Simple Men (1992)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Hal Hartley

Writer:

Hal Hartley (writer)

Release Date:

14 October 1992 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

There's no such thing as adventure and romance, only trouble and desire.

Plot:

Bitter about being double-crossed by the women he loved, (and with the police after him to boot), Bill vows to seduce the next woman he sees...

Plot Keywords:

Catholic Schoolgirl | Brother Brother Relationship | Nun | Long Island New York | Motorcycle

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Robert John Burke	...	Bill McCabe (as Robert Burke)
Bill Sage	...	Dennis McCabe
Karen Sillas	...	Kate
Elina Löwensohn	...	Elina
Martin Donovan	...	Martin
Mark Chandler Bailey	...	Mike (as Mark Bailey)
Chris Cooke	...	Vic
Jeffrey Howard	...	Ned Rifle
Holly Marie Combs	...	Kim
Joe Stevens	...	Jack
Damian Young	...	Sheriff
Marietta Marich	...	Mom (Meg)
John MacKay	...	Dad
Bethany Wright	...	Mary
Richard Reyes	...	Security Guard

Also Known As:

Uomini semplici (Italy)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Italy | UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

"There's no such thing as adventure. There's no such thing as romance. There's only trouble and desire." It's probably the best-known phrase of this movie, but actually it's a quote from 'Lang, Fritz''s movie _Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (1922)_.

Quotes:

Ned: What is that thing?
Bill: That's the Blessed Virgin, Ned.
Ned: She's pretty, huh?
Bill: Not only is she pretty, but she's got a nice personality, and she's the mother of God.

Movie Connections:

References Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (1922)

Soundtrack:

Some Kinda Fatigue

A Simple Joy

Hartley has here created a near masterpiece; a wonderful, autumnally atmospheric and deeply human film. The usual quirks are there (the cyclical dialogues, the silences) but it is imbued with a warmth and love that makes the film unmissable. The fragile nature of relationships comes under the directors scrutiny as two brothers spend a couple of days in Long Island. The all night drinking scene complete with a dance routine to Sonic Youth's "Kool Thing" captures that dusk to dawn and too much Jack Daniels feel as well as any film I have ever seen. But, it is the closing scene which clinches it, a heart stoppingly romantic yet equally depressing end which asserts that through the pains of life, through the "trouble and desire" there is always a belief in other people that can keep us going. Life affirming (without being a saccharine "feel good" movie) and truly wonderful