Pennies from Heaven (1981)

Director:

Herbert Ross

Writers:

Dennis Potter (written for the screen by)
Dennis Potter (based on original material by)

Release Date:

1 January 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

There's a world on both sides of the rainbow where songs come true and every time it rains, it rains...

Plot:

In Chicago during the depression, sheet music salesman, Arthur Parker, is trying to sell his products...

Plot Keywords:

Sheet Music | Teacher | Bank | Friendship | Self Destructiveness

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Arthur
Bernadette Peters	...	Eileen
Jessica Harper	...	Joan
Vernel Bagneris	...	The Accordion Man
John McMartin	...	Mr. Warner
John Karlen	...	The Detective
Jay Garner	...	The Banker
Robert Fitch	...	Al
Tommy Rall	...	Ed
Eliska Krupka	...	The Blind Girl
Christopher Walken	...	Tom
Francis X. McCarthy	...	The Bartender (as Frank McCarthy)
Raleigh Bond	...	Mr. Barrett
Gloria LeRoy	...	A Prostitute (as Gloria Leroy)
Nancy Parsons	...	The Old Whore
Toni Kaye	...	Tart
Shirley Kirkes	...	Tart
Jack Fletcher	...	Elevator Operator
Hunter Watkins	...	Boy
Arell Blanton	...	Motorcycle Police
George P. Wilbur	...	Motorcycle Police (as George Wilbur)
M.C. Gainey	...	Young Policeman
Mark Campbell	...	Newsboy
Mark Martinez	...	Schoolboy
Duke Stroud	...	Counterman
Joseph G. Medalis	...	Counterman (as Joe Medalis)
Richard Blum	...	Pool Player
William Frankfather	...	Pool Player
James Mendenhall	...	Warden
Jim Boeke	...	Hangman
Robert Lee Jarvis	...	Policeman
Luke Andreas	...	Customer
Will Hare	...	Father Everson
Joshua Cadman	...	Jumbo
Paul Valentine	...	Bar Patron
Bill Richards	...	Bar Patron
John Craig	...	Bar Patron
Alton Ruff	...	Bar Patron
Karla Bush	...	Bank Secretary
Robin Hoff	...	Bank Secretary
Linda Montana	...	Bank Secretary
Dorothy Cronin	...	Bank Secretary
Twink Caplan	...	Bank Customer
Lillian D'Honau	...	Bank Customer
Barbara Nordella	...	Bank Customer
Dean Taliaferro	...	Bank Customer
Wayne Storm	...	Bank Guard
Gene Ross	...	Bank Teller
Edward J. Heim	...	Bank Teller (as Edward Heim)
Dave Adams	...	Bank Teller
Greg Finley	...	Bank Teller
Paul Michael	...	Bank Teller
Joe Ross	...	Bank Teller
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Conrad Bachmann	...	(uncredited)
Dolly Dawn	...	Singer (uncredited)
Robin DiMaggio	...	Drummer Boy / Tap Dancer (uncredited)
Tanya Fenmore	...	Dancer / Schoolgirl (uncredited)
Darren Frank	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
Aaron Hamilton	...	Dancer / Schoolboy (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hay	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Melissa Hayden	...	(uncredited)
Helen Kelly	...	Bank Customer (uncredited)
Jenifer Newman	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Tammy O'Rourke	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Alex Romero	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Leigh Webster	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Tom Willett	...	Man in Diner (uncredited)

Directed by
Herbert Ross

Writing credits
Dennis Potter		(written for the screen by)
Dennis Potter		(based on original material by)

Produced by
Ken Adam	....	associate producer
Nora Kaye	....	producer
Rick McCallum	....	executive producer (as Richard McCallum)
Herbert Ross	....	producer

Original Music by
Ralph Burns		(uncredited)
Billy May		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Marks		(edited by)

Casting by
Ross Brown
Hank McCann

Production Design by
Philip Harrison		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Bernie Cutler
Fred Tuch

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Bob Mackie		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Frank Griffin	....	makeup supervisor
Barbara Lampson	....	hairdresser
Connie Nichols	....	hairdresser
Ric Sagliani	....	makeup artist
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Allen Payne	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Murray Schwartz	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal Bell	....	second assistant director
Emmitt-Leon O'Neill	....	second assistant director (as Emmitt-Leon O'Neil)
L. Andrew Stone	....	first assistant director
Thomas J. Wright	....	second unit director
Robert Engelman	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Richard Henry	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Ken Adam	....	visual consultant
Christopher Burian-Mohr	....	set designer
John S. Karas	....	construction coordinator
C.J. Maguire	....	assistant property master
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
John T. Walker	....	assistant set decorator (as John Thomas Walker)
Thomas J. Wright	....	production illustrator
Ron Ashmore	....	painter gang boss (uncredited)
Martha Johnston	....	set designer (uncredited)
Scott W. Leslie	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	sound editor
John Dunn	....	sound effects editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound editor (as Stephen H. Flick)
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	dialogue editor (as Warren Hamilton)
Jay M. Harding	....	rerecording mixer
Michael J. Kohut	....	rerecording mixer
Mark A. Mangini	....	dialogue editor (as Mark Mangini)
Greg Morton	....	playback operator
Al Overton	....	sound mixer
Stephen Purvis	....	dialogue editor
Richard Tyler	....	rerecording mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Tim Mangini	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Duncan McEwan	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Glen Robinson	....	special effects
Wayne Rose	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts
Ron Oliney	....	stunts (as Ronald G. Oliney)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (as Conrad Palmisano)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt double: Steve Martin (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant cameraman (as Alan Disler)
Gene Earle	....	second assistant cameraman
Carl Gibson	....	key grip
Dennis Greene	....	dolly grip
Mel Traxel	....	still photographer
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bobby Goodman	....	lip sync supervisor

Casting Department
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Magahay	....	wardrobe: men (as Bob Magahay)
Daniel Orlandi	....	assistant costume designer (as Dan Orlandi)
Judy Truchan	....	wardrobe: women
Julie Starr Dresner	....	costumer (uncredited)
Dennis Schoonderwoerd	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Martin Cohen	....	apprentice editor (as Marty Cohen)
Don Dittmar	....	color consultant
Jane Schwartz Jaffe	....	assistant editor
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter
Sidney Wolinsky	....	first assistant editor
Julie Kahn Zunder	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Jim Bedoian	....	music researcher
Leonard A. Engel	....	sound restoration: original discs, Contempo Recording Co. (as Len Engel)
Greg Gormick	....	music researcher
Marvin Hamlisch	....	conductor
Marvin Hamlisch	....	music arranger
Louise Jaffe	....	music coordinator
Ted Keep	....	scoring mixer
George Korngold	....	music editor
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
Harper MacKay	....	musical associate
Billy May	....	conductor
Billy May	....	music arranger
Joe Monte	....	music researcher
Kenith Trodd	....	music consultant
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor (as Ken Wannberg)
Greg Fulginiti	....	music engineer (uncredited)
Uan Rasey	....	musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tom F. Thomas	....	transportation captain (as Tom Thomas)
Alan Kaminsky	....	picture car mechanic (uncredited)
Randy Peters	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Danny Daniels	....	choreographer
Randy Doney	....	assistant to choreographer
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Daniel Joseph Giaghi	....	assistant to choreographer (as Daniel Joseph Giagni)
Max Miller	....	craftservice
David Oliver	....	title designer
Ronald M. Quigley	....	location manager
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
Robert Werden	....	publicist (as Bob Werden)
Devron Conrad	....	stand-in: Steve Martin (uncredited)
David Hakim	....	publicity writer (uncredited)
Cathy Jung	....	assistant: Mr. Martin (uncredited)
Kevin King	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
Carolyn Poppert	....	dancer (uncredited)
Gregg Sawaya	....	stand-in: various artists (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents) (A Herbert Ross Production)
• SLM Production Group (producer) (as SLM Entertainment, Ltd.) (copyright holder)
• Hera Productions (producer) (as A Hera Production)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Contempo Recording Co.  sound restoration: original discs
• Discontinued Records  music research
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios  rerecorded at
• Modern Film Effects  opticals by
• Warner Bros. Records  original soundtrack album available on (as Warner Brothers Records & Tapes)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:11 | USA:R (#26127) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

4th Street Bridge, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Steve Martin chose to do this movie rather than Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Bar codes on railroad box cars.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Arthur Parker:Joan... Joanie? Sugar? C'mon, Joan... sugar... wake up, baby.
Joan Parker:No, Arthur, don't.
Arthur Parker:Oh, baby... come on, sugar.
Joan Parker:No, it's too early, Arthur.
Arthur Parker:Oh, Joan.
Joan Parker:Arthur, there isn't time.
Arthur Parker:Oh, there's always time for this. Joan, come on.
Joan Parker:Stop it, Arthur! No, don't!
Joan Parker:[getting out of bed] No... I said no!
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Umberto D. (1952)

Soundtrack:

Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Ahead of its time

When Herb Ross opened "Pennies From Heaven" during Christmas of 1981 it met with harsh press and public indifference. Many concluded the musical was dead.

But "Pennies," like Bob Fosse's "All That Jazz" released two years before, is a key transitional work that juxtaposed the cynicism of the '70s to the exhilaration and escapist fantasy of its buoyant Depression era score.

Steve Martin ran the risk of alienating his fan base by trading in the "Wild and Crazy" guy for the brooding, unfaithful Arthur Parker. But he's a revelation. And what a dancer!

It was no surprise when audiences stayed away.

By all means watch it today, particularly on the new widescreen DVD release. You'll walk away with a greater appreciation of Christopher Walken, Bernadette Peters and especially Steve Martin.

It makes it so much harder to watch this major talent wasting himself in such tripe as "Cheaper by the Dozen" and "Bringing Down the House."