Little Man Tate (1991)

Director:

Jodie Foster

Writer (WGA):

Scott Frank (written by)

Release Date:

11 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It's not what he knows. It's what he understands.

Plot:

Dede is a sole parent trying to bring up her son Fred. When it is discovered that Fred is a genius,...

Plot Keywords:

Vandalism | Swimming Pool | Riding Accident | Diner | Globe

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Dede Tate
Dianne Wiest	...	Jane Grierson
Adam Hann-Byrd	...	Fred Tate
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Eddie
David Hyde Pierce	...	Garth Emmerick (as David Pierce)
Debi Mazar	...	Gina
P.J. Ochlan	...	Damon Wells
Alex Lee	...	Fred Tate at 2
Michael Shulman	...	Matt Montini
Nathan Lee	...	Matt's Teammate
Celia Weston	...	Miss Nimvel
Danitra Vance	...	Clinic Doctor
Richard Fredette	...	Bartender
George Plimpton	...	Winston F. Buckner
Jennifer Trier	...	Grierson Institute Teacher
John Bell	...	Joey X
Ishe Costa	...	Cherry Reynolds
Chucky Ocampo	...	Bob Yee
Mark Lienhart	...	Fenton
Richard Hanson	...	Odyssey of the Mind Leader #1
Mar Ya Zuke	...	Odyssey of the Mind Leader #2
Lauren Ashley Stacey	...	Valerie
Josh Mostel	...	Physics Professor
Michael Mantell	...	Coral Ray Owner
Erica Staton	...	Girl Outside Classroom
Michael Keavy	...	Auctioneer
Carolyn Lawrence	...	Sorority Girl
George Kaufman	...	Eddie's Friend
Gordon Greene	...	Fred's Doctor
Barry J. Williams	...	Preppy Boy in Cafeteria
Alexandra Auder	...	Eddie's Girlfriend
Sam Womelsdorf	...	Eddie's Roommate
Ellen McElduff	...	Make-Up Woman
Adam Midkiff	...	Evan
Sheadrick Richards	...	'LIVEWIRE' Boy Guest
Elizabeth Frietsch	...	'LIVEWIRE' Girl Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bob Balaban	...	Quizmaster (uncredited)
Lonzo Jones	...	Frisbee Boy (uncredited)
Michael Newman	...	Man in Park (uncredited)
Julia Rosendale	...	Freak Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Jodie Foster

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Frank		(written by)

Produced by
Peggy Rajski	....	producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
Randy Stone	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Mike Southon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lynzee Klingman

Casting by
Avy Kaufman
Lina Todd

Production Design by
Jon Hutman

Art Direction by
Adam Lustig

Set Decoration by
Samara Schaffer		(as Sam Schaffer)

Costume Design by
Susan Lyall

Makeup Department
Bonnie Clevering	....	hair stylist
Julie Hewett	....	makeup artist
Sean Rodgers	....	assistant hair stylist (as Sean Rogers)
Zoe Thompson	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Carol Cuddy	....	production manager
Mary F. Jansen	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Camp III	....	first assistant director: second unit
Gregory Jacobs	....	second assistant director (as Greg Jacobs)
Harry A. Jarvis III	....	third assistant director (as Harry Jarvis)
Michael McCue	....	second second assistant director (as Mike McCue)
Peggy Rajski	....	second unit director
Mike Topoozian	....	first assistant director (as Mike Tapoozian)

Art Department
Art Berkley	....	carpenter
Beth Bernstein	....	art department coordinator
Rick Bioni	....	assistant property master (as Richard Bioni)
Larce Crawford	....	construction foreman
David Flint	....	third assistant property master
Barry Franenberg	....	property master
Nancy Gilmore	....	lead set dresser
Joe Griffith	....	storyboard artist
Aaron Harvey	....	carpenter
Lowell Huff	....	set dresser
William Kroth	....	set dresser
Brent Lahner	....	set dresser
Meredith Lee	....	artwork: Cherry Reynolds
Francis Link	....	carpenter (as Frances Boysie Link)
Big Mike Maguire	....	carpenter
Tim McLoughlin	....	carpenter
Steve Olson	....	carpenter (as Steve Olsen)
Brad Orr	....	carpenter
Thomas H. Paul	....	draftsman (as Tom Paul)
Susan Raney	....	buyer (as Sue Rainey)
Patrick Romine	....	second construction foreman
Jeff Schneider	....	paintings: Joey X
Erich W. Schultz	....	construction coordinator (as Erich Schultz)
Paul Stafford	....	carpenter
David Wald	....	carpenter
Brett Wert	....	carpenter
Brad S. Wilson	....	art department intern (as Brad Wilson)
Duke Wilson	....	set dresser
Dwain Wilson	....	on-set dresser
Tom Woods	....	art: Fred
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Alton McClellan	....	scenic foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Douglas Axtell	....	sound mixer
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	assistant sound editor
Norval D. Crutcher	....	supervising sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor (as Sam Crutcher)
G.W. Davis	....	sound editor
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Michael Dhonau	....	utility sound (as Michael T. Dhonau)
Suzanne Geary	....	post-production sound recordist
Joanna Jimenez	....	sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark 'Frito' Long	....	sound recordist
Robert Maxfield	....	boom operator
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gilberto Costa Nunes	....	co-supervising sound editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer (as Gregg Orloff)
Mark Rathaus	....	sound editor
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Reinhard Schreiner	....	sound editor
Norto Sepulveda	....	adr editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound designer (as John Thomas)
Barbara Vickers	....	sound editor
Mark V. Phillips	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Phill Norman	....	effects design

Stunts
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunt coordinator (as Christine Baur)
Charles Croughwell	....	stunts
Gary Jensen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James Babineaux	....	best boy electric
Doug Boone	....	grip
Robert Bruce	....	electrician
George M. Chappell	....	electrician (as George Chappel)
Henry Cline	....	first assistant camera
J. Patrick Daily	....	key grip (as Pat Dailey)
Jeffrey De La Rosa	....	electrician (as Jeff De La Rosa)
Jack English	....	gaffer
Suzanne Hanover	....	still photographer (as Suzanne Hanover-Fowler)
Holly Heinzmann	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Steve Irwin	....	video playback operator
Tony C. Jannelli	....	director of photography: second unit (as Tony Janelli)
Kent H. Jorgensen	....	dolly grip (as Kent Jorgensen)
John 'Quincy' Koenig	....	electrician (as Quincy Koenig)
Toby Phillips	....	Steadicam operator
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator
Martin Schaer	....	camera operator
Ruth Sergel	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Alex Smith	....	camera loader
Andrew Smith	....	video assist operator
Amy Vincent	....	second assistant camera
Derek Wells	....	grip
Eric Whitehead	....	best boy grip
Christopher Blakely	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Kevin Boyd	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cindy Bashore	....	extras casting assistant (as Cynthia Bashore)
Anita Daugherty	....	extras casting
Alison Loop	....	casting assistant: New York
Ben Hynum	....	casting scout (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle Custance	....	wardrobe production assistant
Elizabeth Feldbauer	....	wardrobe supervisor
Juliet Polcsa	....	assistant costume designer
Catherine Wall	....	seamstress
Taryn Weaver	....	wardrobe assistant (as Taryn Walsh)
Michelle M. Pershing	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
John Ganem	....	first assistant editor
Lawrence Jordan	....	additional film editor
Kim Nolan	....	second assistant editor (as Kimberly Nolan)
Peter E. Nunnery	....	post-production assistant
Dan Schalk	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Thomas A. Carlson	....	music editor (as Tom Carlson)
Ensemble Vocal Michel Piquemal	....	chorus
David Goldblatt	....	musician: piano
Mark Isham	....	musician: trumpet
Stephen Krause	....	original score recording engineer (as Steven Krause)
Ken Kugler	....	musician: trombone
Sid Page	....	musician: violin
Bob Shepherd	....	musician: saxophone
Daniel Troob	....	consultant: classical music
Tom Warrington	....	musician: bass
Kurt Wortman	....	musician: drums
Gay DiFusco	....	music clearance: Fricon Entertainment (uncredited)
David Sibley	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
William 'Fleet' Eakland	....	transportation coordinator (as Fleet Eakland)
Alan Forbes	....	driver
Jimmy Humphreys	....	driver
Terry Johnson	....	driver
E. Steve McLaughlin	....	driver
Kelly Nordberg	....	driver
Thomas J. Nordberg	....	driver (as Thomas Nordberg)
Ed Petrie	....	driver
Todd Pfeiffer	....	driver
David Schnier	....	driver
Pat Stubbs	....	transportation captain
Ken Watson	....	driver
Don Westerbeck	....	driver
Fred Westerbeck	....	driver
Scott Wingard	....	driver

Other crew
Keith Armour	....	teacher
Lisa Bradley	....	production coordinator
David Collins	....	production secretary
Deirdre Costa	....	location assistant
Mary Cybulski	....	script supervisor
Craig Denton	....	production assistant
John Durling	....	dailies projectionist
Sharon Fitzgerald	....	assistant: Ms. Foster
Glenn Gaylord	....	location auditor
Jeff Hay	....	catering assistant
Ann McDermott	....	production assistant
Derek McFadden	....	riding double: "Damon"
Kris Nielsen	....	production assistant
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Marcia Oney	....	production assistant
Vicki Dee Rock	....	production auditor
Tiffany Rosen	....	assistant production coordinator
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance
Eileen Schroder	....	craft service
Mary Seguin	....	production assistant
Peter J. Silbermann	....	publicist (as Peter Silberman)
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	riding double: Fred (as Chris Thomas)
Matilde Valera	....	financial representative
Michael Williams	....	location manager
Shannon Kemp	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Paul J. Memmi	....	translator (uncredited)
Steven E. Williams	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Francis Aiken	....	thanks: Cellular One
Rain Burns	....	thanks: Apple Computer Inc.
Dara Eisenberg	....	thanks: Wolfram Research Inc.
Chris Hayward	....	thanks: Cincinnati Country Day School
Fenno Heath	....	thanks: director, The Yale Glee Club
Joe Hofmeister	....	thanks: Cincinnati Country Day School
Lori Holladay	....	thanks: Greater Cincinnati Film Commission (as Lorie Holladay)
Ward Johnson	....	thanks: Clarity Systems
Eve Lapolla	....	thanks: Ohio Film Bureau
Frank Laurence	....	thanks: Cincinnati Country Day School
Rich Little	....	thanks: Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
Sam Micklus	....	thanks: Odyssey of the Mind
Bonnie Paul	....	thanks: Greater Cincinnati Film Commission
Joyce Rudowski	....	thanks: Cincinnati Country Day School
Holly Wissing	....	thanks: Miami University, Oxford, Ohio

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1992) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmayer (Spain)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (1992) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• ARRI / Camera Service Center  camera equipment provided by
• Apple Computer  thanks
• Cellular-One  thanks
• Chandler Group, The  miniature shot
• Clarity Visual Systems  thanks
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing
• Entertainment Catering  catering
• Giorgio Armani  thanks
• Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Film Commission  thanks
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Miami University of Ohio  thanks
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Skywalker Sound  post-production facilities
• The Ohio Film Bureau  thanks
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1994) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Jodie Foster's directorial film debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Fred first enters Jane's office, there is a card on her desk (at around 52 mins) that Fred takes (at around 57 mins) but which is soon back on the desk (at around 1 min).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Fred Tate:It's funny, cause I *think* I can even remember being born. For the first two weeks of my life I didn't even have a name. Dede couldn't make up her mind. She finally decided on Fred. She said that she had never heard of a little kid named Fred before.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.196" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Brahms' Liebesliederwalzer

Engaging insight into the world of exceptionally gifted children

Through the eyes of a exceptionally gifted child of seven, 'Little Man Tate' delivers a riveting insight of the loneliness, maturity, isolation and brilliance of what it is to be highly prodigious yet very young and how imperative it is to achieve a balance when educating and raising such children.

Fred (Adam Hann-Byrd) is a very special little boy. He is able to play complicated musical pieces, pen deep and meaningful poems, calculate complex mathematical problems at an age when his classmates are still learning to tie their shoes and mastering their alphabet. He's a child old before his time, capable of thoughts far beyond the average adult's understanding, but at the core of it all, he is still just a seven-year-old who wants to fit in at school and have friends. His mother Dede, played by Jodie Foster, determines the best way to raise her beloved son is to treat him like any other child to the extent that she never really acknowledges his gifts, whereas Jane Grierson (Dianne Wiest) is on the other end of the scale as a psychologist whose speciality is gifted children. Jane takes an interest in Fred, believing his intelligence must be nurtured even if it means plonking a tot of seven into a university full of young adults.

Jodie Foster and Dianne Wiest deliver strong, solid performances as two women who both love this child and just want what is best for him, even if their approaches are very different. However, it is Adam Hann-Byrd who steals the show as the lead character of Fred. He depicts the brilliance of the character as well as his awkwardness in dealing with both 'normal' contemporaries and fellow gifted children. He is wonderful in showing how Fred is just a kid who wants to be liked, and how he desperately needs the adults around him to provide him a balance between being treated like the seven-year-old he is while allowing his towering intellect to thrive.

This film takes us into the heart of what it is to be a child prodigy and how it can be both a gift and a curse. We see Fred surpassing his adult classmates in his university course yet he struggles to interact with peers his own age who are of average intelligence. Through him, it is easy to see that being perceived as 'normal' can be the greatest gift of all. It also highlights the abysmal state of the state education system in teaching such children.

I really recommend this film as it delivers this fascinating story in a manner that is bittersweet, touching and, at times, humorous. The characters are all interesting and likable and you can't help but feel for Fred's joys and woes.