Beautiful Girls (1996)

Director:

Ted Demme

Writer (WGA):

Scott Rosenberg (written by)

Release Date:

9 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

good times never seemed so good

Plot:

A piano player at a crossroads in his life returns home to his friends and their own problems with life and love.

Plot Keywords:

Girlfriend | Reunion | Town | Pianist | Hometown

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	Tommy 'Birdman' Rowland
Noah Emmerich	...	Michael 'Mo' Morris
Annabeth Gish	...	Tracy Stover
Lauren Holly	...	Darian Smalls
Timothy Hutton	...	Willie Conway
Rosie O'Donnell	...	Gina Barrisano
Max Perlich	...	Kev
Martha Plimpton	...	Jan
Natalie Portman	...	Marty
Michael Rapaport	...	Paul Kirkwood
Mira Sorvino	...	Sharon Cassidy
Uma Thurman	...	Andera
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Stanley 'Stinky' Womack
Anne Bobby	...	Sarah Morris
Richard Bright	...	Dick Conway
Sam Robards	...	Steve Rossmore
David Arquette	...	Bobby Conway
Adam LeFevre	...	Victor (as Adam Le Fevre)
John Carroll Lynch	...	Frank Womack
Sarah Katz	...	Kristen Rossmore
Camille D'Ambrose	...	Sharon's Mother
Martin Ruben	...	Chip
Tom Gibis	...	Peter the Eater
Allison Levine	...	Waitress at Moonlight Mile
Earl R. Burt	...	Bartender
Greg Dulli	...	Lead Singer, Afghan Whigs (as Gregory Dulli)
Trent Nicholas Thompson	...	Michael Morris, Jr (as Trent Nicholas Thompson 'TNT')
Nicole Ranallo	...	Cheryl Morris
Joyce Lacey	...	Reunion Classmate #1
Matthew Nathan Castens	...	Reunion Classmate #2
Anne W. Erickson	...	Coffee Shop Waitress
Oliver Osterberg	...	Drinker #1 (as Ollie Osterberg)
Sterling Robson	...	Drinker #2
Edward Kaspszak	...	Drinker #3
John Scurti	...	Ticket Agent
Herbie Ade	...	Bar Owner (as Herbert Ade)
Ben Gooding	...	Customer
Frank Anello	...	Irv
Lucky the Saint Bernard	...	Elle MacPherson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tammara Melloy	...	Bowler (uncredited)
Lori J. Ness	...	Women on the Street (uncredited)
Rachel Oliva	...	High School Alumna (uncredited)
Tomas Settell	...	Male Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Demme

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Rosenberg		(written by)

Produced by
Alan C. Blomquist	....	co-producer
Cathy Konrad	....	executive producer
Scott Rosenberg	....	associate producer
Joel Stillerman	....	associate producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer
Cary Woods	....	producer

Original Music by
David A. Stewart

Cinematography by
Adam Kimmel		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jeffrey Wolf

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Dan Davis

Art Direction by
Peter Rogness

Set Decoration by
Tracey A. Doyle

Costume Design by
Lucy W. Corrigan

Makeup Department
Mustaque M. Ashrafi	....	second makeup artist (as Mustaque Ashrafi)
Deborah Ann Piper	....	key hair stylist
Martie Schribner	....	body makeup artist
Roxanne Wightman	....	hair stylist
Cindy J. Williams	....	key makeup artist
Deborah Lake	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Judith Lyn Brown	....	post-production supervisor
Richard J. Gelfand	....	unit production manager (as Richard Gelfand)
Meryl Poster	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcei A. Brown	....	second assistant director (as Marcei A. Brubaker)
Philip Elins	....	second second assistant director
Josh King	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dena Allen	....	on-set dresser (as Dena J. Allen)
Maria L. Baker	....	set designer (as Maria Baker)
Andrew Todd Bakerian	....	set dresser (as Andrew Bakerian)
Kit Barrett	....	art department coordinator
Adam Beck	....	set dresser
Curtis Bellows	....	painter
Curtis Bellows	....	scenic artist
Denise Boquist	....	painter
Denise Boquist	....	scenic artist
Joselyn Bullock	....	painter (as Jocelyn Bullock)
Joselyn Bullock	....	scenic artist
Peter C. Clarke	....	assistant property master (as Peter Clarke)
Barbara Cohen	....	stand-by painter
Keith Crossley	....	storyboard artist
Jeffrey DeBell	....	set dresser (as Jeff DeBell)
Betsy Donovan	....	painter
Betsy Donovan	....	scenic artist
Signe Erickson	....	painter
Signe Erickson	....	scenic artist
Norine Joy Francis	....	painter
Norine Joy Francis	....	scenic artist
Matt Franzen	....	painter
Matt Franzen	....	scenic artist
Michael J. Hall	....	carpenter (as Michael Hall)
Chuck Heger	....	carpenter (as Charles Heger)
Chris Huff	....	carpenter
David Jence	....	painter
David Jence	....	scenic artist
James V. Kent	....	lead man
Kay Kropp	....	lead scenic artist
D. Smith Langley	....	painter
D. Smith Langley	....	scenic artist
Martin Lasowitz	....	property master
Kimberly Lawler	....	painter
Kimberly Lawler	....	scenic artist
Blaine Marcou	....	construction foreman
Scott Nordhausen	....	set dresser (as Scott L. Nordhausen)
Chris Porter	....	carpenter
Jack Priley	....	carpenter
Kathleen Raymond	....	painter
Kathleen Raymond	....	scenic artist
Scott C. Renner	....	carpenter assistant (as Scott Renner)
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	construction foreman (as Mike Ryan)
Paul Saunders	....	carpenter
Jeffrey Schlatter	....	construction coordinator
F. Andrew Scott	....	painter (as Andrew Scott)
F. Andrew Scott	....	scenic artist (as Andrew Scott)
Brian Sobaski	....	stand-by painter
Kathy Stewart	....	painter
Kathy Stewart	....	scenic artist
Douglas Weatherhead	....	painter
Douglas Weatherhead	....	scenic artist
Ingrid Wilcox	....	assistant set decorator
Peter Wykes	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Tim J. Carroll	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby Stereo (as Tim Carroll)
Missy Cohen	....	assistant adr editor
William G. Flick	....	boom operator (as Billy Flick)
Peter Giebink	....	cable person
Tod Holcomb	....	assistant dialogue editor
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor
Hal Levinsohn	....	foley editor
Stuart Levy	....	supervising sound editor
Bill Nisselson	....	studio manager
Melanie Ryder	....	assistant sound editor
James Thornton	....	production sound mixer
Magdaline Volaitis	....	dialogue editor
Peter Waggoner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stuart Emanuel	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Tod Holcomb	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kenneth Coulman	....	first assistant special effects
Matt Eder	....	special effects intern
Allan Martin	....	special effects intern
Aron D. Peterson	....	special effects intern (as Aron Peterson)
Jason Pinksy	....	special effects intern
Dieter Sturm	....	special effects coordinator
Yvonne Sturm	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Daniel Leung	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
John Copeman	....	stunts
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
Denney Pierce	....	stunts
Keith Siglinger	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James R. Belletier	....	second assistant camera (as Jim Belletier)
Bill Coe	....	first assistant camera
Christopher Devitt	....	electrician (as Chris Devitt)
Richard Dolan	....	rigging gaffer (as Richard N. Dolan)
Thomas Ford	....	best boy electric (as Tom Ford)
Dave Gillen	....	electrician (as David Gillen)
Brad Gissell	....	grip (as Bradley Gissell)
Alec Hirschfeld	....	camera operator
Michael Hoffer	....	rigging grip (as Mike Hoffer)
Peter Iovino	....	still photographer
Tony C. Jannelli	....	director of photography: second unit (as Tony Jannelli)
Chris Malone	....	electrician
Peter Masterson	....	camera intern
Anastas N. Michos	....	camera operator
Mike Moad	....	dolly grip
David Noble	....	best boy grip (as Dave Noble)
Thomas O'Connor	....	electrician
Paul Paguyo	....	grip
Scott Rathner	....	first assistant camera
Gerard Sava	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Travis Schwingle	....	grip
Robert Sciretta	....	gaffer (as Bob Sciretta)
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Chris Smith	....	second assistant camera
Kevin Smyth	....	key grip (as Kevin J. Smyth)

Casting Department
Lynn Blumenthal	....	casting: Minneapolis
Nancy Briggs	....	casting assistant: Minneapolis
Lilly Choroles	....	extras casting (as Lilly Chorolec)
Carol McCormick	....	extras casting assistant
Eric Zuckerman	....	casting assistant: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anna Abbey	....	set costumer
Jeannine Bourdaghs	....	set costumer
Kathy Kiatta	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Kathleen Kiata)
Trina Mrnak	....	assistant costume designer
Danielle Valenciano	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
John Gilroy	....	associate editor
Mark Ginsberg	....	color timer
Sonia Gonzalez-Martinez	....	assistant film editor (as Sonia N. Gonzalez)
Todd Woody Richman	....	apprentice film editor (as T. Woody Richman)
Debra C. Victoroff	....	assistant film editor
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Tom San Martin	....	negative matcher (uncredited)
Arnold Shuster	....	negative matcher (uncredited)
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher (uncredited)
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher (uncredited)

Music Department
Andy Brown	....	orchestra contractor
Terry Disley	....	musician: piano and keyboards
Hannah Eichler	....	assistant music coordinator: Eligible Music Ltd.
Nida Fernandez	....	assistant music coordinator: Eligible Music Ltd.
Matthias Gohl	....	conductor
Matthias Gohl	....	music arranger
Matthias Gohl	....	orchestrator
Matthias Gohl	....	score co-producer
Eileen Gregory	....	music coordinator: Eligible Music Ltd.
Brian Harrison	....	assistant music coordinator: Eligible Music Ltd.
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Stephen McLaughlin	....	score co-producer (as Steve McLaughlin)
Stephen McLaughlin	....	score engineer (as Steve McLaughlin)
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances
Heather Mullen	....	assistant music editor
Lise Price	....	assistant music coordinator: Eligible Music Ltd.
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music supervisor
Chris Sharrock	....	musician: drums
Alex Silva	....	music programmer
David A. Stewart	....	musician: guitar

Transportation Department
Curtis Wade Anderson	....	driver
William Beamish	....	driver
David 'Grover' Cleveland	....	driver
Andy DeNicholas	....	driver (as Andy Denicholas)
Fulton 'Greg' Gilson	....	transportation captain (as Greg Gilson)
John Harrington	....	driver
Don Johnson	....	driver
Jim Kelly	....	driver
Stephen Kenney	....	driver
Kevin Robert Kisch	....	driver
Mike LaBorde	....	driver
William LaBorde	....	driver
Joe LaHood	....	driver
Greg Mattson	....	driver
Jerome McGrew	....	transportation co-captain
Doug Nelson	....	driver
Wayne Nelson	....	transportation coordinator
Gary Olander	....	driver
Linda Olson	....	transportation co-captain
James Rodgers	....	driver
Denny Schusted	....	driver (as Dennis Schusted)
Mike Shannon	....	driver
Jerry Shore Jr.	....	driver (as Jerry Shore)
Leo Skudlarek	....	driver
Bradley D. Vars	....	driver

Other crew
Nick Addison	....	additional scoring engineer
Davin Anderson	....	location projectionist
Craig Bankey	....	unit publicist
Dan Bedard	....	coach: ice skating
Melanie Bell	....	assistant: Mr. Blomquist
Debra Blondeau	....	welfare worker
Ben Bowman	....	set production assistant
Chad Brokaw	....	office assistant
Lisa Cofini	....	post-production accountant
Andrew Cohen	....	location scout
Jill S. Coverdale	....	production secretary
Martha Fox	....	publicity intern
Adam Geiger	....	location production assistant
Gary Gratz	....	piano instructor: Mr. Hutton
Jim Gregory	....	catering: Hall of Fame Catering
Chris Hall	....	stand-in
Gretchen Hatz	....	office assistant
Anne Healy	....	assistant location manager
Matthew Heien	....	location production assistant
Robbi Lynn Hiltz	....	animal trainer
West Humphries	....	catering: Hall of Fame Catering
Nancy Kaufman	....	coach: ice skating
Tim Kinzy	....	set production assistant
Eli Kujolic	....	craft service
Nick Lauren	....	stand-in (as Nick Sherfranski)
Karen Manion	....	set production assistant
Donna McLeer	....	assistant: Mr. Demme (as Donna Cintorrino)
Julie McMahon	....	stand-in
Neil Meyer	....	legal services: Alexander, Hallorand, Nau & Rose
Gina Mingacci	....	assistant: Ms. Konrad
Catherine Moad	....	set medic
Rachel Morse	....	second assistant auditor
Peter L. Mullin	....	set production assistant
Rosemary Orlando	....	assistant production coordinator
Andrew Peterson	....	location manager
Wendy Lee Roberts	....	script supervisor (as Wendy L. Roberts)
Billy Rose	....	legal services: Alexander, Hallorand, Nau & Rose
Peggy Rosson	....	production accountant (as Peggy Ann Rosson)
Alyce Sande	....	craft service
Cas Schwabe	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Lizzie Schwartz	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Charles Smith	....	stand-in
Amy L. Sundby	....	craft service assistant (as Amy Lee Sundby)
Joshua Sundby	....	location production assistant (as Joshua A. Sundby)
Michael Swafford	....	first assistant auditor
Shelly A. Tanning	....	publicity intern (as Shelly Tanning)
Steve Thomason	....	travel: Sundance Travel
Ron Wechsler	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Teresa M. Yarbrough	....	production coordinator
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Nathaniel Bonini	....	location manager: New York (uncredited)
Kurt W. Gensmer	....	set medic (uncredited)
David H. Kramer	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Shelly A. Tanning	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Bill Timoney	....	adr voice group (uncredited)
Zach Wolf	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Thanks
Randy Adamsick	....	special thanks
Mary Bohmbach	....	special thanks
Douglas Haugland	....	special thanks
Jackie Haugland	....	special thanks
Randy Jackson	....	special thanks
Nile Kriesel	....	special thanks
Kelly Pratt	....	special thanks
Jackie Saustrom	....	special thanks
Russ Saustrom	....	special thanks
Dan Stern	....	special thanks
Nana Stern	....	special thanks
Janet Zahn	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• Woods Entertainment

Distributors

• Miramax Films (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Films International (1996) (non-USA) (all media)
• Laurenfilm (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Arcade Movie Company (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Spentzos Films (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Spentzos Film Home Video (1996) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Balsmeyer and Everett (visual effects)
• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making)

Other Companies

• Balsmeyer and Everett  title design
• DeLuxe Toronto  prints (as Deluxe Toronto)
• Elektra Records  soundtrack
• Eligible Music  music coordination
• Hollywood Rentals Productions Services  grip and electric equipment (as Hollywood Rentals)
• London Metropolitan Orchestra, The  orchestra
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Rescue Resources  set medics (uncredited)
• Sound One  post-production sound (as Sound One Corp.)
• Technicolor  color
• Technicolor  negative cutting
• The Animal Connection  animals
• The Church Studio  score recorded and mixed at (as The Church Studios, London)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and nude pin-ups

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:A (Ontario) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #34304) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Bryant-Lake Bowl - 810 W. Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Matt Dillon's character refers to "Falconetti" from "Rich Man Poor Man" as being a terrifying villain. In "The Outsiders", Matt Dillon's character was killed by a character played by William Smith, who also played "Falconetti".

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Gina mentions to Tracy that she looks like Ally Sheedy from The Breakfast Club (1985) with the Estevez Brothers. Ally Sheedy and Emilio Estevez were in Breakfast Club but his brother Charlie Sheen (Carlos Irwin Estevez) was not.

Quotes:

Willie Conway:I just want something beautiful, Mo.
Michael 'Mo' Morris:We all want something beautiful, Willie.

Movie Connections:

References The Goonies (1985)

Soundtrack:

Beautiful Girl

Much more than I expected. Thoroughly moving.

(Maybe you should read this after watching the movie. I don't know if reading it before will spoil it for you--I doubt it, in fact, but you never know.)

Being the typical unmarried man, I rented "Beautiful Girls" because of its attractive title. I had no idea it could be so moving or endearing. I may be just getting soft, but it was one of the few films I have thought about for more than 72 hours after I saw it.

Aside from all the sexual content, swearing, etc., the dialogue between Marty (the now beautiful Natalie Portman) and Willie (my favorite actor, Timothy Hutton) is nothing short of astounding. Willie is enchanted and attracted to this little 13-year old girl next door. As they exchange more and more conversation, he realizes her great potential and even dreams about how he might just be able to wait ten years and maybe marry her.

The scene in which Willie discusses his feelings with Mo, his married friend was the turning point of the story. Willie realizes that, even if she had a love-at-first-sight crush on him, she would drift away as she matures; she would find someone closer to her own age, and Willie would become just some silly old man she met when she was young and had a ridiculous, immature attraction to. He realizes that by just being her friend, he will be able to keep her in a much more real way than if he tries to wait for her to be his lover.

But the one scene I will remember forever, the most perfect scene in the entire movie, in which the dialogue seemed neither forced nor over-elongated, was the scene in the ice-skating rink with Marty and Willie. Marty tells Willie all the things he would have liked to hear before his talk with Mo. She would marry him after they waited five years, etc. The association Willie makes with Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robins is so beautiful it almost made me cry. (Not really, but you get the point). He gives her a good taste of reality, and she seems mature enough to understand.

In a later scene, Willie tells Marty that he would like to continue being a friend, even a mentor to her, and he has total confidence that whatever she does will be amazing.

There are about three other stories intertwined into the movie, but the Portman-Hutton line stands out as the superior.

Overall, a wonderful movie to which they should have given a title that would attract people with the ability to be moved.

P.S. The funniest part of the entire movie is the confused look Willie and Paul exchange after Mo gives unusually-phrased threats to Steven, who beat up their friend. You have to have seen the movie to understand