Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

Howard Franklin (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

9 October 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A classic thriller with a twist of romance.

Plot:

A married New York cop falls for the socialite murder witness he's been assigned to protect.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Socialite | New York | Marriage | Apartment

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Det. Mike Keegan
Mimi Rogers	...	Claire Gregory
Lorraine Bracco	...	Ellie Keegan
Jerry Orbach	...	Lt. Garber
John Rubinstein	...	Neil Steinhart
Andreas Katsulas	...	Joey Venza
Tony DiBenedetto	...	T.J. (also as Tony Di Benedetto)
James E. Moriarty	...	Koontz (as James Moriarty)
Mark Moses	...	Win Hockings
Daniel Hugh Kelly	...	Scotty
Harley Cross	...	Tommy Keegan
Joanne Baron	...	Helen Greening
Anthony Bishop	...	Waiter
David Berman	...	Cop #1
Sharon K. Brecke	...	Bimbo (as Sharon Brecke)
Peter Carew	...	Doorman
Christopher Cass	...	Rookie Cop
Jim Paul Eilers	...	Sparks
Suzi Gilder	...	Pretty Young Thing (as Susi Gilder)
Mary Gillis	...	Mary, Claire's Maid
Billy Kane	...	Brooklyn
Helen Lambros	...	Met Benefactress
Jack McGee	...	Bartender
Meg Mundy	...	Antonia
Jeff Nielsen	...	Tie Salesman
Harlan Cary Poe	...	Killer
Marilyn Rockafellow	...	Marge
Helen Tran	...	Vietnamese Girl
Harvey Vernon	...	Giddings
Mark Voland	...	Plainclothes Cop #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Caso	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
John Corbett	...	Walker (uncredited)
Louis Durra	...	Pianist (uncredited)
Joey Gironda	...	Undercover Cop (uncredited)
John Sobestanovich	...	Line-Up Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Ridley Scott

Writing credits
Howard Franklin		(written by)
Danilo Bach		uncredited
David Seltzer		uncredited

Produced by
Thierry de Ganay	....	producer
Mimi Polk Gitlin	....	associate producer (as Mimi Polk)
Harold Schneider	....	producer
Ridley Scott	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Steven Poster		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Claire Simpson

Casting by
Joy Todd

Production Design by
James D. Bissell		(as Jim Bissell)

Art Direction by
Christopher Burian-Mohr		(as Chris Burian-Mohr)

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna		(as Linda De Scenna)

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Frank Bianco	....	hair stylist: New York
Antony Clavet	....	hair creator: Miss Rogers and Miss Bracco (as Anthony Clavet)
Antony Clavet	....	makeup creator: Miss Rogers and Miss Bracco (as Anthony Clavet)
Barbara Lorenz	....	hair stylist
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist: New York (as Alan Weisinger)

Production Management
William C. Gerrity	....	production manager: New York (as Bill Gerrity)
Max Stein	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director
Amy Sayres	....	second assistant director: New York (as Amy Sayre)
Robert Yannetti	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greens foreman
Tom Cranham	....	storyboard artist
Ernest Depew	....	construction coordinator (as Ernie Depew)
Gilbert Gertsen	....	head carpenter: New York
Ann Harris	....	set designer
Steven J. Jordan	....	set decorator: New York (as Steven Jordan)
Edward T. McAvoy	....	paint foreman (as Ed McAvoy)
Paul McElvin	....	leadman
John Jay Moore	....	art director: New York (as Jay Moore)
Arthur Shippee	....	property master (as Art Shippee)
Walter Stocklin	....	property master: New York (as Wally Stocklin)
William James Teegarden	....	set designer (as Jim Teegarden)
Patricia Walker	....	scenic artist: New York
Sabrina Wright	....	set dresser: New York (as Sabrina Wright-Basile)

Sound Department
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer (as Gene Cantamessa)
Steve Cantamessa	....	boom operator
Glenn Freemantle	....	assistant sound editor
John Fundus	....	boom operator: New York
Dean Humphreys	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Poyner	....	adr editor
Jim Shields	....	sound editor

Stunts
Laura Dash	....	stunt double
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Ronnie Rondell)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken Connors	....	best boy: New York
R. Michael De Chellis	....	best boy (as Michael De Chellis)
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Disler)
Candy Edwards	....	second assistant camera (as Candace Edwards)
Russell Engels	....	chief lighting technician: New York (as Rusty Engles)
S. Karin Epstein	....	still photographer: New York
Gregg Guellow	....	key grip
Paul Jacobsen	....	lighting technician
Aaron Katz	....	video operator
John Koester	....	camera operator
Eric Leigh	....	electrician
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer (as Elliot Marks)
Ken Miller	....	dolly grip
George Patsos	....	key grip: New York
James Plannette	....	chief lighting technician
Maricella Ramirez	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael J. Long	....	costume supervisor: men
Linda Serijan	....	costume supervisor: women

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Terry Clarke	....	editor trainee
Robert Frazen	....	assistant editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer (as Phil Heatos)
Brian Peachey	....	associate editor
Sarah Thomas	....	first assistant editor
William Webb	....	first assistant editor
Adrian Trent	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Haydn Bendall	....	music mixing engineer
Haydn Bendall	....	music recording engineer
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
James E. Foote	....	transportation coordinator (as James Foote)
Patrick Hogan	....	driver
Michael Hyde	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Heidi August	....	production auditor: New York
Nelson Cabrera	....	production assistant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Celia D. Costas	....	location manager: New York (as Celia Costas)
Deborah Lupard	....	production assistant
Blair Bellis Mohr	....	production coordinator: New York
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Julie Offer	....	location projectionist
Jane Prosnit	....	production coordinator
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor
Cliff T.E. Roseman	....	location manager (as Cliff T. E. Roseman)
Lydia Telo	....	production auditor
Nancy Willen	....	publicist
David H. Kramer	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1987) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (2002) (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Videosonic Arts (1989) (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cerruti 1881  clothing
• Hugo Boss  men's clothing
• Plume Designs  titles (as Plume Design)
• Twickenham Studios  sound re-recording (as Twickenham Film Studios)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Canada:A | Norway:15 | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

"Someone to watch over me," the film's title and title song was originally introduced on Broadway in the 1920's Gershwin musical, "Oh, Kay!" It was sung by Gertrude Lawrence.

Goofs:

Continuity: The newspaper which Mike is carrying on his way to his first shift guarding Claire has the word "SUPERMEN!" on the back page. He is carrying an identical newspaper three or four days later.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Det. Mike Keegan:Hey! We got food back there, you know; all right? Hey, thanks for comin' - good to see ya. Come on in, get a drink. T.J...
T.J.:Yeah?
Det. Mike Keegan:Set 'em up with a drink.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME

A Sentimental Favorite

I saw this movie when I was younger and for some reason it always stuck with me. I'll always remember the music (the title song as well as the classical pieces used throughout), the vestibule of Mimi Roger's apartment palace, the scene of Tom Berenger having breakfast with his family, Lorraine Bracco's fiery performance as his wife, and the haunting opening aerial shots of NYC lit up at night. I watched it again for the first time in probably nine or ten years and it was like visiting with an old friend or curling up with a good book you had read before. You knew the story, but it was all fascinatingly interesting. The plot here is pretty basic: working class cop has to babysit upper class babe who witnesses heinous murder. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how it all ends, but director Ridley Scott somehow manages to keep it compelling thanks to some great direction and wonderful performances from the cast. Somewhere I saw this billed as an erotic thriller, which is way off base. Scott keeps everything here extremely classy. It's more of a romantic thriller and throwback to the noir films of the 1940's. This may not be the best film you'll ever see, but it's one of the better thrillers of the 1980's, and a worthy testament to Ridley Scott's versatility as a director. It's also nice to see Jerry Orbach in a supporting role that probably paved the way for his part in the never ending "Law and Order" TV series.