American Heart (1992)

Director:

Martin Bell

Writers (WGA):

Peter Silverman (story) &
Martin Bell (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Jack's only hope was a dream... Nick's only hope was Jack.

Plot:

Jack is now out of jail and he meets Nick, his adolescent son. Their relationship will be complicated, because Jack has a problem with alcohol. But his love for Nick will help him to get over the past and reach his dreams.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Rent | Bare Breasts | Burglary | High Heels

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

John Boylan	...	Janitor
Jeff Bridges	...	Jack Kelson
Edward Furlong	...	Nick Kelson
Greg Sevigny	...	Young Jack
Jayne Entwistle	...	Monique
Willie Williams	...	The Gospel Fireballs
Roosevelt Franklin	...	The Gospel Fireballs
Melvyn Hayward	...	Normandy
Don Harvey	...	Rainey
Kit McDonough	...	Landlady
Wren Walker	...	Lisa
Cristine McMurdo-Wallis	...	School Administrator
Lucinda Jenney	...	Charlotte
Charlotte London	...	Flo
Loyd Catlett	...	Vernon the Bartender
Richard Joffray	...	Taxi Dispatcher Voice
Christian Frizzell	...	Rollie
Tracey Kapisky	...	Molly
Benjamin Hinkle	...	Roy
Jared Hinkle	...	Roy
Shareen Mitchell	...	Diane
Franciso Arenas	...	Moose
Marcus Chong	...	Terry Cosmos
Michelle Matlock	...	Bandit
Margaret Welsh	...	Freddie (as Maggie Welsh)
Sam Strange	...	Stony
Mark Namer	...	Pool Bar Guy
Barbara Irvin	...	Nicole
Burke Pearson	...	Jack's Bum
Apollo Dukakis	...	Steve
Laura Bobovski	...	Girl in Food Bank
John DeLay	...	Building Supervisor
Gary Lee Dansenburg	...	Suburban Son
Todd Jamieson	...	Suburban Father
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Scott Duthie	...	Homeless Vet (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Bell

Writing credits (WGA)
Peter Silverman		(story) &
Martin Bell		(story) &
Mary Ellen Mark		(story)
Peter Silverman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jeff Bridges	....	producer
Cary Brokaw	....	executive producer
Rosilyn Heller	....	producer
Neil Koenigsberg	....	co-producer
Mary Ellen Mark	....	associate producer
Nancy Rae Stone	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
James R. Bagdonas

Film Editing by
Nancy Baker

Casting by
Cecily Adams

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Set Decoration by
Rondi Tucker

Costume Design by
Beatrix Aruna Pasztor

Makeup Department
Steven Fitzpatrick	....	assistant hair stylist
Steven Fitzpatrick	....	assistant makeup artist
Bob Haaves	....	tattoo designer: Jack
Kathy C. King	....	assistant hair stylist (as Kathy Carroll Crouse)
Kathy C. King	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kathy Carroll Crouse)
Gina Monaci	....	hair stylist
Gina Monaci	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert V. Girolami	....	production manager: Vermont
Leslie A. Leitner	....	post-production supervisor (as Leslie Leitner)
Nancy Rae Stone	....	production manager
Kathryn Riccio	....	assistant production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony F. Esposi	....	second assistant director: Vermont
Robert V. Girolami	....	first assistant director: Vermont
Richard Hawley	....	first assistant director
Randall LaFollette	....	second second assistant director
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	second assistant director (as Timothy Lonsdale)

Art Department
Dave Barnes	....	carpenter
Dave Barnes	....	carpenter
Keith Bergman	....	construction foreman
Steven E. Eyrse	....	lead scenic artist (as Steve E. Eyrse)
Richard Joffray	....	property master
Alexander Lamb	....	set painter/carpenter
Kim Larsen-Santini	....	assistant property master (as Kim Larsen)
David Lenz	....	lead carpenter
Robert A. Maisto	....	construction coordinator
Sharon Manolopoulos	....	art department intern
Drew Pinniger	....	on-set dresser
David Saltzman	....	leadman (as Dave Saltzman)
Grant Samson	....	swing (as Grant D. Samson)
Crista Schneider	....	assistant set decorator
Kirk Thompson	....	carpenter
Bob Warner	....	scenic artist (as Robert Warner)
Frederic C. Weiler	....	location designer: Vermont

Sound Department
Robert J. Anderson Jr.	....	sound mixer (as Robert Anderson)
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph A. Brennan	....	stage engineer (as Joe Brennan)
Adam Buckner	....	boom operator
Blake R. Cornett	....	assistant sound editor (as Blake Cornett)
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
John Edwards-Younger	....	sound effects editor (as John S. Edwards-Younger)
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Bryan Fowler	....	machine operator (as Brian Fowler)
Dennis Fuller	....	boom operator (as Dennis Robert Fuller)
Marilyn Graf	....	foley recordist
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist
David Jobe	....	adr recordist
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	adr editor (as Nick Korda)
Mark 'Frito' Long	....	sound recordist
Christian P. Minkler	....	machine operator (as Chris Minkler)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard Neiman	....	sound effects editor
Lauren Palmer	....	dialogue editor
Nancy Richardson	....	foley editor
Dave Sakai	....	assistant sound editor
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Hamilton Sterling	....	supervising sound editor
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley mixer
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound effects editor
Shade Rupe	....	cable person (uncredited)
Hugo Weng	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ray Brown	....	special effects
Mark McDaniel	....	additional special effects (as Marc McDaniel)
Bob Riggs	....	special effects
Terry Shattuck	....	special effects
Joel Youngerman	....	special effects

Stunts
Loyd Catlett	....	precision stunt driver
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunt coordinator (as Gil Combs)
Chris Howell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Baird	....	video assist operator
Bill Barcroft	....	best boy grip
Lloyd Barcroft	....	key grip
Pat Blymyer	....	gaffer
Eric Budlong	....	grip
Kris Conde	....	second assistant camera (as Kris A. Conde)
Tom Connole	....	camera operator
Bob Fillis	....	best boy electric
Steve Fugikawa	....	assistant still photographer
John M. Hennessy	....	dolly grip
Colin Kell	....	electrician (as Colin R. Kell)
Rocky Kenworthy	....	assistant still photographer
Donald E. Lange	....	electrician
Mary Ellen Mark	....	still photographer
Marco Nicholas Miller	....	camera intern
Greg Moring	....	grip
Don Mosley	....	electrician (as Donald Ray Mosley)
Marvin C. Newton	....	grip intern (as Marvin Newton)
Peter Riches	....	still photographer
Troy Smith	....	Steadicam operator
Rick Tiedeman	....	Steadicam operator
Rick Tschudin	....	first assistant camera
Mitchell J. Wood	....	video playback operator
Eric Thomas	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Amy Caton-Ford	....	extras casting
Robert Green	....	extras casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Alison Roth	....	casting: Seattle
Jodi Rothfield	....	casting: Seattle
Jessica Wilson	....	casting assistant: Seattle

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathleen McKenzie	....	seamstress (as Kathleen 'Arias' McKenzie)
Allegra Moody	....	wardrobe assistant
Vanessa Vogel	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Sharyl Allensworth	....	post-production intern
Rick Downey	....	negative cutter
John Hendrickson	....	editing intern (as John Hendricson)
Julie Jones	....	editing intern
David Kolenda	....	editing intern
George Langworthy	....	second assistant editor (as George H. Langworthy)
José Luis Manjon	....	editing intern
Christine Mantey	....	editing intern
Mike Mertens	....	color timer (as Michael Mertens)
Jean Marie Offenbacher	....	first assistant editor
Rob Penque	....	editing intern
Gavin Tatro	....	editing intern

Music Department
Peter Afterman	....	music supervisor
Sally Boldt	....	music editor
Marc Bonilla	....	musician: solo guitar
Orion Crawford	....	music copyist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Michael Mason	....	scoring coordinator
Robert Schaper	....	score mixer
Marc Bonilla	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
George Evans	....	transportation captain
Tom Featherstone	....	driver
Jimmy Jones	....	driver (as James Jones)
Joel McCarthy	....	driver
Jon McCarthy	....	transportation coordinator
Sharon McCarthy	....	driver
Fred Mirante	....	driver
Mike Sassen	....	driver (as Michael Sassen)
Leo Schaible	....	driver
Robert Sullivan	....	driver (as Bob Sullivan)
Gene Ungersma	....	driver
Don Weaver	....	driver
Rick Wiley	....	driver: camera car

Other crew
Robert C. Albertell	....	production assistant: Vermont (as Robert C. Albertel)
John Anderson	....	location assistant
Brett Aronowitz	....	coordinator: Los Angeles
Eva Banhidi	....	script supervisor
Adam Berman	....	production assistant
Murphy Birdsall	....	assistant: Martin Bell
Laura Bobovski	....	stand-in: Mr. Furlong
Adam Buckner	....	production assistant (as Adam Dean Buckner)
Edward Bunker	....	technical advisor
Renee Burke	....	stills intern (as Renée Foley Burke)
Kristin Capp	....	location scout
Rick Clark	....	production assistant: Vermont
Katie Curran	....	production coordinator: Vermont
Betsy Danbury	....	production accountant
Kate Driver	....	production assistant
Jerry Esterly	....	technical advisor
Roger D. Faires	....	location scout (as Roger Faires)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer
Judy Geletko	....	additional accounting services
Andrew Grob	....	location scout (as Andrew Hirodo Grob)
Sheri Halfon	....	financial representative: Avenue
Elizabeth Hawman	....	production assistant
Kelly Householder	....	production assistant
Pat Hutchinson	....	publicist
Michael Kennedy	....	assistant: Rosilyn Heller and Jeff Bridges
Dani Knight	....	assistant: Cary Brokaw
Martin L. Koleber	....	set medic
Alisoun F. Lamb	....	production coordinator
Michael Leon	....	location manager
Claudia Lewis	....	production executive
Lydia Lipatan-Sarmiento	....	assistant accountant (as Lydia Lipatan Sarmiento)
Jill Maxcy	....	production assistant
David S. McDonald	....	assistant production coordinator
Sherry McManus	....	studio teacher
Tatia Nichols	....	accounting assistant
Kim Ritz	....	production assistant (as Kimber Lee Ritz)
Emily Seltzer	....	production intern
Bob Skolnick	....	caterer: Proud Chef
Linda Skolnick	....	caterer: Proud Chef
Lori Trochim	....	production assistant
Catherine Webb	....	post-production accountant
Keith M. Wegner	....	craft service (as Keith Wegner)
Kristen Wolters	....	assistant: Niel Koenigsberg
Jim Beaver	....	audition reader (uncredited)
Guy Killum	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Thanks
Jonathan Weisgal	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• American Heart Productions
• Asis Films
• Avenue Entertainment
• Island World
• Live Entertainment
• Rosilyn Heller Productions

Distributors

• Triton Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Live Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Artisan Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Vídeo Arte (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual situations

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-16 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Company:

American Heart Productions

Trivia:

The story is based on the relationship between a young runaway in the 1980s named Dewayne and his father who was incarcerated for robbery and attempted arson. They can both be seen in the 1984 documentary, Streetwise, which focuses on several of Seattle's runaway youth in the 1980s. Dewayne committed suicide at the age of 14. The story was later developed by Peter Silverman. Martin Bell, Mary Ellen Mark. Then, Silverman and Bell wrote the screenplay.

Quotes:

Charlotte:I just want you to know I used to be a virgin.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Big City Dick: Richard Peterson's First Movie (2004)

Soundtrack:

Sunny Side Of The Street

Refreshingly honest and very well acted

This is a dramatic, narrative film by Martin Bell, the director of the excellent documentary "Streetwise". And while it is obvious Bell was a little uncomfortable with the narrative format, it is one of the few independent films of the 1990's that doesn't suffer from the Quentin Tarantino syndrome--i.e. it is not just a pastiche of other movies the director has seen. It's clear Bell based a lot of this movie on real life. In fact, many of the characters here were obviously based on real people in "Streetwise"--the kid and his ex-con father, the tomboy lesbian, the 14-year-old amateur hooker. The movies suffers a little in comparison to early Gus Van Sant films ("Mala Noche","Drugstore Cowboy", "My Own Private Idaho")which had similar down-and-out characters and were also set in the American Northwest. But many will find this film refreshingly honest and less pretentious, at least, than some of Van Sant's films.

What really makes this film is the acting. It marked Jeff Bridges return to independent film (five or six years before "The Big Lebowski"), and his performance here makes one forgive him for the Hollywood crap he made in the 80's like "Against All Odds". Edward Furlong is also very good. I remember reading some alarmist claptrap about him in Premiere magazine around the time of this movie, about how he was dating a 30-year-old woman (oh, the horror! the horror!) and about to become another young Hollywood casualty. Well, starting with this film he ended up carving a nice little niche for himself in independent film (i.e. "Pecker", "Animal Factory"). Turns out that just because you're not starring in "Terminator 3" it doesn't necessarily mean you're sharing needles in a crack house with guys named Corey and girls named Shannen. And as a little icing on the cake this movie has a great Tom Waits theme song which you can't find any of his albums. Definitely a recommended movie.