The Paper (1994)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers (WGA):

David Koepp (written by) &
Stephen Koepp (written by)

Release Date:

18 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

Plot:

Henry Hackett is the editor of a New York City tabloid. He is a workaholic who loves his job, but the long hours and low pay are leading to discontent...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Editor | Publisher | Workaholic | Pregnant

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Michael Keaton	...	Henry Hackett
Robert Duvall	...	Bernie White
Glenn Close	...	Alicia Clark
Marisa Tomei	...	Martha Hackett
Randy Quaid	...	Michael McDougal
Jason Robards	...	Graham Keighley
Jason Alexander	...	Marion Sandusky
Spalding Gray	...	Paul Bladden
Catherine O'Hara	...	Susan
Lynne Thigpen	...	Janet
Jack Kehoe	...	Phil
Roma Maffia	...	Carmen
Clint Howard	...	Ray Blaisch
Geoffrey Owens	...	Lou
Amelia Campbell	...	Robin
Jill Hennessy	...	Deanne White
William Prince	...	Howard Hackett
Augusta Dabney	...	Sarah Hackett
Bruce Altman	...	Carl
Jack McGee	...	Wilder
Bobo Lewis	...	Anna
Edward Hibbert	...	Jerry
Michael Countryman	...	Emmett
Siobhan Fallon	...	Lisa
Joe Viviani	...	Max
Julie Rowen	...	Kathy (as Julie Donatt)
Ed Jupp Jr.	...	Copy Editor
Christi Hatcher	...	City Editor
Gary Dourdan	...	Copy Guy
James Ritz	...	A.C. Repairman
Miles Watson	...	A.C. Repairman
Divina Cook	...	Sobbing Woman
Aloysius R. Burke	...	Parking Cop
Benny Benowitz	...	Crazy Guy
Lee Kimball	...	Security Guard
Michael P. Moran	...	Chuck
Jack O'Connell	...	Press Operator
Herb Krystall	...	Pressroom Foreman
Herb Lovelle	...	Victor
John Bentley	...	Paste-Up Person
Vincent D'Arbouze	...	First Kid
Michael Michael	...	Second Kid
Yvonne Warden	...	Woman with Dog
Louisa Marie	...	Sentinel Receptionist
Stephen Koepp	...	German Newsperson
Victor Truro	...	Bernie's Doctor
Cedric Young	...	Martha's Paramedic
Wylie Weeks	...	Martha's Paramedic
James Colby	...	Alicia's Paramedic
Paul Geier	...	Doctor Porter
Rance Howard	...	Alicia's Doctor
Maureen Goldfedder	...	Alicia's E.R. Nurse
Karen Church	...	Alicia's Nurse
Diane Gnagnarelli	...	Pediatric Nurse
David J. Birnbach	...	Anesthesiologist
Amos Grunebaum	...	Obstetrician
Victoria Thomas	...	E.R. Doctor (as Vickie Thomas)
Jacqueline Murphy	...	O.R. Nurse
Jean Speegle Howard	...	Hospital Volunteer
Joe Pentangelo	...	Arresting Officer
James Nestor	...	Arresting Officer
Jim Meskimen	...	Tom
Tony Hoty	...	Waiter
Sally-Jane Heit	...	Grace
Mike Girard Sheehan	...	Richie (as Mike Sheehan)
Herbert Rubens	...	Tony
Cheryl Howard	...	Redheaded Barmaid
Carol Ann Donohue	...	Crying Child
Shannon E. Donohue	...	Grumpy Child
Jeffrey H. Kaufman	...	Police Officer
Myra Taylor	...	Mother
Erika Johnson	...	Little Sister
Jan Mickens	...	Diner Owner
Daniel Kenney	...	Pinhead
Thomas Long	...	Bureaucrat
Harsh Nayyar	...	Attendant
Frank Inzerillo	...	News Truck Driver
Rosanna Scotto	...	Herself
Donna Hanover	...	Herself
Jane Hanson	...	Herself
Valerie Coleman	...	Herself
Chuck Scarborough	...	Himself
Brenda Blackmon	...	Herself
Cynthia Carter	...	Herself
Graydon Carter	...	Himself (as E. Graydon Carter)
Lou Colasuonno	...	Himself
Bob Costas	...	Himself
Larry Hackett	...	Himself
Harold 'Happy' Hairston	...	James Hairston (as Hap Hairston)
Pete Hamill	...	Himself
William Kunstler	...	Himself
Kurt Loder	...	Himself
Mike McAlary	...	Himself
Joanna Molloy	...	Herself
Richard Price	...	Himself
John Rhodes	...	Himself
Jerry Rosa	...	Himself
Linda Stasi	...	Herself
Dini von Mueffling	...	Herself
Jeannie Williams	...	Herself
John Miller	...	Himself
Debbie Gross Rodriguez	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patricia Holihan	...	Sun Newsroom Staffer (uncredited)
Nick Taylor	...	Bartender (uncredited)

Directed by
Ron Howard

Writing credits (WGA)
David Koepp		(written by) &
Stephen Koepp		(written by)

Produced by
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Todd Hallowell	....	executive producer
David Koepp	....	co-producer
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	associate producer
Dylan Sellers	....	executive producer
Louisa Velis	....	associate producer
Frederick Zollo	....	producer

Original Music by
Randy Newman

Cinematography by
John Seale

Film Editing by
Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Todd Hallowell

Art Direction by
Maher Ahmad

Set Decoration by
Debra Schutt

Costume Design by
Rita Ryack

Makeup Department
David Brian Brown	....	hair stylist: Ms. Close
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist: Ms. Tomei
Milton Buras	....	hair stylist
Joseph Coscia	....	hair stylist
Michael Laudati	....	additional makeup artist
Craig Lyman	....	makeup artist
Neal Martz	....	special makeup
Manlio Rocchetti	....	makeup artist: Mr. Duvall
Jean-Luc Russier	....	makeup artist: Ms. Close
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Carl Clifford	....	unit production manager
Michelle Morrissey	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William M. Connor	....	second second assistant director (as Bill Connor)
Eric Dilucente	....	trainee assistant director
Todd Hallowell	....	second unit director
Donald J. Lee Jr.	....	second assistant director
Aldric La'Auli Porter	....	first assistant director
Carrie Rudolph	....	additional second second assistant director

Art Department
Jacqueline Arnot	....	set dresser
Anthony Baldasare	....	set dresser
Michael L. Benson	....	set dresser (as Michael Lee Benson)
Nancy Boytos-Amanuel	....	set dresser
David Cooney	....	storyboard artist
Lauren Doner	....	scenic artist
Anthony Dunne	....	construction coordinator (as Tony Dunne)
Ann Edgeworth	....	assistant props (as Ann L. Edgeworth)
Peter Gelfman	....	set dresser
David Gulick	....	property master
Laura Iler	....	props
Jerry Kadar	....	set dresser
Daniel Kenney	....	set dresser
Byron K. Lovelace	....	set dresser
Ray Murphy	....	set dresser (as Raymond Murphy)
Jeff Naparstek	....	set dresser
Peter Rogness	....	assistant art director
Scott Rosenstock	....	leadman
Carl Sprague	....	assistant art director
Mitch Towse	....	set dresser
Peter von Bartheld	....	set dresser
Joan Winters	....	graphic artist
Kate Yatsko	....	assistant set decorator

Sound Department
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Jason Canovas	....	apprentice sound editor
Louis Cerborino	....	supervising sound editor
Bob Chefalas	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	supervising sound editor
O.J. Connell III	....	cable person
Rick Dior	....	sound
Gerald Donlan	....	adr editor
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Dan Edelstein	....	foley editor
Thomas A. Gulino	....	dialogue editor
Lisa J. Levine	....	supervising adr editor
Danny Michael	....	sound mixer
Eytan Mirsky	....	assistant sound editor
Yvette Nabel	....	sound assistant
Bob Olari	....	sound recordist
Maurice Schell	....	sound editor
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator
Ahmad Shirazi	....	dialogue editor
Anthony Starbuck	....	boom operator
V. Renee Taylor	....	apprentice sound editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer
Andrea Bottigliero	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Hugo Cimmelli	....	special effects

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts (as Billy Anagnos)
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts (as Johnny C.)
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
John Hayden	....	stunts (as John Patrick Hayden)
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Steve Mack	....	stunts
Candice Orsini	....	stunts (as Candi Orsini)
Janet Paparazzo	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator
Deborah Watkins	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Donald M. Angst	....	electrician (as Donald Angst)
Joseph R. Collins	....	second assistant camera
Patrick Cousins	....	electrician
Ralph G. Crowley	....	electrician (as Ralph Crowley)
Andy Day	....	best boy
Morris Flam	....	chief lighting technician
Jenny Kane	....	electrician
Chaim Kantor	....	first assistant camera
Sal Lanza	....	grip
Clay Liversidge	....	lamp operator
Edward W. Lowry	....	grip (as Edward Lowry)
Martin Lowry	....	grip
Bruce MacCallum	....	camera operator
Bobby Mancuso	....	second assistant camera
Anastas N. Michos	....	Steadicam operator
Anastas N. Michos	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Richard C. Montgomery Jr.	....	grip (as Richard Montgomery)
Tom O'Halloran	....	second assistant camera
John Panuccio	....	best boy (as Jack Panuccio)
Robert T. Prate	....	grip (as Robert Prate)
Tom Prate	....	key grip
Sabatino Rea	....	grip
Chris Rosen	....	electrician
Andrew D. Schwartz	....	still photographer
Chris Silano	....	camera assistant: 'b' camera
Mark van Rossen	....	electrician
John Velez	....	electrician
Joseph Viano	....	grip
Joe Volpe	....	camera trainee
Dick Fisher	....	camera operator: news segment (uncredited)

Casting Department
Karen Church	....	casting assistant
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting (as Karen Etcoff)
Susanna Griffith	....	casting assistant
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Irene Ferrari	....	wardrobe
Lisa R. Frucht	....	wardrobe assistant (as Lisa Frucht)
Karen Lloyd	....	wardrobe
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant costume designer
Debra Tennenbaum	....	assistant costume designer
Benjamin Wilson	....	wardrobe (as Ben Wilson)
Kevin Woodworth	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Glenn Allen	....	assistant editor
Guy Barresi	....	assistant editor
Richard Friedlander	....	assistant editor
Kevin Henry	....	negative cutter
William Pine	....	color timer (as Bill Pine)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
James Flamberg	....	music editor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Rolf Johnson	....	assistant music editor
Tom Kramer	....	music editor
Jane Luttenberger	....	music supervisor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Frank Wolf	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Eva Z. Cabrera	....	script supervisor
Jay Cannold	....	payroll accountant
Kathleen Corgan	....	location assistant
Ellen Gannon	....	assistant production office coordinator
John Gaskin	....	production auditor
Wendi Haas	....	production coordinator (as Wendi Haas-Hammond)
Joseph E. Iberti	....	location manager
Kenneth M. Kroll	....	assistant accountant (as Kenneth Kroll)
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist
Randy Sokol	....	location assistant
Michael Stricks	....	assistant location manager
Suzanne Weinert	....	intern: Ron Howard
Brad Wilson	....	assistant: Robert Duvall
Ray Abbott	....	stand-in (uncredited)
James Lumb	....	assistant: producers (uncredited)
Alexander Westerman	....	assistant: Fed Zollo (uncredited)

Thanks
Richard Brick	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Imagine Entertainment

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• VideoCine (Televisa) (199?) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (????) (Finland) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1994) (Finland) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1994) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Reprise Records  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:18+ (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The radio broadcast heard during the opening credits of the film was originally intended to be a segment from Don Imus' "Imus in the Morning" program that was recorded live during an on-air interview with director Ron Howard. A portion of the segment appears as Michael Keaton walks through the newsroom.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The shooting incident occurred in Brooklyn's (fictional) 91st Precinct in the Williamsburg section, yet the two suspects are "perp walked" from 100 Centre Street, which is the Manhattan Criminal Courts. In reality, these suspects would have been processed at Brooklyn's central booking facility at 120 Schermerhorn Street, and walked IN to the building, where they would be arraigned, not OUT.

Quotes:

[Alicia is shot]
Michael McDougal: A woman's been shot. We need an ambulance.
Alicia: Could I have one too?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in MST3K Little Gold Statue Preview Special (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

HOW YOU SATISFY ME

Implausible storyline, but well acted film on inner workings of a tabloid paper

'The Paper' is solid entertainment. The film shows the high tension jobs of reporters working in a big city tabloid paper. The plot is rather implausible, but the film has a cracking pace and good performances all round. Michael Keaton is dynamite as the workaholic editor of the paper who's immersed in his job and neglecting his pregnant wife Marisa Tomei. Robert Duvall, Glenn Close and Jason Robards all do well in supporting roles. The ending is full of loop-holes but somehow manages to work. Worth watching for it's energy and fine acting.

Overall 7/10