Miller's Crossing (1990)

Director:

Joel Coen
(more)

Writers:

Joel Coen (written by) and
Ethan Coen (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

October 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What's the rumpus?

Plot:

Tom Regan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.

Plot Keywords:

Power | Gangster | Violence | Police | Irish Mob

Awards:

4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gabriel Byrne	...	Tom Reagan
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Verna
John Turturro	...	Bernie Bernbaum
Jon Polito	...	Johnny Caspar
J.E. Freeman	...	Eddie Dane
Albert Finney	...	Leo
Mike Starr	...	Frankie
Al Mancini	...	Tic-Tac
Richard Woods	...	Mayor Dale Levander
Thomas Toner	...	O'Doole
Steve Buscemi	...	Mink
Mario Todisco	...	Clarence "Drop" Johnson
Olek Krupa	...	Tad
Michael Jeter	...	Adolph
Lanny Flaherty	...	Terry
Jeanette Kontomitras	...	Mrs. Caspar
Louis Charles Mounicou III	...	Johnny Caspar, Jr.
John McConnell	...	Cop - Brian
Danny Aiello III	...	Cop - Delahanty
Helen Jolly	...	Screaming Lady
Hilda McLean	...	Landlady
Monte Starr	...	Gunman in Leo's House
Don Picard	...	Gunman in Leo's House
Salvatore H. Tornabene	...	Rug Daniels
Kevin Dearie	...	Street Urchin
Michael Badalucco	...	Caspar's Driver
Charles Ferrara	...	Caspar's Butler
Esteban Fernández	...	Caspar's Cousin (as Esteban Fernandez)
George Fernandez	...	Caspar's Cousin
Charles Gunning	...	Hitman at Verna's
Dave Drinkx	...	Hitman #2
David Darlow	...	Lazarre's Messenger
Robert LaBrosse	...	Lazarre's Tough
Carl Rooney	...	Lazarre's Tough
Jack Harris	...	Man with Pipe Bomb (as Jack David Harris)
Jery Hewitt	...	Son of Erin
Sam Raimi	...	Snickering Gunman
John Schnauder Jr.	...	Cop with Bullhorn
Zolly Levin	...	Rabbi
Joey Ancona	...	Boxer
Bill Raye	...	Boxer
William Preston Robertson	...	Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael P. Cahill	...	Casino Patron (uncredited)
Sean Collins	...	Hitman 3 (uncredited)
Frances McDormand	...	Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Joel Coen		(written by) and
Ethan Coen		(written by)
Dashiell Hammett		novels "Red Harvest" and "Glass Key" (uncredited)

Produced by
Ben Barenholtz	....	executive producer
Ethan Coen	....	producer
Graham Place	....	line producer
Mark Silverman	....	co-producer
Joel Coen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Barry Sonnenfeld		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Casting by
Donna Isaacson
John S. Lyons		(as John Lyons)

Production Design by
Dennis Gassner

Art Direction by
Leslie McDonald

Set Decoration by
Nancy Haigh

Costume Design by
Richard Hornung

Makeup Department
Lynn E. Champagne	....	assistant hair stylist (as Lynn Champagne)
Lynn E. Champagne	....	assistant makeup artist (as Lynn Champagne)
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist
Peggy Hannaman	....	assistant hair stylist
Peggy Hannaman	....	assistant makeup artist
Katherine James	....	makeup artist (as Kathrine James)

Production Management
James DeMeaux	....	post-production supervisor
Alma Kuttruff	....	production manager
Ron Neter	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
C.C. Barnes	....	second assistant director
Gregory Jacobs	....	second assistant director (as Greg Jacobs)
Gary Marcus	....	first assistant director

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Paige Augustine	....	assistant decorator
Alice Baker	....	set dresser
John Bankson	....	assistant property master (as John P. Bankson III)
Rick Bernos	....	set painter (as Richard Bernos)
Mark D. Berrend	....	carpenter (as Mark Berrend)
Randall S. Coe	....	carpenter (as Randy Coe)
Michael T. Daigle	....	lead scenic artist (as Michael Daigle)
Frank Darlington	....	set painter (as Peter Darlington)
Tom Dreesen	....	construction coordinator
Matt Flynn	....	scenic artist
Douglas Fox	....	property master (as Doug Fox)
Neil Gahm	....	carpenter
Claire Gaul	....	key set dresser
Robert C. Goldstein	....	design consultant (as Bob Goldstein)
Donald Gross	....	carpenter (as Don Gross)
William Hickey	....	carpenter
Brian Kasch	....	leadman
Terry Kempf	....	construction foreman
Chris Kuttruff	....	shop assistant
Kirby Kuttruff	....	carpenter
Thomas Lemman	....	lead carpenter
Karen Luzius	....	set painter
Tom Marron	....	carpenter
Michael S. Martin	....	swing crew (as Michael Martin)
Kathleen M. McKernin	....	set designer (as Kathleen McKernin)
Louis Medrano	....	art department assistant
James P. Meehan	....	second assistant props (as Jim Meehan)
David Menefee	....	carpenter
Huey Mitchell	....	carpenter
John Patterson	....	lead carpenter
Scott Plauche	....	art department coordinator
Patricia Post	....	props assistant
Elizabeth Prejean	....	set painter (as Liz Prejean)
Nick Rippon	....	carpenter (as Nick Rippon Jr.)
Tad Smalley	....	carpenter (as Tad Allen Smalley)
Amy Vuckovich	....	swing crew (as Amy Botefuhr)
Eileen Winterkorn	....	stand-by scenic
Wallace W. Wright	....	set painter (as Wallace Wright)
Doug DuRose	....	props (uncredited)
Michael Hendrick	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Leo Lauricella	....	painter (uncredited)
Patrick McGuire	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Aaron Newton	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Chris L. Spellman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Chuck Stringer	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bochar	....	foley supervisor
Allan Byer	....	production sound mixer
Jean Marie Carroll	....	sound recordist
Nzingha Clarke	....	apprentice sound editor
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael DiCosimo	....	consultant: Dolby
William Docker	....	assistant sound editor
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Stuart Levy	....	apprentice sound editor
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Marissa Littlefield	....	dialogue editor
Bruce Pross	....	foley editor
Nic Ratner	....	adr editor
Anne Sawyer	....	assistant sound editor
Gail Showalter	....	adr editor
Philip Stockton	....	dialogue supervisor

Special Effects by
Bob Ahmanson	....	special effects assistant
Peter Chesney	....	special effects coordinator
Tom Chesney	....	special effects assistant
Lenny Dalrymple	....	special effects assistant
David-Michael Goddard	....	special effects production assistant
Emmet Kane	....	special effects assistant (as Emmett Kane)
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects assistant (as Dean Miller)
David Schlesinger	....	special effects production assistant

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunt player
Kurt Bryant	....	stunt player
Norman Douglass	....	stunt player
Roy Farfel	....	stunt player
Nicholas J. Giangiulio	....	stunt player (as Nick Giangiulio)
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Tacon	....	stunt player

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Burke	....	rigging gaffer
Michael Charbonnet	....	second assistant camera
Ken Connors	....	best boy (as Kenneth R. Conners)
Tricia Cooke	....	camera department assistant
Angelo Di Giacomo	....	first assistant camera (as Angelo DiGiacomo)
Russell Engels	....	gaffer (as Russell W. Engels)
Brian Fitzsimons	....	best boy grip
Dennis Gamiello	....	dolly grip
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Alvin Henry	....	electrician
Toulouse Holliday	....	grip
Larry Huston	....	Steadicam assistant
Colin Kell	....	electrician
John Lowry	....	rigging grip (as John B. Lowry)
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Mike 'Chewie' Pappas	....	electrician
Patti Perret	....	production still photographer
Noland Roger	....	electrician
Michael L. Smith	....	grip (as Michael Smith)
Barry Sonnenfeld	....	camera operator
J.D. Streett	....	grip (as J.D.Streett)
Keith Talley	....	grip

Casting Department
Sandra Dawes	....	casting: New Orleans (as Sandra D. Dawes)
Lynn Ross	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara B. Baker	....	set costumer
Mark Bridges	....	costume assistant
Lorraine Calvert	....	assistant costume designer
Mae Easterling	....	seamstress
Carol Squadra Fawcett	....	costume assistant
Ghretta Hynd	....	seamstress
Bonney Langfitt	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marina Marit	....	costume shop assistant
Heather Pennington	....	seamstress
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant costume designer
Jacque St. James	....	costume construction supervisor

Editorial Department
Michael Berenbaum	....	first assistant editor
Tricia Cooke	....	apprentice editor
Tony Grocki	....	assistant editor (as Anthony Grocki)
Mark Nakamine	....	colorist (digital color correction)
Tom Salvatore	....	color timer

Music Department
Emile Charlap	....	musicians contractor
Paul Lustig Dunkel	....	conductor
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Barbara Minor	....	assistant music editor
Larry Wilcox	....	orchestrator
Vince Caro	....	assistant scoring engineer (uncredited)
Fletcher Henderson	....	music arranger (uncredited)
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Cain	....	driver: production van
Frank Culotta	....	picture car mechanic
William 'Fleet' Eakland	....	transportation coordinator
Tutt Esquerre	....	picture car coordinator (as Tutt Esquerré)
Dallas Foles	....	picture car mechanic
Thomas O. Hawkins	....	picture car mechanic
Earl R. Hurst Sr.	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Terri Clemens	....	production coordinator
Kenny Creed	....	production assistant
Kelly Curley	....	office assistant
Paul Ecke	....	location projectionist
Todd Fellman	....	dailies runner
Jaffrey Gatto	....	craft service (as Jerry Gatto)
Michael Johnson	....	craft service
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor
Sidney J. Lambert	....	craft service (as Sid Lambert)
Margaret Lancaster	....	production secretary
Edith Leblanc	....	assistant production coordinator (as Edith LeBlanc)
Eileen McCahill	....	assistant location manager
Margaret Ann Mccourt	....	assistant auditor (as Margaret McCourt)
Karl Lewis Miller	....	animal trainer: Animal Action (as Karl Miller)
Amy Ness	....	location manager
Jimmy Otis	....	assistant location manager
David K. Riebel	....	key production assistant (as David Riebel)
Paul Sanchez	....	production assistant
Andrew Schuth	....	location intern
Ruth Turman	....	nurse
Amelia Villero	....	key production assistant
Rosanne Vogel	....	production auditor
Richard Wentz	....	production assistant
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)

Thanks
Alex Albanese	....	special thanks
Butch Chaney	....	acknowledgment: livestock and equipment furnished by (as Chaney Brothers, Butch and John)
John Chaney	....	acknowledgment: livestock and equipment furnished by (as Chaney Brothers, Butch and John)
Stephanie Dupuy	....	special thanks (as Stephanie Samuel)
Senor Greazer	....	special thanks (as Señor Greaser)
Tesa La Violette	....	special thanks
Sue Ney	....	special thanks
Hilary Nye	....	special thanks (as Hilary Ney)
Frank Toye	....	special thanks
Kurt Woolner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Circle Films
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1990) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1991) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fox Film (1991) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Arcade Movie Company (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• De Volkskrant (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Complete Coen Brother Collection)
• FS Film Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2001) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• SF Home Entertainment (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• SubTV (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (1992) (Germany) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Nepal) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1996) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Image Engineering (special effects)

Other Companies

• AT&T  special thanks
• Animal Action  animal trainer
• Balsmeyer and Everett  main and end titles designed and produced by (as Balsmeyer & Everett Inc.)
• Bon Bon  payroll services (as Bon Bon Entertainment)
• C5  post-production sound services
• Duart  color by
• Filmtrucks  locations equipped by
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  special thanks (as Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing - New York)
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Locations Catering  catering (as Locations Catering, New Orleans)
• New Orleans "A's" Club  vintage automobiles furnished by
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission
• Panavision  filmed with (as Panavision® Cameras & Lenses)
• R/Greenberg Associates  opticals
• Sound One Corporation  post-production services (as Sound One Corp.)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack available on (as Varèse Sarabande CDs)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Irish Gaelic | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | France:-12 | Brazil:16 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | South Korea:18 | Norway:11 (DVD rating) | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2010) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:18 (1990-2010) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (re-rating) | UK:18 | USA:R (Approved No. 30173) | Canada:R (Canadian Home Video rating)

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Circle Films

Trivia:

The line "Jesus, Tom" is said 8 times: 3 times by Leo, and once each by Frankie, Mink, Bernie, Chief O'Doole and Mayor Levander.

Goofs:

Continuity: Towards the end of the opening scene, the cigar on Leo O'Bannion's desk mysteriously changes position, although it eventually returns to its original location.

Quotes:

Tom Reagan:My chin's hanging out right next to yours. I'd worry a lot less if I thought you were worrying enough.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Soundtrack:

Come Back To Erin

Awesome

I was blown away by this film the first time I saw it. After giving myself a couple hours to shake off my dumbfounding amazement, I became addicted. This film has everything. It's witty in its dialogue, suspenseful in its action and violence, beautiful in its cinematography, and (being so like the Coen brothers) it can make you laugh and cringe in the same scene.

The script is superb. The characters are absorbing and the dialogue (as some reviewers have already observed) flows like words in a book. You have to watch some scenes more than once to totally get what's going on, and even then you still might miss something.

The acting is top-notch, even down to the lowest thug. Gabriel Byrne plays the antihero Tom to lonely perfection and Marcia Gay Harden's hooker without a golden heart is excellent. The rest of the cast is great as well, including good mobster Albert Finney and a funny cameo by Steven Buscemi. However, the show is stolen threefold by Jon Polito as the erratic Italian underboss Johnny Caspar, John Tuturro as the slimy "schmatta" Bernie Bernbaum and J.E. Freeman as Caspar's dark, vicious adviser/thug Eddie Dane. Jon Polito's monologue in the very beginning on ethics and Tuturro's desperate pleas at Miller's Crossing are both powerful scenes, and Freeman commands the screen whenever he is on.

My rating is a 10/10. The best part about this movie is that it gets better and better every time you watch it. Oh yeah...the Danny Boy scene is reason enough to watch this movie anyway.