Say Anything... (1989)

Director:

Cameron Crowe

Writer (WGA):

Cameron Crowe (written by)

Release Date:

14 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

To know Lloyd Dobler is to love him. Diane Court is about to know Lloyd Dobler.

Plot:

A noble underachiever and a beautiful valedictorian fall in love the summer before she goes off to college.

Plot Keywords:

High School | England | College | Kickboxer | Graduation

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

John Cusack	...	Lloyd Dobler
Ione Skye	...	Diane Court
John Mahoney	...	James Court
Lili Taylor	...	Corey Flood
Amy Brooks	...	D.C.
Pamela Adlon	...	Rebecca (as Pamela Segall)
Jason Gould	...	Mike Cameron
Loren Dean	...	Joe
Glenn Walker Harris Jr.	...	Jason Dobler
Charles Walker	...	Principal
Russel Lunday	...	Parent
Polly Platt	...	Mrs. Flood
Gloria Cromwell	...	Ruth
Jeremy Piven	...	Mark
Patrick O'Neill	...	Denny
Gregory Sporleder	...	Howard
Johnny Green	...	Luke (as John Green Jr.)
Bebe Neuwirth	...	Mrs. Evans
Eric Stoltz	...	Vahlere
Kim Walker	...	Sheila
Chynna Phillips	...	Mimi
Allison Roth	...	Tammy
Lisanne Falk	...	Sandra
Jonathan Chapin	...	Guy #1
Donald Willis	...	Guy #2
Arlan Feiles	...	Guy #3
Chris Ziesmer	...	Guy #4 (as Christopher Ziesmer)
John Bruner	...	Guy #5
Billy Stevenson	...	Partier (as Bill Stevenson)
Jaime Gomez	...	Partier (as Jaime P. Gomez)
Judy Prescott	...	Partier
Brooke Holland	...	Partier
Lisa Picotte	...	Girl #1
Sunshine Lee	...	Girl #2
Mindy Feldman	...	Girl #3
Jim Ladd	...	D.J. (voice)
Montrose Hagins	...	Bess
Kathryn Fuller	...	Eva
Lenore Woodward	...	Sabina
Edward A. Wright	...	Mr. Taylor
Joanna Frank	...	Mrs. Kerwin
Jay R. Goldenberg	...	Al Kerwin
Richard Portnow	...	IRS Agent Stewart
Stephen Shortridge	...	Ray
Katie Layman	...	Saleswoman (as Kathleen Layman)
Tom Lawrence	...	Shop Customer
Annie Waterman	...	IRS Secretary
Philip Baker Hall	...	IRS Boss
Jerry Ziesmer	...	U.S. Attorney
John Hillner	...	Court's Attorney
Don 'The Dragon' Wilson	...	Sparring Partner
Nicholas Kallsen	...	Nose-Setter
Thomas A. Payne	...	Man in Kickboxing Doorway (as Thomas Payne)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Castellaneta	...	Diane's Teacher (uncredited)
Lois Chiles	...	Diane's Mother (uncredited)
Alice Marie Crowe	...	Teacher at Graduation (uncredited)
Joan Cusack	...	Constance Dobler (uncredited)

Directed by
Cameron Crowe

Writing credits (WGA)
Cameron Crowe		(written by)

Produced by
James L. Brooks	....	executive producer
Paul Germain	....	associate producer
Richard Marks	....	co-producer
Polly Platt	....	producer

Original Music by
Anne Dudley
Richard Gibbs

Cinematography by
László Kovács		(as Laszlo Kovacs)

Film Editing by
Richard Marks

Casting by
Randy Stone

Production Design by
Mark W. Mansbridge		(as Mark Mansbridge)

Set Decoration by
Joe D. Mitchell		(as Joe Mitchell)

Costume Design by
Jane Ruhm

Makeup Department
Judith A. Cory	....	hair stylist (as Judy Alexander Cory)
Carolyn Ferguson	....	hair stylist
Cheri Minns	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Herb Adelman	....	unit production manager: Seattle
Jack Roe	....	unit production manager
Richard Sakai	....	executive in charge of production: Gracie Films

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Adelman	....	first assistant director: Seattle
Bryan Denegal	....	second assistant director
Lynda Gilman	....	second assistant director: Seattle
Vicki Jackson-Lemay	....	second assistant director (as Vicki Jackson Lemay)
Jerry Ziesmer	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Scott M. Anderson	....	assistant property master (as Scott Anderson)
Barry Bedig	....	property master
Richard Beyer	....	sculptor
Steve Callas	....	propmaker (as Steve Kallas)
Bruce Crone	....	assistant art director
Karen Lee Holley	....	lead person (as Karen Holley)
Robert Lindsey	....	construction foreman
Edward Piwowarski	....	labor foreman (as Ed Piwowarski)
Paul S. Power	....	illustrator (as Paul Power)
Butch West	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Austin	....	sound re-recordist
Terry Burke	....	foley walker
Bill Burns	....	foley walker (as William M. Burns)
Nancy Cipes	....	assistant sound editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	sound editor
Joe Dorn	....	foley editor
Dennis Drummond	....	sound editor
Patrick Drummond	....	supervising sound editor
Julie Feiner	....	assistant sound editor
Sukey Fontelieu	....	sound editor
Joan Giammarco	....	sound editor
Aaron Glascock	....	assistant sound editor
Margaret Goodspeed	....	assistant sound editor
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer (as D.M. Hemphill)
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	supervising adr editor (as Nicholas Korda)
Stephanie Lowry	....	additional assistant sound editor (as Stephanie Ng)
Susan Mazzei	....	assistant sound editor
Thomas A. Payne	....	cable person (as Thomas Payne)
Art Rochester	....	production sound mixer
Douglas J. Schulman	....	boom operator (as Doug Schulman)
John Shouse	....	adr editor
Frank Smathers	....	dialogue editor
Frank Smathers	....	sound editor (as Frank T. Smathers)
J.D. Ward	....	sound re-recordist
Linda Whittlesey	....	sound editor
Ed Golya	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richmond L. Aguilar	....	gaffer (as Richmond Aguilar)
Neil Bestwick	....	best boy electric: Seattle
Paul Caven	....	best boy electric
David Christie	....	best boy grip
Curtis Foster	....	best boy electric
Michael Gershman	....	camera operator
Donald L. Hartley	....	dolly grip (as Donald Hartley)
Al Hisky	....	best boy grip: Seattle
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Gemma La Mana	....	still photographer (as Gemma Lamana)
Peter McEvoy	....	second assistant camera
Bob Munoz	....	best boy grip
Joseph E. Thibo	....	first assistant camera (as Joe Thibo)
Rick Tucker	....	company grip

Casting Department
Sharon Bialy	....	casting consultant
Patti Carns Kalles	....	casting: Seattle (as Patti Calles)
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Richard Pagano	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Valerie Laven-Cooper	....	ladies costume supervisor
Michael Lynn	....	wardrobe: men
Carlane Passman	....	costumer
Stephen P. Shubin	....	costumer (as Steven P. Shubin)
Fran Vega-Buck	....	wardrobe: women (as Frances Vega)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Margaret Guinee	....	apprentice editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Stephanie Lowry	....	additional assistant editor (as Stephanie Ng)
Mark Nakamine	....	colorist (digital color correction)
Karen I. Stern	....	associate editor

Music Department
Margaret Adachi	....	assistant music editor
Danny Bramson	....	music supervisor
Stewart Dixon	....	music coordinator (as Stew 'Babe' Dixon)
George Doering	....	musician
Philip Giffin	....	orchestrator
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor
Peter McCabe	....	music coordinator (as Peter P.D. McCabe)
Robert Schaper	....	score mixer (as Bob Schaper)
Lonnie Sill	....	music supervisor
Gabe Veltri	....	score mixer
Nancy Wilson	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Fritz Braden	....	transportation coordinator
Jon McCarthy	....	transportation captain: Seattle (as John McCarthy)
James Nordberg	....	transportation
Mike Paventi	....	transportation captain
Rick Wiley	....	shotmaker driver: Seattle

Other crew
Tom Adams	....	craft service: Seattle
Karyn Alexander	....	production assistant
Vicky Berglund-Davenport	....	location manager: Seattle (as Vicki Berglund)
Diane Brooks	....	production associate
Bud Brown	....	auditor
Kathie Broyles	....	title designer
Eric Chard	....	production assistant: Seattle
Kelly Curtis	....	researcher
David Gilmore	....	production assistant: Seattle
Robert Gordon	....	assistant auditor (as Bob Gordon)
Clay A. Griffith	....	executive assistant: Cameron Crowe (as Clay Griffith)
Hilbert Hakim	....	production assistant
Bela Horvath	....	production assistant
Linden Johnson	....	assistant auditor
Patty MacDonald	....	executive assistant: Mr. Brooks
M. Rutledge McCall	....	assistant production coordinator
Mike McCall	....	production secretary
Rob McEntegart	....	production legal
George Niciforos	....	production assistant
Jeffrey A. Okun	....	title designer (as Jeff Okun)
Fredell Pogodin	....	unit publicist
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
Tim Roe	....	production assistant
Jeff Russell	....	production assistant: Seattle
David Salven Jr.	....	location manager
Rick Serva	....	production assistant: Seattle
Steve Share	....	assistant location manager (as Steven Share)
Eric Stoltz	....	production assistant
Paul Sullivan	....	auditor: Seattle
Todd Turner	....	production assistant
Shelley Wenk	....	production assistant: Seattle
Michelle Wright	....	production coordinator
Sandi Yunt	....	assistant: Ms. Platt
Suzanne Ziesmer	....	production assistant

Thanks
David Davis	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Gracie Films
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Fox Network (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Gativideo (1990) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Other Companies

• IVC  digital mastering

Also Known As:

"...Say Anything..." - USA (promotional title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Gracie Films

Trivia:

Cameron Crowe said in an interview, "Few people know this, but Stone Gossard is actually in Say Anything... (1989) He plays a cab driver, and Ione Skye looks at him and kind of flirts with him a little bit as they're stuck in traffic on her way to graduation."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lloyd first calls Diane, he gives 555-1342 as his phone number. But when Diane reads the message taken by her father, the number is 555-2342. Even though she has the wrong number written down, it still works.

Quotes:

Diane Court:Lloyd, I'm sorry.
Lloyd Dobler:What do you want?
Diane Court:I'm sorry.
Lloyd Dobler:What do you want?
Diane Court:My father's guilty. He lied to me, he lied to everybody. I just left home... I need you.
Lloyd Dobler:You do?
Diane Court:Everything else means nothing to me. If I hurt you again, I'll die.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dream for an Insomniac (1996)

Soundtrack:

You Want It

You Say it Best, When You Say Nothing at All ...

The magic, the heart of Say Anything, is that it dares to be normal. You remember the 80 teen romantic comedy genre. It was a nice idea that became an epidemic, but once and awhile there was a gem like Some Kind of Wonderful. But here is the major difference, the lack of cliche, the lack of formula, the lack of cute dialogue, and saying things without any words. Instead it is said with a look, a touch, a smile, and a tear falling down a face. It allows these talented young actors to _act_!

John Cusack plays Lloyd and it is the fact that Lloyd dares to be normal that explains why the film works. Lloyd is just a regular guy who dares to just call the beautiful class brain Diane (Ione Skye) after they graduate. It is the genuine "niceness" and persistence of Lloyd's phone call, that is responsible for her caving and saying yes. And it goes from there. What is a friendship, a respect for each other, grows into "friends with potential", and then goes even farther. Writer-director Cameron Crowe is famous for not pushing it and he perfected that style here. He doesn't try to make John and Ione look and feel "hot", he lets them continue to play young adults, who would by all rights still be awkward, nervous, testing the waters of life, love, and trust.

In a brilliant parallel, we learn of Diane's relationship with her father Jim (John Mahoney) which she has always been sure of, even when she needed to chose between her parents after their divorce. The subtle and detailed scenes between Diane and Jim are important to the twists in the story when Diane grows to trust someone other than her father and finds deceit with something she had faith in. Jim, is not your typical teen movie father. He's real and normal as well. His car is not backed into a house, he is not thrown into a great body of water, and he is not a typical ogre. He is allowed to be a three dimensional character, a driving force and an obstacle in the teen romance. Jim runs a nursing home and wants the best for Diane. He holds their relationship very dear, as it is all a part of Diane being the best she can be. That desire will end up being a double edged sword as Diane's growing pre-occupation with Lloyd the summer before she is set to go to England, threatens his plans for her. And although Jim seems to respect how Lloyd treats his daughter and him, he is bothered by Lloyd's lack of drive, that the only thing that drives Lloyd is the then almost unheard of sport of kick-boxing and Diane.

When the story comes to important moments that changes Jim, Diane, and Lloyd's world, this is when the story shines. This is when Lloyd's rambling and desperation to re-define his life due to his despair is a welcome change from the overbearing or over brooding of most teen flick "heroes". This is when Diane's confusion and discovery is so wonderfully done with little dialogue. This is when Jim, feeling his world is spiraling out of his control, grows quiet, and the power of un-showy direction from Crowe says all we need to see.

The supporting characters as well are gems, who are true supporting characters. Joan Cusack appeared uncredited as Lloyd's single mother sister who, once a blast is now uptight, but is still a supportive guardian for Lloyd. Lloyd's girl friends D.C. and Corey are like salt and pepper for Lloyd. Corey (played by Lili Taylor) is terminally depressed. She previously had attempted suicide due to fellow classmate, Joe, playing with her heart like a yo-yo and is always being the voice of negativity for Lloyd, always telling him what will go wrong, what can't happen, what should happen, and how he is different from Joe. D.C. is practically dwarfed by Corey, never being allowed to talk and never being able to steer Lloyd in a much more sane direction which Lloyd usually discovers on his own anyhow. All of the supporting characters of friends, former classmates, and residents at Jim's nursing home, are important, none are cardboard cut-out cliches. They all have dimension, depth, feeling, and we can understand their motivation, what drives them with carefully crafted scenes and dialogue.

When the ending comes, it is the subtle way they foreshadow the future instead of the standard frantic pacing most romantic comedies have when it comes to a conclusion. That in itself pretty much sums up the beauty of the film.

It is pure genius, this film is pure genius.