Swing Kids (1993)

Director:

Thomas Carter

Writer (WGA):

Jonathan Marc Feldman (written by)

Release Date:

5 March 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

In a world on the brink of war. You either march to one tune or dance to another.

Plot:

The story of a close-knit group of young kids in Nazi Germany who listen to banned swing music from the US...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Swing | Germany | Suicide | Friendship Between Men

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Sean Leonard	...	Peter Müller
Christian Bale	...	Thomas Berger
Frank Whaley	...	Arvid
Barbara Hershey	...	Frau Müller
Tushka Bergen	...	Evey
David Tom	...	Willi Müller
Julia Stemberger	...	Frau Linge
Jayce Bartok	...	Otto
Noah Wyle	...	Emil Lutz
Johan Leysen	...	Herr Schumler
Douglas Roberts	...	Herr Hinz
Martin Clunes	...	Bannführer
Jessica Hynes	...	Helga (as Jessica Stevenson)
Carl Brincat	...	H.J. Thug
Mary Fogarty	...	Mama Klara Müller (as Mary Fogerty)
Karel Belohradský	...	Bismarck Owner
Peter Baikie	...	Bismarck Bandleader
Jennifer Chamberlain	...	Swing Girl with Thomas
Lucie Vackárová	...	Swing Girl with Peter
Katerina Danková	...	Evey's School Friend
Magdalena Chrzová	...	Evey's School Friend
Jirí Malek	...	Jewish Boy
Metin Yenal	...	Customer in Bookshop
Arthur White	...	Alberti
Marek Libert	...	Whistling H.J.
Nada Konvalinková	...	Pastry Shop Woman
Petr Jákl	...	Policeman in Marketplace
David Robb	...	Dr. Dietrich Berger
Ciaran Madden	...	Frau Berger
John Streitburger	...	Dr. Keppler
Hana Cízková	...	Frau Keppler
Petr Lepsa	...	Cafe Trichter Owner
Warnar Van Eeden	...	Cafe Trichter Bandleader
Andrew Kitchen	...	Gestapo at Cafe Trichter
Jeremy Bulloch	...	Small Club Owner
Joseph Bennett	...	Luftwaffe Pilot
Roman Janousek	...	Luftwaffe Pilot
Richard Hanson	...	H.J. Fink
Sean Pertwee	...	Gestapo Arresting Berger
Sarka Horcikova	...	Berger's Maid
Jochen Horst	...	Speaker at H.J. Rally
Vladimír Matejcek	...	Funeral Pastor
John Pirkis	...	Gestapo with Ashes (as John Duval)
Marie Vorlova	...	Woman #1 with Ashes
Eliza Clark	...	Girl with Ashes
Kate Buffery	...	Woman #2 with Ashes
Sabine Skalla	...	Cafe Bismarck Singer
Liam Burke	...	Featured Dancer (as Billy Burke)
Sven Daum	...	Featured Dancer
Gregorey Garrison	...	Featured Dancer
Ulf Garritzmann	...	Featured Dancer
Ideal Getinkaya	...	Featured Dancer
Ines Goritz	...	Featured Dancer
Bettina Heyroth	...	Featured Dancer
Dita Kalibova	...	Featured Dancer
Dana Kopacova	...	Featured Dancer
Britta Krause	...	Featured Dancer
Ivan Landa	...	Featured Dancer
Tomas Mesner	...	Featured Dancer
Anna Montanaro	...	Featured Dancer
Cathy Murdoch	...	Featured Dancer
Vaclav Muska	...	Featured Dancer
Melinda O'Connor	...	Featured Dancer
Julie Oram	...	Featured Dancer
Tessa Pattani	...	Featured Dancer
Lenka Pesatova	...	Featured Dancer
Simon Shelton	...	Featured Dancer
Tini Stoll	...	Featured Dancer
Pavel Svoboda	...	Featured Dancer
Freya Trampert	...	Featured Dancer
Klara Vejvodova	...	Featured Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mickey Blaine	...	Swing Kid #6 (uncredited)
Kenneth Branagh	...	Herr Knopp, Gestapo (uncredited)
Paul Covington	...	Luftwaffe Officer (uncredited)
Christopher Yohe	...	Swing Kid #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Thomas Carter

Writing credits (WGA)
Jonathan Marc Feldman		(written by)

Produced by
Harry Benn	....	co-producer
Mark Gordon	....	producer
John Bard Manulis	....	producer
Frank Marshall	....	executive producer
Christopher Meledandri	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Jerzy Zielinski

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Casting by
Deborah Aquila

Production Design by
Allan Cameron

Art Direction by
Tony Reading
Steve Spence

Set Decoration by
Ros Shingleton

Costume Design by
Jenny Beavan

Makeup Department
Paul Engelen	....	key makeup artist
Colin Jamison	....	key hair stylist
Jan Jamison	....	hair stylist
Ales Kocian	....	makeup artist: Prague
Tereza Kolihova	....	hair stylist: Prague
Ivana Korcikova	....	hair stylist: Prague

Production Management
Jan Balzer	....	production supervisor: Prague
Jaroslav Kucera	....	assistant production manager: Prague
Oldrich Mach	....	production manager: Prague
Michal Prikryl	....	assistant production manager: Prague
Tom Sachs	....	unit production manager
Katerina Schauerová	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Fuller	....	trainee assistant director
Marcia Gay	....	second assistant director
Krystof Hanzlík	....	assistant director: Prague
Zbynek Honzík	....	crowd assistant director: Prague
David B. Householter	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Alan Booth	....	construction coordinator
Gary Dawson	....	property master
Michal Krska	....	art director: Prague
Pavel Nový	....	construction manager
Olga Rosenfelderova	....	assistant art director: Prague
Peter Rutherford	....	production buyer
Karel Vanásek	....	property master: Prague
David Wescott	....	standby painter
Michael White	....	storyboard artist
Jan Zeman	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Don Banks	....	boom operator: UK
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tomas Cervenka	....	cable person
Midge Costin	....	sound editor
Marva Fucci	....	assistant sound editor
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Howell Gibbens	....	sound editor
Matthew Harrison	....	foley editor (as Matt Harrison)
Allen Hurd	....	sound recordist
Suhail Kafity	....	sound editor
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
R.J. Kizer	....	supervising adr editor
Victoria Martin	....	foley artist
Victoria Martin	....	foley editor
F. Hudson Miller	....	sound editor
Maggie Ostroff	....	assistant sound editor
R.J. Palmer	....	sound editor
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	assistant sound editor
Ivan Sharrock	....	production sound mixer
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Denise Whiting	....	adr editor (as Denise Whiting-Gontz)
David Williams	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Garth Inns	....	special effects coordinator
Garth Inns	....	special effects supervisor
Jirí Vater	....	special effects assistant: Prague

Stunts
Marc Boyle	....	stunt coordinator
Pavel Cajzl	....	stunts
Gerry Crampton	....	stunts
David Cronnelly	....	stunts
Dusan Hyska	....	stunts
Paul Jennings	....	stunts
Yirka Kraus	....	stunts
Jan Petrina	....	stunts
Mark Southworth	....	stunts
Eddie Stacey	....	stunts
Joey Box	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Bridges	....	second assistant camera
Ivan Chalupa	....	grip: Prague
George Cole	....	gaffer
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
Sean Connor	....	clapper loader (as Sean Conner)
Jim Coward	....	generator operator
Martin Hume	....	camera operator
George Hunt	....	best boy electric
Nigel Kirton	....	Steadicam operator
Lukas Klika	....	grip: Prague
Antonin Marik	....	assistant camera: Prague second unit
Antonin Marik	....	focus puller
Miroslav Ptack	....	rigger: Prague
Luke Quigley	....	dolly grip
Lubos Simecek	....	gaffer: Prague
Tony Spratling	....	camera operator: second unit
Pavel Stark	....	electrician: Prague
Petr Sulc	....	electrician: Prague
Jiri Svenha	....	best boy electric: Prague
John Turner	....	electrician
Jaroslav Ungr	....	grip: Prague
Jirí Vrána	....	electrician: Prague
Tim Wooster	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Alison Zimet Danese	....	casting associate: USA
Noel Davis	....	casting: UK
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Eva Kadankova	....	casting: Prague
Suzanna Marley	....	casting associate: UK
Jane Shannon-Smith	....	casting associate: USA
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting
Jeremy Zimmermann	....	casting: UK (as Jeremy Zimmerman)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ron Beck	....	wardrobe master
Iva Bártová	....	wardrobe mistress: Prague
Hana Kucerova	....	wardrobe assistant: Prague
Miroslava Sedlackova	....	wardrobe assistant: Prague
Jana Smetanova	....	wardrobe assistant: Prague
Janet Tebrooke	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Randy Bricker	....	apprentice editor
Tristan M. Brighty	....	first assistant film editor
Richard Candib	....	additional editor
Kate Crossley	....	apprentice editor
Sarah Flack	....	apprentice editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer
Jack Hofstra	....	additional editor
George Komrower	....	apprentice editor: Prague
Alexandra Leviloff	....	assistant film editor
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Christy Richmond	....	assistant film editor
Karen I. Stern	....	additional editor
Sherry Stockler	....	apprentice editor
Patrick Paul Mullane	....	apprentice film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Chris Boardman	....	music arranger
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Jonathan Marc Feldman	....	executive music producer
Slim Gaillard	....	composer: song "Flat Foot Floogie"
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising music editor
Robert Kraft	....	music re-recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Joe E. Rand	....	music editor
Eric Reasoner	....	supervising music editor
Joel Rosenbaum	....	orchestrator
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Slam Stewart	....	composer: song "Flat Foot Floogie"
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn
Fletcher Henderson	....	music arranger (uncredited)
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
Blake Martin Moulin	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Brian Estabrook	....	transportation captain: UK

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach: Kenneth Branagh
Cynthia Berry	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Andy Birmingham	....	production accountant
Jean Bourne	....	script supervisor
Dominick J. Daniels	....	actor liaison
Val Demeter	....	location coordinator
Zdenek Fiala	....	location manager: Prague
Holly Harold	....	assistant: Mr. Carter
Elizabeth Hawkins	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon & Mr. Manulis, Prague
Jiri Husak	....	production assistant
Nelly Jencíková	....	production accountant
Elizabeth Joseph	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon and Mr. Manulis
Burke Mattsson	....	title designer
Cynthia Neipris	....	assistant: Mr. Gordon and Mr. Manulis
Eva Nietschová	....	second assistant accountant
Frantisek Novotny	....	production assistant: Prague
Pavel Nový	....	location manager
Nancy Beth Orr	....	dancer
Allyn Partin	....	assistant dialect coach
Ivo Pavelek	....	location manager: Prague
Sally Prager	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Pavlina Prikrylova	....	production secretary
Otis Sallid	....	choreographer
Gail Samuelson	....	production coordinator
Adam Shulman	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Petr Skvor	....	production assistant
Jonathan Southard	....	researcher
Martin Stanék	....	interpreter
Lisa Marie Stetler	....	production assistant: Los Angeles (as Lisa Stetler)
Lindsay Sturman	....	production assistant: Los Angeles (as Lindsay Jewett)
Dita Valentinova	....	set interpreter
Gina D'Orazio	....	assistant: Frank Marshall (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hollywood Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1993) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1993) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1993) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1993) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Gativideo (1993) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Barrandov Studios  studio facilities provided by
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Walt Disney Pictures and Television  for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom this picture was created by

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and some language

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14

Filming Locations:

Prague, Czech Republic

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Kenneth Branagh is reported to have refused any billing at all rather than be billed above Christian Bale and the other boys who he said were the stars of the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In an establishing shot just after the Nazis steal the radio, the rear half of a Vauxhall Wyvern can be seen parked on the street; this car was not introduced until 1948.

Quotes:

[Peter has been arrested]
Herr Knopp, Gestapo:Such a waste. So much passion, for nothing.
Peter:It don't mean a thing, if it ain't got that swing! Do wop do wop
[Peter is taken away]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Outlaw (#6.19)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

FLAT FOOT FLOOGEE

entertaining and poignant, a great film

I'm a History teacher and we use Swing Kids as an introduction to the topic of alternative youth groups in Nazi Germany. I'm not saying that the film is 100% accurate, obviously some dramatic licence has to be taken, but its not far off. Many people on this site have questioned the accuracy, and validity of the film, especially mentioning the lack of consideration of the treatment of the Jews. However that is not what this film is about (if that is what you want see The Pianist or Schindler's List - also excellent films).

This film is looking at how some German youths avoided the Hitler Youth and the nazi regime insofar as they could, and what they spent their time doing (dancing, listening to swing music and being with their friends).It does show some useful aspects about how the Hitler Youth were expected to behave and the propaganda they were exposed to, as well as about swing youth and their attitude to the regime.It is an entertaining and poignant film which explores friendship,romance and growing up against the backdrop of one of the most vilified periods in modern history

Basically Swing Kids does what it does well. Maybe it isn't a Schindler's List, but it does have its merits.Watch it and you'll find them!

BTW - could I just point out, many people on here have referred to the Holocaust, as though it is interchangeable with the Nazi regime, and have used the phrase in their reviews. Just to clear up this: the holocaust specifically refers to the gassing of Jews at extermination camps from 1942 onwards, essentially the Final Solution. As this film is set in 1939 it is prior to this.