The Player (1992)

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers (WGA):

Michael Tolkin (screenplay)
Michael Tolkin (novel)

Release Date:

10 April 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Best Movie Ever Made!" - Griffin Mill

Plot:

A studio executive is being blackmailed by a writer whose script he rejected but which one? Loaded with Hollywood insider jokes.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Blackmail | Investigation | Murder | Screenwriter

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 20 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Tim Robbins	...	Griffin Mill
Greta Scacchi	...	June Gudmundsdottir
Fred Ward	...	Walter Stuckel
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Detective Avery
Peter Gallagher	...	Larry Levy
Brion James	...	Joel Levison
Cynthia Stevenson	...	Bonnie Sherow
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	David Kahane
Dean Stockwell	...	Andy Civella
Richard E. Grant	...	Tom Oakley
Sydney Pollack	...	Dick Mellon
Lyle Lovett	...	Detective DeLongpre
Dina Merrill	...	Celia
Angela Hall	...	Jan
Leah Ayres	...	Sandy
Paul Hewitt	...	Jimmy Chase
Randall Batinkoff	...	Reg Goldman
Jeremy Piven	...	Steve Reeves
Gina Gershon	...	Whitney Gersh
Frank Barhydt	...	Frank Murphy
Mike Kaplan	...	Marty Grossman (as Mike E. Kaplan)
Kevin Scannell	...	Gar Girard
Margery Bond	...	Witness
Susan Emshwiller	...	Detective Broom
Brian Brophy	...	Phil (voice)
Michael Tolkin	...	Eric Schecter
Stephen Tolkin	...	Carl Schecter
Natalie Strong	...	Natalie
Peter Koch	...	Walter (as Pete Koch)
Pamela Bowen	...	Trixie
Jeff Celentano	...	Rocco (as Jeff Weston)
Steve Allen	...	Himself
Richard Anderson	...	Himself
Rene Auberjonois	...	Himself
Harry Belafonte	...	Himself
Shari Belafonte	...	Herself
Karen Black	...	Herself
Michael Bowen	...	Himself
Gary Busey	...	Himself
Robert Carradine	...	Himself
Charles Champlin	...	Himself
Cher	...	Herself
James Coburn	...	Himself
Cathy Lee Crosby	...	Herself
John Cusack	...	Himself
Brad Davis	...	Himself
Paul Dooley	...	Himself
Thereza Ellis	...	Herself
Peter Falk	...	Himself
Felicia Farr	...	Herself
Katarzyna Figura	...	Herself (as Kasia Figura)
Louise Fletcher	...	Herself
Dennis Franz	...	Himself
Teri Garr	...	Herself
Leeza Gibbons	...	Herself
Scott Glenn	...	Himself
Jeff Goldblum	...	Himself
Elliott Gould	...	Himself
Joel Grey	...	Himself
David Alan Grier	...	Himself
Buck Henry	...	Himself
Anjelica Huston	...	Herself (as Angelica Huston)
Kathy Ireland	...	Herself
Steve James	...	Himself
Maxine John-James	...	Herself
Sally Kellerman	...	Herself
Sally Kirkland	...	Herself
Jack Lemmon	...	Himself
Marlee Matlin	...	Herself
Andie MacDowell	...	Herself
Malcolm McDowell	...	Himself
Jayne Meadows	...	Herself
Martin Mull	...	Himself
Jennifer Nash	...	Herself
Nick Nolte	...	Himself
Alexandra Powers	...	Herself
Bert Remsen	...	Himself
Guy Remsen	...	Himself
Patricia Resnick	...	Herself
Burt Reynolds	...	Himself
Jack Riley	...	Himself
Julia Roberts	...	Herself
Mimi Rogers	...	Herself
Annie Ross	...	Herself
Alan Rudolph	...	Himself
Jill St. John	...	Herself
Susan Sarandon	...	Herself
Adam Simon	...	Himself
Rod Steiger	...	Himself
Joan Tewkesbury	...	Herself
Brian Tochi	...	Himself
Lily Tomlin	...	Herself
Robert Wagner	...	Himself
Ray Walston	...	Himself
Bruce Willis	...	Himself
Marvin Young	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Althea Gibson	...	Herself (uncredited)
Ted Hartley	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Jack Jason	...	Himself (uncredited)
James McLindon	...	Jim the Writer (uncredited)
Derek Raser	...	Studio Mail Driver (uncredited)
Scott Shaw	...	Himself (uncredited)
Patrick Swayze	...	Himself (uncredited)
Dan Twyman	...	Funeral Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Altman

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Tolkin		(screenplay)
Michael Tolkin		(novel "The Player")

Produced by
Cary Brokaw	....	executive producer
David Brown	....	producer
Scott Bushnell	....	co-producer
William S. Gilmore	....	co-executive producer
David Levy	....	associate producer
Michael Tolkin	....	producer
Nick Wechsler	....	producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman		(music by)

Cinematography by
Jean Lépine		(director of photography) (as Jean Lepine)

Film Editing by
Maysie Hoy
Geraldine Peroni

Production Design by
Stephen Altman

Art Direction by
Jerry Fleming

Set Decoration by
Susan Emshwiller

Costume Design by
Alexander Julian		(wardrobe designer)

Makeup Department
Deborah K. Larsen	....	makeup artist (as Deborah Larsen)
Scott Williams	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Jim Chesney	....	production supervisor
Tom Udell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
C.C. Barnes	....	second assistant director (as CC Barnes)
Allan F. Nicholls	....	first assistant director (as Allan Nicholls)

Art Department
Matthew R. Altman	....	set dresser (as Matthew Altman)
John Beauvais	....	scenic painter
Peter Borck	....	leadman
Charles Bragg	....	title painting
John Bucklin	....	set dresser
Thomas Calloway	....	carpenter
Sydney Cooper	....	artwork
Loren Corney	....	construction coordinator
John Evans	....	carpenter
Kenny Funk	....	carpenter (as Kenneth Funk)
Michelle Guastello	....	art department coordinator (as Michele Guastello)
Julie Heuer	....	assistant property master
Justin Kritzer	....	carpenter
Darryl Lee	....	carpenter
Chris Marneus	....	carpenter
Patrick Maurer	....	construction foreman (as Pat Maurer)
James Monroe	....	property master
Mario Pérez	....	swing gang (as Mario Perez)
Ricky Riggs	....	painter
David Ronan	....	set dresser
Daniel C. Rothenberg	....	swing gang (as Daniel Rothenberg)
Jim Samson	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Kenneth R. Burton	....	sound effects editor (as Ken Burton)
Robert Deschaine	....	foley mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
Rich Gooch	....	recordist
Joseph Holsen	....	dialogue editor
Paul Holzborn	....	foley artist (as Paul Holtzborn)
Matthew Iadarola	....	re-recording mixer
David Jobe	....	foley recordist
Stanley Kastner	....	re-recording mixer
Edmund J. Lachmann	....	dialogue editor (as Ed Lachmann)
John Post	....	foley artist
John Pritchett	....	production sound mixer
Michael P. Redbourn	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Redbourn)
Joel Shryack	....	boom operator
Emily Smith-Baker	....	cable puller
Bill Ward	....	assistant sound editor
John Rotondi	....	sound engineer: Y4 (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John C. Hartigan	....	special effects (as John Hartigan)

Stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Reed Altman	....	first assistant camera
Robert Bruce	....	electrician
Andy Day	....	best boy electric (as Andrew Day)
Val DeSalvo	....	electrician (as Val De Salvo)
Kevin Fahey	....	grip
Michael James Fahey	....	best boy grip (as Michael J. Fahey)
Craig Finetti	....	third assistant camera
Scott Hollander	....	grip (as Scott 'El Gato' Hollander)
Anthony T. Marra II	....	key grip
Daniel Cary McCrystal	....	second assistant camera (as Cary McKrystal)
Tom McGrath	....	electrician
Don Muchow	....	gaffer
Tim Nash	....	grip
Chris Reddish	....	electrician
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Wayne Stroud	....	dolly grip
Scott Hamilton	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Al Luis	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Angela Billows	....	wardrobe assistant
Vickie Brinkford	....	wardrobe assistant (as Vicki Brinkkord)
Lydia Tanji	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Alisa Hale	....	second assistant editor
Bob Hart	....	negative cutter
A. Michelle Page	....	assistant editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer (as Michael Stanwick)
Dylan Tichenor	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Bill Bernstein	....	music editor
Thomas Pasatieri	....	orchestrator
John Vigran	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Chris Armstrong	....	driver (as Christopher Armstrong)
Ron Chesney	....	driver
Steve Earle	....	driver
Don Feeney	....	driver
D.J. Gardiner	....	driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator
J.T. Thayer	....	transportation captain (as 'J.T.' Thayer)
Gregg Willis	....	driver (as Greg Willis)

Other crew
Alison Balian	....	assistant: Nick Wechsler
Andrea Berty	....	craft service
Angie Bonner	....	production assistant
Paul D. Boydston	....	assistant location manager (as Paul Boydston)
Jim Brockett	....	animal trainer
John O. Brown III	....	production assistant (as John Brown III)
Betsy Chasse	....	assistant coordinator
Stacy Cohen	....	production secretary
Celia Converse	....	representative: Sandcastle 5
Signe Corriere	....	production assistant
Steve Day	....	production assistant
Kimberly Edwards	....	production accountant (as Kimberly Edwards Shapiro)
Judy Geletko	....	additional accounting services
Robin Hage	....	assistant: Cary Brokaw
Sheri Halfon	....	financial representative: Avenue
Pamela Hedley	....	production executive
Cynthia Hill	....	production coordinator
Kelly Householder	....	production assistant
Lawrence Karman	....	karaoke videos (as Larry 'Doc' Karman)
Jack Kney	....	location manager
Danielle Knight	....	assistant: Cary Brokaw
Cheryl Kurk	....	assistant accountant
Claudia Lewis	....	production executive
Stuart McCauley	....	craft service
James McLindon	....	assistant: Robert Altman (as Jim McLindon)
Tom Moore	....	set medic
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Carole Starkes	....	script supervisor
Andrew Varela	....	promotions arranger
Catherine Webb	....	post-production accountant
Michael Hubert	....	assistant coordinator (uncredited)
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Chris Paine	....	assistant to writer and producer (uncredited)

Thanks
Janis Dinwiddie	....	special thanks
Mark Eisen	....	special thanks
Morgan Entrekin	....	special thanks
Luis Estevez	....	special thanks
Bob Flick	....	special thanks: Entertainment Tonight
Suzanne Goldman	....	special thanks
Gerald Greenbach	....	special thanks: Two Bunch Palms
Ron Haver	....	special thanks
Randy Honaker	....	special thanks
Julie Johnston	....	special thanks
Patrick Murray	....	special thanks
Toyoko Nezu	....	special thanks
Mimi Rabinowitz	....	special thanks
Steve Trombatore	....	special thanks: All Payments

Production Companies

• Avenue Pictures Productions (as Avenue Pictures) (presents)
• Spelling Entertainment (in association with)
• Addis Wechsler Pictures (as David Brown/Addis-Wechsler)
• Guild (uncredited)

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Les Films Number One (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Voyager Company, The (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• New Line Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Cipa (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• All Payments Services  special thanks (as All Payments)
• Artis Security  location security
• Bally  special thanks
• Baseline Type & Graphics  special thanks (as Baselne)
• Clein & White  publicity
• Clein + White  publicity (as Clein + White, Inc.)
• Design America  special thanks
• Entertainment Tonight  special thanks
• Film Finance  completion bond (as Film Finances, Inc.)
• GeoWorks  special thanks
• Land Rover of North America  special thanks (as Range Rover of North America)
• Les Hooper Orchestra, The  special thanks
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art  special thanks (as The Los Angeles County Museum Of Art )
• Los Angeles Marathon  special thanks (as L.A. Marathon)
• Magic Casting  extras casting
• Marchon  special thanks
• Marcolin Eye Wear  special thanks
• Mercer Titles & Optical Effects Ltd.  titles and opticals (as Mercer Titles & Optical)
• Reebok  special thanks
• Richard Feiner & Co. Inc.  special thanks: The Bicycle Thief
• Rick Brainin Catering Inc.  catering (as Rick Brainin Catering)
• Sinclair, Tenenbaum, Emanuel & Fleer  legal services (as Sinclair Tennenbaum & Co.)
• Skywalker Sound  re-recording facilities (A Division of LucasArts Entertainment Company)
• Spinneybeck  special thanks
• The Daiwa Bank Ltd.  financing provided by
• Two Bunch Palms  special thanks
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Wyman & Isaacs  legal services

MPAA:

Rated R for language, and for some sensuality.

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | USA:R (certificate #31599) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Argyle Hotel - 8358 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Avenue Pictures Productions

Trivia:

Cher's appearance at the awards ceremony in a bright red dress, despite the invitation specifying "black and white only”, may be a direct homage to a real occasion when Norma Shearer appeared in a similar dress at the annual Hollywood Black & White Ball.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Griffin opens his door to get out and kill the snake, you can see the entire crew, camera, and lights reflected in the door.

Quotes:

Malcolm McDowell: If you've got something to say about me; say it to my face, not behind my back.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#26.8)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

PRECIOUS

Joe Gillis calling...

"Players only love you when they're playing." --Stevie Nicks

Griffin Mill, whose name has a kind of ersatz Hollywood feel to it (cf., D. W. Griffith/Cecil B. De Mille), is not a player with hearts so much as a player with dreams. He is a young and powerful film exec who hears thousands of movie pitches a year, but can only buy twelve. So he must do a lot of dissembling, not to mention outright lying, along with saying "We'll get back to you," etc. This is what he especially must say to writers. And sometimes they hold a grudge. In this case one of the rejected writers begins to stalk Griffin Mill and send him threatening postcards. And so the plot begins.

Tim Robbins, in a creative tour de force, plays Griffin Mill with such a delightful, ironic charm that we cannot help but identify with him even as he violates several layers of human trust. The script by Michael Tolkin smoothly combines the best elements of a thriller with a kind of Terry Southern satirical intent that keeps us totally engrossed throughout. The direction by Robert Altman is full of inside Hollywood jokes and remembrances, including cameos by dozens of Hollywood stars, some of whom get to say nasty things about producers. The scenes are well-planned and then infused with witty asides. The tampon scene at police headquarters with Whoopi Goldberg is an hilarious case in point, while the sequence of scenes from Greta Scacchi's character's house to the manslaughter scene outside the Pasadena Rialto, is wonderfully conceived and nicely cut. Also memorable is the all black and white dress dinner scene in which Cher is the only person in red, a kind of mean or silly joke, depending on your perspective. During the same scene Mill gives a little speech in which he avers that "movies are art," a statement that amounts to sardonic irony since, as a greedy producer, he cares nothing at all about art, but only about box office success. His words also form a kind of dramatic irony when one realizes that this movie itself really is a work of art. As Altman observes in a trailing clip, the movie "becomes itself." The Machiavellian ending illustrates this with an almost miraculous dovetailing. This is the kind of script that turns most screen writers Kermit-green with envy.

Incidentally, Joe Gillis, the Hollywood writer played by William Holden in Sunset Boulevard--personifying all unsuccessful screen writers--actually does call during the movie, but Mill doesn't recognize the name and has to be told he is being put on, further revealing the narrow confines of his character.

In short, this is a wonderfully clever, diabolically cynical satire of Hollywood and the movie industry. This is one of those movies that, if you care anything at all about film, you must see. Period. It is especially delicious if you hate Hollywood. It is also one of the best movies ever made about Hollywood, to be ranked up there with A Star is Born (1937) (Janet Gaynor, Fredric March); Sunset Boulevard (1950); A Star is Born (1954) (Judy Garland, James Mason); and Postcards from the Edge (1990).

I must add that in the annals of film, this has to go down as one of the best Hollywood movies not to win a single Academy Award, although it was nominated for three: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing. I suspect the Academy felt that the satire hit a little too close to home for comfort.