V.I. Warshawski (1991)

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers (WGA):

Sara Paretsky ('V.I. Warshawski' novels)
Edward Taylor (screen story)
(more)

Release Date:

26 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

V.I. Warshawski: A private detective with a name as tough as she is.

Plot:

A female PI babysitting for a boyfriend gets stuck with his daughter and the case of her murdered father.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Murder | Female Stockinged Feet | Camera Shot Of Feet | Blood

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kathleen Turner	...	Victoria 'V.I.' Warshawski
Jay O. Sanders	...	Murray Ryerson
Charles Durning	...	Det. Lt. Bobby Mallory
Angela Goethals	...	Kat Grafalk, Bernard's Daughter
Nancy Paul	...	Paige Wilson Grafalk
Frederick Coffin	...	Horton Grafalk
Charles McCaughan	...	Trumble Grafalk
Stephen Meadows	...	Bernard 'Boom-Boom' Grafalk
Wayne Knight	...	Earl 'Bonehead' Smeissen
Lynnie Godfrey	...	Sal, Golden Glow Bartender
Anne Pitoniak	...	Dr. Lotty Herschel
Stephen Root	...	Mickey
Robert Clotworthy	...	Philip Pugh, Attorney
Tom Allard	...	Big Eddie, Earl's Thug
Mike Hagerty	...	Babe (as Michael G. Hagerty)
Lee Arenberg	...	Flesh
Mike Bacarella	...	2nd Cabbie
John Beasley	...	Ernie
Everett Smith	...	John McGraw, Dockworkers Union Chief
Herb Muller	...	Contreras, V.I.'s Landlord
Theresa Bell	...	Stacy, Murray's new Girl
Geof Prysirr	...	Ron Whortley, Banker
Sandra Foster	...	Bank Teller
Gregg Almquist	...	Bank Manager
Gene Hartline	...	Boat Chase Thug #1
Gary Epper	...	Boat Chase Thug #2
John P. Marsh	...	Striker
Shirley Johnson	...	Singer
Victor Herold	...	Bassist
Casey Jones	...	Drummer
Eddie Lusk	...	Keyboardist (as Professor Eddie Lusk)
Maurice Vaughn	...	Guitarist
Aaron Seville	...	Paramedic
Doris Le Gras	...	Maid
John Fujioka	...	Sumitora
Roger Ito	...	Sumitora's Bodyguard #1
Robert Wong	...	Sumitora's Bodyguard #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Bontumasi	...	Man on Street (uncredited)
Robert Minkoff	...	Bit (uncredited)
Larry Nazimek	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeff Kanew

Writing credits (WGA)
Sara Paretsky		('V.I. Warshawski' novels)
Edward Taylor		(screen story)
Edward Taylor		(screenplay) and
David Aaron Cohen		(screenplay) and
Nick Thiel		(screenplay)

Produced by
Doug Claybourne	....	co-producer
Penney Finkelman Cox	....	executive producer
Jeffrey Lurie	....	producer
John Bard Manulis	....	co-executive producer
John P. Marsh	....	executive producer
Lauren Weissman	....	co-executive producer (as Lauren C. Weissman)
Lauren Weissman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Jan Kiesser

Film Editing by
Debra Neil-Fisher		(as Debra Neil)
Carroll Timothy O'Meara

Casting by
Glenn Daniels

Production Design by
Barbara Ling

Art Direction by
Larry Fulton

Set Decoration by
Anne H. Ahrens

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
E. Thomas Case	....	makeup artist
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Jerome H. Turnage	....	hair stylist: scond unit
Donna Turner Culver	....	key hair stylist
Pamela S. Westmore	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Joseph P. Kane	....	unit production manager
Sharon Mann	....	unit production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Seth Cirker	....	second second assistant director
Brian Fong	....	second assistant director (as Brian T. Fong)
Sharon Mann	....	first assistant director: second unit
Normann Pokorny	....	second assistant director: second unit
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
John L. Roman	....	second assistant director: second unit
Jack Frost Sanders	....	first assistant director

Art Department
William Arnold	....	art director: second unit
Timothy Braniff	....	illustrator
Gus Feederle	....	assistant property master
Michael D. Gianneschi	....	lead man: second unit
Petko D. Kadiev	....	illustrator
Roger L. King	....	construction gang boss
Kathe Klopp	....	set decorator: second unit
Bill MacSems	....	property master
Douglas E. Maxwell	....	lead man
Dora Medrano	....	art department coordinator
Michael P. Morris	....	construction coordinator: second unit
Lauren E. Polizzi	....	set designer
Chris Snyder	....	construction coordinator
Joseph Torres	....	construction foreman
Robert R. Volpe	....	property master: second unit
John Bullard	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Phillip Ellman	....	boat wrangler (uncredited)
Steven Kerlagon	....	paint supervisor (uncredited)
Chad Simpson	....	paint gang boss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
William Hartman	....	sound editor
Roxanne Jones	....	supervising sound editor
David Kelson	....	sound mixer
R.J. Kizer	....	adr editor
Karla Knorr	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Krivacek	....	sound editor
Victor B. Lackey	....	sound editor
Tom C. McCarthy	....	supervising sound editor
Peter Reale	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Sherline	....	cable person
Thomas W. Small	....	assistant sound editor
Mychal Smith	....	boom operator
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording consultant
Don S. Walden	....	sound editor
John O. Wilde	....	sound editor
Howard Wilmarth	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Yario	....	cable person
William Jacobs	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Danny Cangemi	....	special effects assistant
John Frazier	....	special effects coordinator
Frances Pennington	....	special effects assistant
Steve Riley	....	special effects assistant
Kim Derry	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Richard Lund	....	translite photographer (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts
Ken Blazer	....	stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (as Gil Combs)
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Doc Duhame	....	stunts
Cheryl Wheeler Duncan	....	stunts (as Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon)
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunts
James Fierro	....	stunts
Mark Harper	....	stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
Manny Perry	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Randy Popplewell	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Lori Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunt coordinator
Tim Trella	....	stunts (as Timothy P. Trella)
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeffrey P. Ackil	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Jeff Ackil)
Rick Borchardt	....	key grip
Donald Carlson	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Joe Carroll	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Peter Davidian	....	best boy electric
Dennis De La Mata	....	key grip: second unit
Robert W. Faison	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Conrad W. Hall	....	first assistant camera
John A. Hawn	....	rigging gaffer
Morgan Michael Lewis	....	key grip: second unit
Bradley T. Matthys	....	best boy grip: second unit
Michael McGreevy	....	best boy grip
John Robert Miller	....	dolly grip: second unit
Jane O'Neal	....	still photographer
Aaron Pazanti	....	camera operator
Robert P. Sanchez	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Dean M. Simmon	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Clyde Smith	....	dolly grip
Richard Sobin	....	second assistant camera: second unit
John M. Stephens	....	cinematographer: boat chase sequence
John M. Stephens	....	director of photography: second unit
Chris Strong	....	gaffer
Robert Swander	....	gaffer: second unit
John Swanders	....	best boy electric: second unit
Jeffrey Thorin	....	second assistant camera
Dean Williams	....	still photographer: second unit
Larry Cottrill	....	electrician (uncredited)
Oscar Gomez	....	grip (uncredited)
Gordon Hayes	....	electrician (uncredited)
Richard Kelley	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandy Holt	....	voice casting
Catherine Jane Holzer	....	extras casting: second unit (as Catherine Holzer-Ballowe)
Mimi Maynard	....	voice casting
Mark A. Ridge	....	extras casting
Barbara L. Roche	....	extras casting: second unit
Lisbeth Siegel	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oda Groeschel	....	costumer
Susan Kaufman	....	costumer: second unit
Nancy McArdle	....	costume supervisor
Eileen McCahill	....	costumer
Chuck Velasco	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Neil Kirk	....	assistant editor
Susan L. Vovsi	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
François Blaignan	....	scoring crew
Tom Carlin	....	music editor
Andrew Silver	....	preview music editor

Transportation Department
Richard Deangelo	....	transportation coordinator: second unit
Steve Hellerstein	....	transportation captain
Ronald E. Maxwell	....	transportation captain: second unit
Arthur F. 'Mickey' McAteer	....	transportation coordinator
Robert Wallace	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Elton Ahi	....	assistant: Mr. Edelman
Bobby Bass	....	technical advisor
Luke Benoit	....	production assistant
Noel Bermudez	....	production accountant
Jodi Bracken	....	production assistant
Terri Clemens	....	production coordinator
Elisa Ann Conant	....	assistant location manager
Christopher Connors	....	production assistant
Tracy Cutts	....	script supervisor: second unit
Nanci Gumbiner	....	assistant: Mr. Lurie
Carolyn Hagan	....	assistant production coordinator
T.J. Healy II	....	location scout
Bob Hudgins	....	location manager: second unit
Ray Kaufman	....	assistant location manager
Aghi D. Koh	....	production assistant
Ron Marryott	....	production associate
Jo Therese McElroy	....	production assistant
Patti McGuire	....	assistant: Mr. Lurie
Carol Miyaoka	....	assistant: Mr. Claybourne
Cynthia Neipris	....	production assistant
Ross Reynolds	....	helicopter pilot
Judith Rheiner	....	publicist
Susan Spencer Robbins	....	production coordinator
Andrew Robinson	....	production assistant
Rayna Saslove	....	assistant: Ms. Finkelman Cox
Judith Saunders	....	script supervisor
Alicia Smolen	....	assistant: Mr. Kanew
Veronique Vowell	....	location manager
Donald H. Walker	....	assistant production accountant
Bill Walsh	....	marine coordinator
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Heather Pollock	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Donald Rasmussen	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Martine White	....	second assistant location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hollywood Pictures (presents)
• Silver Screen Partners IV (in association with)
• Chestnut Hill Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Hollywood Pictures Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)

Other Companies

• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Saxon/Ross Film Design  title design
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  re-recorded at (as Universal Studios Sound Department)
• Walt Disney Pictures and Television  for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom this picture was created by

Also Known As:

"V.I. Warshawski, Detective in High Heels" - USA (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and moments of violence

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | New Zealand:R | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG13

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Kathleen Turner went on to play V.I. Warshawski on BBC radio.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the scene of the tugboat explosion, the fire engine is solid red. Chicago fire engines are painted a distinct black over red design.

Quotes:

Victoria "V.I." Warshawski:Never underestimate a man's ability to underestimate a woman.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Tormented (#5.14)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

El Son De La Manta

Good flick, better if truer to Paretsky's novel

For the time this movie was released, it really is a solid film. One I stop and watch anytime I catch it on cable. I like Kathleen Turner as Vic and see her as Vic when I read Paretsky's Blacklist (2004) and Indemity Only (1982). Paretsky is such a skilled writer that I read all 332 pages of Indemity Only completely in one Saturday. This would have been a good vehicle/series for Ms. Turner if the movie had followed the novels closer. They should have hired Paretsky to write the screen play.

The screenwriters, Edward Taylor, David Aaron Cohen, & Nick Thiel, I believe are responsible for this film being unsuccessful at the box office. It appears they did not read the books or believe themselves that a women could be a private investigator. Paretsky gave them a well rounded, gritty, thorough character. The screenwriters tried to make it a comedy/action film and dishonored Paretsky in their representation of her character. The screen play should have been written as an action/thriller along the lines of Patriot Games (1992), an action/crime like the Italian Job (2003), or a mystery along the lines of the Thomas Crown affair (1999). All have comedic moments in them and would be better genres for the V.I. Warshawki novels.

Maybe if Ms. Turner is up to it she could revive the character or perhaps Charlize Theron would take a shot at it.