Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 13 | slideshow)

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   11,752 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Peter Greenaway
Writer:
Peter Greenaway (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
6 April 1990 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance more
Tagline:
Lust...Murder...Dessert. Bon Appetit!
Plot:
The wife of an oafish restaurant owner becomes bored with her husband and considers an affair with a regular patron. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
5 wins & 3 nominations more
User Comments:
Symbolism and art! more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Richard Bohringer ... Richard Borst

Michael Gambon ... Albert Spica

Helen Mirren ... Georgina Spica
Alan Howard ... Michael

Tim Roth ... Mitchel
Ciarán Hinds ... Cory
Gary Olsen ... Spangler
Ewan Stewart ... Harris

Roger Ashton-Griffiths ... Turpin
Ron Cook ... Mews
Liz Smith ... Grace
Emer Gillespie ... Patricia
Janet Henfrey ... Alice
Arnie Breeveld ... Eden
Tony Alleff ... Troy
Paul Russell ... Pup

Alex Kingston ... Adele
Ian Sears ... Phillipe
Willie Ross ... Roy
Ian Dury ... Terry Fitch
Diane Langton ... May Fitch
Prudence Oliver ... Corelle Fitch
Roger Lloyd-Pack ... Geoff
Bob Goody ... Starkie
Peter Rush ... Melter
Pauline Mayer ... Fish Girl
Ben Stoneham ... Meat Boy
Andy Wilson ... 1st Diner
John Mullis ... 2nd Diner
Flavia Brilli ... Cabaret Singer
Brenda Edwards ... Dancer
Sophie Goodchild ... Dancer
Alex Fraser ... Waiter
Michael Clark ... Waiter
Gary Logan ... Waiter
Tim Geary ... Waiter
Saffron Rainey ... Waiter
Hywel Williams-Ellis ... Waiter
Michael Maguire ... Waiter
Patric Walters ... Kitchen Staff
Sue Maund ... Kitchen Staff
Nick Brozovic ... Kitchen Staff
Caroline Pagano ... Kitchen Staff (as Karrie Pagano)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yolande Brener ... 1st Diner's Wife (uncredited)
Irene Palko ... A Guest (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Peter Greenaway 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Peter Greenaway  writer

Produced by
Pascale Dauman .... co-producer
Kees Kasander .... producer
Daniel Toscan du Plantier .... co-producer
Denis Wigman .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Michael Nyman 
 
Cinematography by
Sacha Vierny 
 
Film Editing by
John Wilson 
 
Casting by
Sharon Howard-Field 
 
Production Design by
Ben van Os 
Jan Roelfs 
 
Costume Design by
Jean-Paul Gaultier 
 
Makeup Department
Patrick de Loor .... assistant makeup artist
Sjoerd Didden .... makeup effects
Mel Gibson .... makeup trainee
Sabrina Law .... makeup trainee
Sara Meerman .... makeup artist
Anne Neilson .... makeup trainee
Hanneke van Rhoon .... assistant makeup artist
Arthur Vriens .... makeup effects assistant
Sarah Walsh .... makeup trainee
 
Production Management
Karin Van Der Werff .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marie Dominique Dhelsing .... trainee assistant director
Milfid Ellis .... second assistant director
Mark Harrison .... third assistant director
Gerrit Martijn .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Michael Bleasdale .... assistant constructor
Bas Boone .... assistant constructor
John Bramble .... assistant set dresser
Paul Connell .... carpenter
Anthony Costin .... assistant constructor
Michel De Graaf .... scenic artist
Wieger De Jong .... scenic artist
Constance de Vos .... set dresser
Sophie Fiennes .... art department production
Steve Hall .... carpenter
Paul Harrison .... carpenter
Daniel Harvey .... assistant constructor
Charley Hayward .... carpenter
Michael Howells .... assistant art director
Lidewij Kapteijn .... constructor
Alexander Kasterine .... art department assistant
Maarten Piersma .... constructor
Claudia Valentijn .... assistant constructor
Wilbert Van Dorp .... construction manager
Dory van Noort .... constructor
Ank Van Straalen .... assistant art director
Coen Verbeek .... assistant scenic artist
Paul Wilkins .... propmaker
Nigel Worlidge .... carpenter
 
Sound Department
Tom Buchanan .... boom operator
Michael Danks .... dubbing editor
Diane Greaves .... footsteps artist
Nigel Heath .... sound effects treatment
Garth Marshall .... production sound
Garth Marshall .... sound recordist
Maxine Matts .... assistant dubbing editor
Peter Maxwell .... dubbing mixer
Ashley McDuffy .... first assistant sound
Trevor Pyke .... assistant dubbing mixer
Shirley Shaw .... dubbing editor
Ted Swanscott .... footsteps mixer
Aad Wirtz .... adr mixer
Chris Wyatt .... dubbing editor
Steve Hancock .... sound camera operator (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Arthur Cloquet .... camera operator
Nils Dammers .... electrician
David A. Foster .... assistant grip
Max Harrison .... clapper loader
Nico Komen .... best boy
Piotr Kukla .... electrician
Martin McCullough .... chief grip
Chris Renson .... focus puller
Andy Saunders .... electrician trainee
Mel Scaffold .... rigging
Benito Strangio .... electrician
Reinier van Brummelen .... gaffer
 
Casting Department
Karen Lindsay-Stewart .... casting assistant
Ineke de Vos .... additional casting (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carin Donaldson .... wardrobe assistant
Penelope Gobin .... wardrobe assistant
Sharon Long .... wardrobe assistant
Dien van Straalen .... wardrobe supervisor
Elianne Van Dorp .... wardrobe mistress
 
Editorial Department
Birgit Berger .... assistant editor
Julian Rodd .... first assistant editor
 
Music Department
Graham Ashton .... musician: trombone
Marsten Bailey .... assistant music engineer
Alexander Balanescu .... musician: violin
Jonathan Carney .... musician: violin/viola
David Cunningham .... music producer
Michael J. Dutton .... music engineer
Andrew Findon .... musician: tenor, baritone sax, flute trumpet
David Fuest .... musician: clarinet, bass clarinet soprano/alto
Dillon Gallagher .... assistant music engineer
Will Gregory .... musician: piano
James Hall .... musician: drums
John Harle .... musician: saxophone
Tony Hinnigan .... musician: cello
Tim Hunt .... music mixer
Christopher Laurence .... musician: double bass (as Chris Lawrence)
Sarah Leonard .... musician: Soprano solo
Michael Nyman .... musician: piano
Elisabeth Perry .... musician: violin
John Perry .... musician: guitar
David Stewart .... musician: piano
 
Other crew
Jonathan Agnew .... jobfit trainee
Felicity Cottrell .... footsteps artist
Nancy D'Ancona .... production coordinator
Terry Edwards .... director: London Voices
Jules Eyres .... production assistant
Bill Garlic .... footsteps artist
Rebecca Loak .... jobfit trainee
Giorgio Locatelli .... chef prop food
Marie-Christine Malbert .... publicity: France
Charles Mcdonald .... publicist: UK
Natasha Ross .... jobfit trainee
Nick Searle .... production assistant
Cor Severs .... production accountant
Nathalie Vierny .... continuity
Roland Wigman .... office manager
Susie Woodley .... catering: on-set
Nigel Wood .... production accountant
Andi Wright .... assistant: Kees Kasander
Slawomir Zukowski .... jobfit trainee
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Le cuisinier, le voleur, sa femme et son amant (France)
Spica
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
more
Runtime:
124 min | USA:98 min (R-rated version)
Country:
France | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2005) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Belgium:KNT (original rating) | India:A | Iran:18+ | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1990) | Australia:R (sexual references/scenes) | France:X (original rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 (heavily cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | USA:R (video rating) (cut) | West Germany:18
Company:
Allarts Cook more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The dog excrement was actually chocolate mousse. more
Quotes:
Georgina: [to Richard] He's dead. They stuffed him with pages torn from his favourite book. Could you cook him? more

FAQ

What special features are on the DVD?
What is the name of the restaurant in the film?
What is the correct way to formulate the title of the film?
more
22 out of 33 people found the following comment useful:-
Symbolism and art!, 31 March 2004
9/10
Author: vdg from Vancouver,Canada

A play. A director. A crazy writer. Some more crazy actors. A perfect score. Mix them together, add a doze of Antonioni and Fellini, and you'll get this movie. This is not your usual film, and for the majority of people this would be `THE' craziest movie ever! But, for sake of art and originality, please see this movie with an open mind and take it as is: an expression of originality and creativity. The costumes, the scenes, and the cinematography are like from a play in the decadent times. Very intriguing transitions from one scene to another, changing the light/costumes/music all at the same time, but following the same scenario idea, makes you wonder if the director/writer were `awake' when they created this.

…or a better way of saying something about this movies: `it's a Greenaway'. You see a Dali painting and you know is by Dali, the same with this film: something that you'll always associate with Greenaway and his original way of seeing the world.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Ludicrous theory (to be taken with a grain of salt) AudemarsPiguet
More artistic movies like this? panospcm
Why this movie isn't on the top 250 is beyond me... bplex
Out of print? joenonneman
what does it mean? nickcapp70
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
If.... Ai no corrida Ken Park Pink Flamingos 101 Reykjavík
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
IMDb Comedy section IMDb France section Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.