The Tall Guy (1989)

Dexter King plays straight man to unpleasant comedian Ron Anderson. He falls in love with Kate, a pretty nurse he meets when he is receiving injections for hay fever. When Anderson fires ... See full summary »

Director:

Mel Smith

Writer:

Richard Curtis

Stars:

Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson, Rowan Atkinson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Goldblum	...	Dexter King
Emma Thompson	...	Kate
Rowan Atkinson	...	Ron Anderson
Geraldine James	...	Carmen
Emil Wolk	...	Charlie
Kim Thomson	...	Cheryl
Harold Innocent	...	Timothy
Anna Massey	...	Mary
Joanna Kanska	...	Tamara
Peter Kelly	...	Gavin
Tim Barlow	...	Mr. Morrow (as Timothy Barlow)
Hugh Thomas	...	Dr. Karabekian
Charles Augins	...	Choreographer
Peter Brewis	...	Freddy
Joolia Cappleman	...	Costume Designer

Storyline

Dexter King plays straight man to unpleasant comedian Ron Anderson. He falls in love with Kate, a pretty nurse he meets when he is receiving injections for hay fever. When Anderson fires him, he acquires the title role in a musical stage version of "The Elephant Man". Kate dumps him when she suspects he is having an affair with a fellow cast member, and he must win her back.

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Plot Keywords:

love | elephant man | comedian | nurse | injection | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

A nagy balek

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

$510,712 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT), Virgin Vision, Working Title Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rowan Atkinson wanted to play Jeff Goldblum's role.

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Goofs

In a shower scene late in the movie the camera moves to a high vantage point, showing the shorts that Dexter is wearing.

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Quotes

Ron Anderson: Face it, King, you're worthless and weak and the chances of you getting a girlfriend without the aid of a virus which wiped out the entire male population of the planet are frankly pretty remote.

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Crazy Credits

Michael Fitzgerald's full credit in the movie is "Man with vacuum cleaner tube up his bottom."

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Connections

Featured in The Story of Bean (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Crying In The Rain"
Written by Carole King & Howard Greenfield
Performed by Philip Pope
Published by Screen Gems-EMI Music Ltd.

User Reviews

One of my all time favourites

I wouldn't say this film is great outstanding art, but there is something about it. The way it is poking fun at the entertainment business (good to see Rowan Atkinson taking the p**s out of himself!)? The way it doesn't take the musical "Elephant" serious? Does the film take itself serious? I don't know really.

The story as such is not worth a comment. The movie is hardly more than an array of hilarious scenes wrapped in an average love story. Though the love story seems not to be the major message, I was on the edge of the seat all the way through. There are so many clever jokes in this plot, at short intervals at that. Perhaps this makes the difference.

Jeff Goldblum is doing well in this European style comedy (didn't expect him to). Emma is doing great too. The music is well chosen from the 80th Britpop charts... Only the ending goes a bit flat, but I can live with it.

Finally I can't resist to comment on the sex scene. I was rolling on the ground, couldn't stop laughing. The best of its kind, by distance.