Man Trouble (1992)

A sleazy but affable guard dog trainer is blackmailed to steal a manuscript for a tell-all book from one of his clients.

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writer:

Carole Eastman

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Ellen Barkin, Harry Dean Stanton

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	Eugene Earl Axline, aka Harry Bliss
Ellen Barkin	...	Joan Spruance
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Redmond Layls
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Andy Ellerman
Michael McKean	...	Eddy Revere
Saul Rubinek	...	Laurence Moncrief
Viveka Davis	...	June Huff
Veronica Cartwright	...	Helen Dextra
David Clennon	...	Lewie Duart
John Kapelos	...	Detective Melvenos
Lauren Tom	...	Adele Bliss
Paul Mazursky	...	Lee MacGreevy
Gary Graham	...	Butch Gable
Betty Carvalho	...	Socorro
Mark J. Goodman	...	Talk Show Host

Storyline

Eugene Earl Axline is a guard dog trainer who gets involved with one of his clients, Joan Spruance. Spruance's sister is a classic airhead, who is spilling all she knows about her gangster boyfriend.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | guard dog | tell all book | manuscript | gangster | 

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Taglines:

She put her life in his hands. Unfortunately, his hands have a life of their own.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA Italy

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ela Nunca Se Nega

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$4,096,030 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Penta Entertainment, American Filmworks, Budding Grove

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Other pairings considered were Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, then Robert De Niro and Jessica Lange, and then Al Pacino and Meryl Streep, before its final incarnation of Nicholson and Ellen Barkin.

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Quotes

Lewie Duart: Are you seeing anybody? Just tell me that.
[laughs]
Lewie Duart: What... C'mon, you're not the abstinent type!
Joan Spruance: Oh, please don't judge me by your scrotal excesses!

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Soundtracks

"EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE"
Written by Sting
Magnetic Publishing/Regatta Music Ltd.
c/o Illegal Songs, Inc. (BMI)

User Reviews

Should have been good...

With the talent involved here, it should have been a much better film than it is. Music by Georges Delarue, director Bob Rafelson...

Basically it's a lightweight romantic comedy which is attempting to emulate classics comedies about a rich girl meets non-rich guy (think Katherine Hepburn) but it just doesn't have the class or punch of earlier classics in this genre.

The cheap looking opening credits/cartoon are the first indication that something is amiss here. The first half is quite OK but after that, you just don't care enough about these people to stay with the film. There's something incredibly shallow about all those involved and the 'comedy' is just too obvious...problem animal, hispanic housekeeper, mismatched/deceived couples.

I don't think it's until Harry Dean Stanton makes an appearance quite late in the film that you think, aaah, now we've got a movie. But it's all too late.