sub-par movies. With all the shortcomings from Hollywood in 2003, the family films have been surprisingly the best productions by far. 4 stars out of 5.