Q & A (1990)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers (WGA):

Edwin Torres (book)
Sidney Lumet (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

27 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

When the questions are dangerous, the answers can be deadly.

Plot:

A young district attorney seeking to prove a case against a corrupt police detective encounters a former lover and her new protector...

Plot Keywords:

Crime Boss | District Attorney | Detective | Police Brutality | New York City

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Nick Nolte	...	Captain Michael Brennan
Timothy Hutton	...	Asst. Dist. Atty. Aloysius 'Al' Francis Reilly
Armand Assante	...	Roberto 'Bobby Tex' Texador
Patrick O'Neal	...	Kevin Quinn (Chief of Homicide)
Lee Richardson	...	Leo Bloomenfeld
Luis Guzmán	...	Det. Luis Valentin (as Luis Guzman)
Charles S. Dutton	...	Det. Sam 'Chappie' Chapman (Homicide) (as Charles Dutton)
Jenny Lumet	...	Nancy Bosch / Mrs. Bobby Texador
Paul Calderon	...	Roger Montalvo
International Chrysis	...	José Malpica
Dominic Chianese	...	Larry Pesch / Vito / Lorenzo Franconi (as Dominick Chianese)
Leonardo Cimino	...	Nick Petrone (mob boss)
Fyvush Finkel	...	Preston Pearlstein
Gustavo Brens	...	Alfonse Segal
Martin E. Brens	...	Armand Segal
Maurice Schell	...	Det. Zucker
Thomas Mikal Ford	...	Lubin (court stenographer) (as Tommy A. Ford)
John Capodice	...	Hank Mastroangelo
Frederick Rolf	...	District Attorney
Hal Lehrman	...	Altshul
Gloria Irizarry	...	Mrs. Bosch (Nancy's mother)
Brian Neill	...	Sylvester / Sophia
Susan Mitchell	...	Flo (hooker)
Drew Eliot	...	Magnus
Frank Raiter	...	Seabury
Harry Madsen	...	Antonio 'Tony' Vasquez
Jerry Ciauri	...	Bruno Valli (Pesch's driver)
George Kodisch	...	Insp. Flynn
Burtt Harris	...	Phil
Michael A. Joseph	...	Pimp
Cynthia O'Neal	...	Agnes Quinn
Victor Colicchio	...	After Hours Luis Alvarado
Anibal O. Lleras	...	After Hours patron (as Anibal Lleras)
José Rafael Arango	...	After Hours patron
David Dill	...	Bartender
Alex Ruiz	...	Danny (hitman)
Richard Solchik	...	Phillie (hitman)
Edward Rogers III	...	José's apartment detective (Frank)
Junior Perez	...	'Nancy' Captain
Javier Ríos	...	Boat lover
June Stein	...	Assistant District Attorney
Rod Rodriguez	...	Carlo
Sonny Vito	...	Gino
Olga Merediz	...	Mrs. Valentin
Peter Gumeny	...	Guard
Edward Rowan	...	Ed
Danny Darrow	...	Phone investigator
José Collazo	...	Fisherman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José Alvarez	...	Niteclub Dancer (uncredited)
G.W. Bailey	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Janis Corsair	...	TWA Supervisor (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet		(also as Alan Smithee: television prints)

Writing credits (WGA)
Edwin Torres		(book)
Sidney Lumet		(screenplay)
Alan Smithee		(screenplay) (on television prints)

Produced by
Burtt Harris	....	producer
Lilith Jacobs	....	associate producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer
Patrick Wachsberger	....	executive producer
Mike Wise	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Rubén Blades

Cinematography by
Andrzej Bartkowiak		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard P. Cirincione		(as Richard Cirincione)

Casting by
Joy Todd

Production Design by
Philip Rosenberg

Art Direction by
Beth Kuhn

Set Decoration by
Gary J. Brink

Costume Design by
Ann Roth
Neil Spisak

Makeup Department
Joseph Cranzano	....	makeup artist (as Joe Cranzano)
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist (as Robert Grimaldi)

Production Management
Nannette Rosa-Collazo	....	production supervisor: Puerto Rico
John H. Starke	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie A. Bloom	....	second assistant director
Nelson Cabrera	....	second second assistant director
Parnes Cartwright	....	second assistant director
Burtt Harris	....	first assistant director
Vicente Juarbe	....	second assistant director: Puerto Rico
Rebecca Saionz	....	dga trainee

Art Department
James J. Archer	....	assistant props
Clive Brown	....	head carpenter: Puerto Rico
James Halligan	....	head construction grip
Carl Landi	....	construction coordinator
Richard Reseigne	....	design/construction coordinator: Puerto Rico
Siv Sandstrom	....	art department coordinator
William Sohmer	....	stand-by scenic
Leticia Stella-Serra	....	props/set dressing: Puerto Rico
Walter Stocklin	....	property master
Bruce Swanson	....	leadman
Richard A. Ventre	....	master scenic artist

Sound Department
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording engineer
John Fundus	....	boom operator
Dennis Maitland II	....	sound recordist
Jane McCulley	....	adr editor
James H. Nau	....	assistant sound editor
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer
Peter Odabashian	....	sound editor
Mark Rathaus	....	sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor
Leo Trombetta	....	assistant sound editor
Susan M. Wagner	....	assistant sound editor
Susan Sklar Friedman	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Fausto Ferrer Cruz	....	special effects assistant: Puerto Rico
J.B. Jones	....	special effects: yacht

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Buck	....	key grip
Michael Caracciolo	....	second assistant camera
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Michael J. Fabiano	....	key rigging grip (as Mike Fabiano Jr.)
Michael Green	....	first assistant camera
James Malone	....	key rigging electrician
Frances 'Buddy' McBride	....	best boy (as Buddy McBride)
James McGrath	....	dolly grip
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	camera operator
Andrew Priestley	....	second assistant camera
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
William Ward	....	gaffer
Douglas Pellegrino	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Wanda Berrios Diaz	....	extras coordinator: Puerto Rico
Tere Lopez	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sue Gandy	....	assistant costume designer
Donna Maloney	....	wardrobe supervisor
Benjamin Wilson	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Ben Wilson)

Editorial Department
Phil Downey	....	color timer
Kerry Fulton	....	apprentice editor (as Kerry Fulton-Peluffo)
David Siegel	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Farrow	....	music engineer (as Mike Farrow)
Carlos Franzetti	....	conductor and arranger

Transportation Department
Thomas Reilly	....	transportation captain
Paul Rivera	....	transportation captain: Puerto Rico

Other crew
Miguel Arteta	....	location assistant
Stephen Danza	....	location manager
Michael DeCasper	....	production assistant
Maureen Garvey	....	production assistant
David Harris	....	production assistant
Liza J. Harris	....	production office assistant
Delphine J. Kilianski	....	production secretary: puerto rico
Paige Morrow Kimball	....	production assistant (as Paige Morrow)
Ilene S. Landress	....	production accountant
Jackie Martin	....	production coordinator
Kathleen McGill	....	production controller
John Penotti	....	production assistant
Valley Via Reseigne	....	accountant: puerto rico
Barbara Stoia	....	script supervisor
James Traynor	....	production assistant (as Jay Traynor)
Tim Williams	....	production assistant
Douglas Yellin	....	production executive

Production Companies

• Regency International Pictures (presents)
• Odyssey Distributors (presents)

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Pioneer (1992) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• HBO Video (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Prooptiki (1990) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Film Distributors (1990) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Flashback Home Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Odyssey Distributors (1990) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Roadshow Home Video (1990) (Australia) (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade)

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Regency International Pictures

Trivia:

Nick Nolte gained 50 pounds for his role as Brennan.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Chief Quinn asks ADA Reilly why he did not attend St. John's Law School. Hutton says his father didn't like the Jesuits. St. John's University is not a Jesuit institution. It is conducted by the Vincentians.

Quotes:

Captain Lt. Michael 'Mike' Brennan, NYPD:You're the whitest black man I know, Chappy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Queens Logic (1991)

Soundtrack:

Don't Double-Cross the Ones You Love

Walk on the wild side

Whats not to like about this movie? Well, the violent and the dark, at times manic context which prevails in a good share of the scenes, together with the perversity thats being thrown at you in the most unsubtle way. Nick Nolte's Brennan must be the most foul,intimidating and maniacal cop figure ever portrayed since Orson Welles' Captain Quinlan in "Touch of evil". He pulls off a great performance, although not very pleasant to watch (nor listen, for that matter).

Whats there to like about this movie? For one thing, there is Armand Assante and what most likely is the role of his career, even if its a supporting one and he gets only a couple scene stealers. He demonstrates how great he can be if given the right part. And his role is very interesting, an archcriminal with feelings, brought out by a woman who may not even love him.

Jenny Lumet was also good in her role, although I missed more interaction between her and Assante's character. Timothy Hutton, although overshadowed by Nolte and Assante in turns (inevitable really), proves again that he is a solid actor.His performance is not spectacular(as the role doesn't allow it), but its worthwhile. Another great presence by Patrick O'Neal as the sly and cunning district attorney with a criminal past and ties to Bobby Texador(Assante).

Sidney Lumet is the master of socio-political drama/comedy/thriller. Here he mixes all three into an enjoyable, intriguing and satisfactory work. This film deserves more attention than I believe it got. But again, looking at its "walk on the wild side" perspective, it really couldn't have become a blockbuster hit an average person chooses to watch on video or DVD on a Saturday night.