Maverick (1994)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers (WGA):

Roy Huggins (television series Maverick)
William Goldman (written by)

Release Date:

20 May 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

The greatest gambler in the West has finally met his match.

Plot:

Bret Maverick, needing money for a poker tournament, faces various comic mishaps and challenges, including a charming woman thief.

Plot Keywords:

Poker | Gambling | Commodore | Card | Russian

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Bret Maverick
Jodie Foster	...	Annabelle Bransford
James Garner	...	Marshal Zane Cooper
Graham Greene	...	Joseph
Alfred Molina	...	Angel
James Coburn	...	Commodore Duvall
Dub Taylor	...	Room Clerk
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Matthew Wicker / Eugene, Banker
Paul L. Smith	...	The Archduke
Dan Hedaya	...	Twitchy, Riverboat Poker Player
Dennis Fimple	...	Stuttering
Denver Pyle	...	Old Gambler on Riverboat
Clint Black	...	Sweet-Faced Gambler
Max Perlich	...	Johnny Hardin
Art LaFleur	...	Poker Player (as Art La Fleur)
Leo Gordon	...	Poker Player (as Leo V. Gordon)
Paul Tuerpe	...	Poker Player
Jean De Baer	...	Mary Margret
Paul Brinegar	...	Stage Driver
Hal Ketchum	...	Bank Robber
Corey Feldman	...	Bank Robber
John M. Woodward	...	Bank Robber (as John Woodward)
Jesse Eric Carroll	...	Stable Boy
Toshonnie Touchin	...	Stable Boy
John Meier	...	Unshaven Man
Steven Chambers	...	Unshaven Man (as Steve Chambers)
Doc Duhame	...	Unshaven Man
Frank Orsatti	...	Unshaven Man
Lauren Shuler Donner	...	Mrs. D., Bathhouse Maid (as Lauren Shuler-Donner)
Courtney Barilla	...	Music Box Girl
Kimberly Cullum	...	Music Box Girl
Gary Richard Frank	...	Crooked Dealer
Read Morgan	...	Dealer
Steve Kahan	...	Dealer
Stephen Liska	...	Dealer
Robert Jones	...	Bank Employee
J. Mills Goodloe	...	Telegraph Operator (as John Mills Goodloe)
Vilmos Zsigmond	...	Albert Bierstadt
Waylon Jennings	...	Man with Concealed Guns
Kathy Mattea	...	Woman with Concealed Guns
Carlene Carter	...	Waitress
Vince Gill	...	Spectator
Janis Oliver Gill	...	Spectator (as Janice Gill)
William Smith	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Chuck Hart	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Doug McClure	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Henry Darrow	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Michael Paul Chan	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Richard Blum	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Bert Remsen	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Robert Fuller	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Donal Gibson	...	Riverboat Poker Player
William Marshall	...	Riverboat Poker Player
Bill Henderson	...	Riverboat Poker Player (as Bill Handerson)
Cal Bartlett	...	Riverboat Poker Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Dolan	...	(unconfirmed)
Linda Hunt	...	The Magician (scenes deleted)
Charles Dierkop	...	Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
James Drury	...	Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)
John Fogerty	...	Street Spectator (uncredited)
Michael Forte	...	Bath House Guest (uncredited)
Patrick Fullerton	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Jack Garner	...	Porter (uncredited)
Danny Glover	...	Bank Robber (uncredited)
Will Hutchins	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Bob Jennings	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Rick Jensen	...	Lauren Belle Passenger (uncredited)
Margot Kidder	...	Margret Mary (uncredited)
Reba McEntire	...	Spectator (uncredited)
John Otrin	...	Riverboat Spectator (uncredited)
Don Stark	...	Riverboat Poker Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner

Writing credits (WGA)
Roy Huggins		(television series Maverick)
William Goldman		(written by)

Produced by
Alexander B. Collett	....	associate producer
Bruce Davey	....	producer
Richard Donner	....	producer
Jim Van Wyck	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Randy Newman

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Stuart Baird
Michael Kelly		(as Mike Kelly)

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
Thomas E. Sanders		(as Tom Sanders)

Art Direction by
Daniel T. Dorrance		(as Daniel Dorrance)

Set Decoration by
Lisa Dean

Costume Design by
April Ferry

Makeup Department
Michael Hancock	....	makeup supervisor
Charlene Johnson	....	key hair stylist
Christine Lee	....	key hair stylist (as Chris Lee)
Elaine Short	....	hair stylist: Ms. Foster

Production Management
R. Anthony Brown	....	unit production manager (as Tony Brown)
Geno Escarrega	....	post-production supervisor
Jim Lemley	....	production manager: second unit
Jim Lemley	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew M. Flinn	....	second assistant director: second unit
Michael L. Holland	....	second second assistant director
Hayley H. Hsu	....	second second assistant director
Terry Leonard	....	second unit director
Princess O'Mahoney	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mic Rodgers	....	second unit director
John G. Scotti	....	second assistant director (as John C. Scotti)
Alisa Statman	....	second second assistant director
Jim Van Wyck	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Richard Crain	....	propmaker
Nathan Crowley	....	assistant art director
Oscar Delgadillo	....	set dressing gang boss
Ken Erck	....	set painter
Sean Fong	....	set dresser
Matt Furginson	....	on-set dresser (as F. Matthew Furginson)
David Gabrielli	....	construction foreman
Joseph A. Hodges	....	set designer
Jim C. Johnson	....	set dresser
Kent Jones	....	paint foreman
Larry Lennert	....	greens foreman
Robert Misetich	....	stand-by painter
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
David P. Newell	....	assistant propmaster (as David Newell)
John Root	....	signwriter supervisor
Marc Rosenblatt	....	painter
Marvin Salsberg	....	construction coordinator
Hugo Santiago	....	set designer
Christopher E. Schmid	....	greens foreman
Sean Skelding	....	set dressing
Bruce G. Smith	....	paint foreman
Penelope Rene Stames	....	lead man
Kenneth L. Westcott	....	lead man (as Ken Wescott)
Helen Wilson	....	seamstress
Ken Abraham	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ron Ashmore	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
Gina B. Cranham	....	set designer (uncredited)
Carl Robarge	....	molder/caster (uncredited)
Kai Shelton	....	painter (uncredited)
Randy Syracuse	....	construction foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Bub Asman	....	sound editor
William C. Carruth	....	adr editor (as William Carruth)
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	sound editor (as Virginia A. Cook)
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor (as Samuel Crutcher)
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor (as Greg Dillion)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Friedman	....	adr editor
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor
David L. Horton Jr.	....	foley editor (as David Horton Jr.)
David M. Horton	....	sound editor (as David Horton)
Jerry Jacobson	....	sound editor
Billy King	....	boom operator
Clark King	....	production sound mixer
James J. Klinger	....	sound editor (as Jim Klinger)
Darrin Martin	....	sound editor
Lisa Peters	....	sound editor
James Simcik	....	supervising adr editor
Dean St. John	....	adr recordist
Allen L. Stone	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott A. Tinsley	....	foley editor (as Scott Tinsley)
Robert Ulrich	....	adr editor
Brooke Henderson Ward	....	sound editor (as Brooke Ward)
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Walt Conti	....	rattlesnake effects supervisor
Bruce Y. Kuroyama	....	special effects (as Bruce Kuroyama)
Steve Luport	....	special effects
Robert Simokovic	....	special effects (as Bob Simokovic)
Neil Smith	....	special effects
Bob Stoker	....	special effects
Lucinda Strub	....	special effects
Matt Sweeney	....	special effects coordinator
Ty Boyce	....	animatronic designer (uncredited)
Ty Boyce	....	animatronic operator (uncredited)
Tony Centonze	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Jeff J. Davis	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alia Agha	....	visual effects coordinator: ILM (as Alia Almeida Agha)
Rob Coleman	....	computer graphics animator: ILM
Carl N. Frederick	....	computer graphics supervisor: ILM
Bill Mather	....	digital matte artist: ILM
Roni McKinley	....	visual effects producer: ILM
Steve Price	....	visual effects supervisor: ILM
Yusei Uesugi	....	digital matte artist: ILM
Bruce Vecchitto	....	digital timing supervisor: ILM
Ronn Brown	....	digital matte assistant (uncredited)
Patrick Phillips	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Olivier Sarda	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Matt Connors	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Richard M. Ellis	....	stunts (as Richard Ellis)
Thomas Robinson Harper	....	stunts (as Tom Harper)
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt coordinator
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Dean Smith	....	stunts
Jill Stokesberry	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt double: Mel Gibson (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunt double: James Garner (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William D. Barber	....	camera operator: second unit
Steve Chase	....	dolly grip: second unit
Michael A. Chavez	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Mike Chavez)
John J. Connor	....	director of photography: second unit (as John Connor)
John T. Connor	....	assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
Glenn Corbett	....	rigging gaffer
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Ray Del La Motte)
Dick Deats	....	key grip (as Richard Deats)
Jerry C. Deats	....	grip
Antonio V. Garrido	....	dolly grip (as Antonio Garrido)
David G. George	....	video assist operator: second unit
Norman Glasser	....	chief lighting technician
Martin Glover	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Wes Houle	....	rigging gaffer
Wes Houle	....	set electrician
Frank R. Jimenez Jr.	....	lamp operator
Mansur Johnson	....	grip
Jerry D. Knight	....	electrician
David R. Kohn	....	lighting technician
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip
Patrick Marshall	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Pat Marshall)
Michael E. Matteson	....	best boy (as Michael Matteson)
Mark Mele	....	rigging electrician
Ken Nishino	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera
Neal Norton	....	camera operator: "b" camera
John O'Connor	....	film loader
Dennis Seawright	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Gary W. Shaw	....	electrician
Wayne Tidwell	....	video assist operator
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Kelly Way	....	electrician: ORE unit
Julian Whatley	....	assistant camera
Leonard Romie	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Shannon Dunn	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James P. Cullen	....	costumer
Lois DeArmond	....	assistant costume designer
Alexandria Forster	....	costumer
Lyle Glazer	....	set costumer (as Lyle Morse)
Linda Henrikson	....	costume supervisor (as Linda Hendrikson)
Paul Lopez	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Luis Colina	....	associate editor
Kristen Helsing	....	second assistant editor
Charles Ireland	....	assistant film editor
William J. Meshover	....	assistant film editor (as Billy Meshover)
Michael Moore	....	assistant film editor
Michael Moore	....	assistant editor
Jud Nealon	....	assistant film editor
Dallas Puett	....	additional editor
Mary Ann Skweres	....	assistant film editor
Kevin Stitt	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Christopher Brooks	....	music editor
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant music editor
Don Davis	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
George Doering	....	musician
Steve Dorff	....	music pre-record supervisor
Larry Fitzgerald	....	music supervisor
James Flamberg	....	score producer
Mark Hartley	....	music supervisor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Larry Herbstritt	....	music arranger: riverboat music
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba
Helena Lea	....	assistant music editor
Maria Newman	....	musician
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn
Frank Wolf	....	score mixer
Frank Wolf	....	score recordist

Transportation Department
Richard Burch	....	driver: insert car
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Jerry Cipperly	....	transportation captain
Lonnie Craig	....	driver
Michael Forte	....	driver: Mel Gibson
Ted Moser	....	transportation captain
Phil Strauss	....	transportation
John M. Woodward	....	transportation coordinator (as John Woodward)

Other crew
Michael Beche	....	location manager
Jim Brockett	....	animal trainer
Christopher Brown	....	staff assistant
Timothy A. Burris	....	assistant accountant
D'Ann Connelly	....	location manager
Glenn Richard Côté	....	staff assistant
Luis Delgado	....	assistant: Mr. Garner
Chris Silver Finigan	....	production accountant
Patti Ford	....	staff assistant
Billy L. 'Butch' Frank	....	wrangler
Shawn Gillespie	....	first assistant accountant
Stefanie Goldbloom	....	production assistant
J. Mills Goodloe	....	assistant: Mr. Donner (as J Mills Goodloe)
Lisa Greenspan	....	staff assistant
Jennifer Hare	....	assistant: Mr. Davey
Jean Hodges	....	food stylist
Eric Jacobson	....	assistant production secretary
Shauna L. Kroen	....	production accountant
Delfin Labao	....	staff assistant
Patricia LaMagna	....	assistant: Ms. Foster
Shawn Landis	....	staff assistant
Mary LaPlante	....	staff assistant
Amy London	....	staff assistant
Dean Lopata	....	assistant: Mr. Gibson
Uriah S. Lovelycolors	....	staff assistant
Abbie Ludwig	....	staff assistant
Jonas C. Matz	....	first aid (as Jonas Matz)
Jayson Merrill	....	staff assistant
Kari Ann Messina	....	publicist
Cynthia Neber	....	executive assistant: Mr. Donner
Liz Newman	....	production secretary
Marienne O'Brien	....	stitcher
Marque Owen	....	a.s.d.a. observer
George Patterson	....	staff assistant
Maryann Rea	....	staff assistant
David Romano	....	construction accountant
Phil Smith	....	animal trainer
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Rudy Ugland	....	head wrangler
Kristan Wagner	....	location manager
John 'Magic' Wright	....	craft service
Sandra L. Yeary	....	assistant accountant
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant manager (uncredited)
Erica Kissack	....	contact lens technician (uncredited)
David Sousa	....	animal trainer: birds (uncredited)
Scott Stravitz	....	medic: second unit (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions
• Icon Entertainment International
• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Edge Innovations (animatronic rattlesnakes created by)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• Icon Records  soundtrack
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald  title design (as Pittard-Sullivan-Fitzgerald)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild sensuality, language and some western action

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:M (TV rating) | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Beacon Rock, Columbia River Gorge, Washington, USA

Company:

Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions

Trivia:

During the scene where Bret confronts the fake Indians lying drunk around the campfire, one of them calls him "Bart". Bart was the name of Bret's brother on the original "Maverick" (1957) TV Series.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Marshal Cooper leaves the steamboat after stealing the money, the steamboat is clearly stationary; however when the Commodore comes on deck a few seconds later to shoot at Cooper, the paddle wheel is turning and the steamboat clearly is underway.

Quotes:

Mary Margret:[counting money for Maverick] 2,500 2,600 2,800...
Annabelle:[interrupts] 2,700.
Mary Margret:Are you sure?
Annabelle:Oh, I'm sure

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: Matinee" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Renegades, Rebels, and Rogues

The most memorable absurd and rebel Western/Comedy anti-hero film of its era

Maverick is one most favourite Mel Gibson idol, and is truly an American icon. In the western/comedy genre movies of all time cinema history, Maverick comes anyhow in the top-5 list. After the several failures of Red Kit(Lucky Luke)'s cinema adaptation between 1991-1993; Roy Huggins's "Maverick TV-series" of 1950s' had been enriched with the Hanna&Barbera vision of Lucky Luke(1984 TV-cartoon series) to integrate the whole concept of writing a new modern day Maverick by the writer William Goldman. There are a bunch of similarities between these two Western legends, but still Maverick's story was unique and impressive. Here in my review I would much rather talk about this movie itself, instead of its production values. Anyway, if you would like to share your opinions with me and everybody else, visit my message board topic with the title "40 factors that Lucky Luke and Maverick have in common".

Director Donner has preferred a left-in-the-middle Adventure type opening right away in the first scene, as if it's a continuation to Maverick's adventures. His antagonist, performed by British actor Alfred Molina, has left him in a trapped dilemma; that appears to our eyes as Maverick is just about to die. As the widely known old saying says: "A person recalls his life just before he dies" , Maverick starts to tell his story to sum up the reason how he ended up being in that deadly dilemma. Under his narration, we're welcomed to a heart-warmingly told weirdo story. He's been collecting money to enroll in a Poker tournament and travelling the country through several adventures.

What makes Maverick memorable and unique in style is first of all, the mood. There is a political film-noir view that we get every time we meet a new character. Every single character, even the cameos in this movie is so selfish, rebel and against the law. Robbery, racketeering, murder, gambling, bribery, deception is a must-have character profile for all. The sheriff of a town is in debt with fugitives. A credible police chief steals a $500,000 poker tournament prize from his son. A son of a police chief is a bandit. Well, his father known as the most credible police chief in Western America; and he even steals money from his own single child son. Even the most likable Jodie Foster's Annabelle character tries to steal money from everywhere, she fools every man to steal their wallet; even from a dead old poor wagon rider It's very absurd and reasonable at the same time that this is the greatest dreamy Western adventureland ever that the audience is witnessed.

After this great accomplishment, who cares if there are gaps in the plot? Indians might be so friendly(especially after Dances With Wolves, all the American Indians in Western movies somehow has become very friendly). All the bandits might be sappy. Set Designs might be cheap and distracting. Audio and sound effects might be the lowest quality. But still with craggy zigzagged narrated style of editing works perfect, and thus the film always rises unexpected incidents and surprises. The zigzags of the storytelling keeps the viewers' attention on trying to find the reasons why each character chooses to do what they do. Cinematography and directing of photography are also admirable. The sceneries are taken in rivers of Arizona, uplands of Oregon, canyons of Utah, prairies of Washington, Yosemite National Park of California. It feels like a falsely guided visit to Western states; Maverick says that he's going to the poker tournament in New York, while in the actual Earth geography he's in Yosemite. This film was nominated only in Costume Design category at the Academy Awards, but instead Hugo Weaving & Guy Pearce's Australian desert comedy won it.

Maverick can be seen entirely by everyone. Mostly with humour and film-noir comedy of Old West, it's also worth your time for Poker/Road Trip Sceneries/Adventure/Cowboy Gunfights/Living with the Indians segments.