Bulworth (1998)

Director:

Warren Beatty

Writers (WGA):

Warren Beatty (story)
Warren Beatty (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 May 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Brace yourself. This politician is about to tell the truth!

Plot:

A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | Senator | Politician | Insurance | Socialism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 14 nominations

Cast

Kimberly Deauna Adams	...	Denisha
Vinny Argiro	...	Debate Director
Sean Astin	...	Gary
Kirk Baltz	...	Debate Producer
Ernie Lee Banks	...	Leroy (as Ernie Banks)
Amiri Baraka	...	Rastaman
Christine Baranski	...	Constance Bulworth
Adilah Barnes	...	Mrs. Brown
Warren Beatty	...	Sen. Jay Billington Bulworth
Graham Beckel	...	Man with Dark Glasses
Halle Berry	...	Nina
Brandon N. Bowlin	...	Bouncer #2
Mongo Brownlee	...	Henchman #3
Thomas Jefferson Byrd	...	Uncle Rafeeq
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	Anthony
Scott Michael Campbell	...	Head Valet
Jann Carl	...	Herself
Kerry Catanese	...	Video Reporter #4
Don Cheadle	...	L.D.
Dave Allen Clark	...	Himself
Terry Cooley	...	Henchman #2
Kevin Cooney	...	Rev. Wilberforce
Christopher Curry	...	Journalist
Stanley DeSantis	...	Manny Liebowitz
Michael Clarke Duncan	...	Bouncer (as Michael 'Big Mike' Duncan)
Nora Dunn	...	Missy Berliner, Reporter
Jerry Dunphy	...	Himself
Dartanyan Edmonds	...	Man with Blunt
Edward J. Etherson	...	Mr. Sasser
V.J. Foster	...	Photographer
Leon Frierson	...	Osgood (as Leon Curtis Frierson)
George Furth	...	Older Man
Xiomara Cuevas Galindo	...	Video Reporter #2
Robin Gammell	...	Geoffrey
Life Garland	...	Darnell's Bud
Jackie Gayle	...	Macavoy, Bullworth's Chauffeur
Jim Haynie	...	Bill Stone
Randee Heller	...	Mrs. Tannenbaum
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Man at Frankie's
James Hill	...	Journalist
Kene Holliday	...	Man in Church #1
Brian Hooks	...	Marcus Garvey
Terry Hoyos	...	Reporter #3
Myra J.	...	Woman in Church #1
Mario Jackson	...	Snag
Ariyan A. Johnson	...	Tanya (as Ariyan Johnson)
Jedda Jones	...	Woman in Church #2
Michael Kaufman	...	Reporter #1
James Keane	...	American Politics Director
Tom Kelly	...	Reporter #5
Larry King	...	Himself
Deborah Lacey	...	Reporter #2
Mimi Lieber	...	Mrs. Liebowitz
Elizabeth Lindsey	...	American Politics Host
Joshua Malina	...	Bill Feldman
Larry Mark	...	Bouncer #3
Helen Martin	...	Momma Doll
Armelia McQueen	...	Ruthie
Laurie Metcalf	...	Mimi
Michael Milhoan	...	Cop #1
Jamal Mixon	...	Little Gangsta
Jerod Mixon	...	Little Gangsta
Debra Monk	...	Helen
Deborah Moore	...	Reporter
Michele Morgan	...	Cheryl
Patrick Morgan	...	Studio Employee
Juli Mortz	...	Larry King's Assistant
Scott Mosenson	...	Video Cameraman
Paul Motley	...	Janitor in Senate Office
Chris Mulkey	...	Cop #2
Lou Myers	...	Uncle Tyrone
Shawna Nagler	...	Technical Director
Jonathan Roger Neal	...	Little Gangsta
Ron Ostrow	...	Staff Member
Norman Parker	...	Irwin Tannenbaum
James Pickens Jr.	...	Uncle David
Wendell Pierce	...	Fred
Oliver Platt	...	Dennis Murphy
Kenneth Randle	...	Little Gangsta
Tony Tomas Randle	...	Little Gangsta
Arthur Reggie III	...	Little Gangsta
Adrian Ricard	...	Aunt Alice
Ava Rivera	...	Video Reporter #3
Richard C. Sarafian	...	Vinnie (as Richard Sarafian)
Robert Scheer	...	Journalist
Sam Shamshak	...	Fundraiser Guest
Sarah Silverman	...	2nd American Politics Assistant
Brooke Skulski	...	Reporter
Bee-Be Smith	...	Aunt Harriet
Paul Sorvino	...	Graham Crockett
Roberto Soto	...	Reporter
Florence Stanley	...	Dobish, Bullworth's Secretary
Quinn Sullivan	...	Fundraiser Server
JoAnn D. Thomas	...	Rapper
Robin Thomas	...	Reporter in Hallway
Sheryl Underwood	...	Woman in Frankie's
Gary H. Walton	...	Bouncer #4
Jack Warden	...	Eddie Davers
Andrew Warne	...	Video Reporter
Isaiah Washington	...	Darnell, Nina's Brother
Lee Weaver	...	Man in Church #2
Kenn Whitaker	...	Henchman #1
Jermaine Williams	...	Paul Robeson
John Witherspoon	...	Reverend Morris
Sumiko Telljohn	...	Lady at Banquet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
William Baldwin	...	Constance Bulworth's Lover (uncredited)
Hart Bochner	...	Hugh Waldron, Bulworth's Political Opponent (uncredited)
Pat Buchanan	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bob Dole	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Steve Forbes	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Al Gore	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
George Hamilton	...	Himself (uncredited)
Isaac Mayanja	...	Microphone Holder for Warren Beatty (uncredited)
Paul Mazursky	...	Himself (uncredited)
Mickalean McCormick	...	Reporter (uncredited)
John McLaughlin	...	TV commentator (voice) (uncredited)
John Michael	...	Political donor (uncredited)
Josef Sommer	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Thom Tierney	...	Churchgoer (uncredited)

Directed by
Warren Beatty

Writing credits (WGA)
Warren Beatty		(story)
Warren Beatty		(screenplay) &
Jeremy Pikser		(screenplay)

Produced by
Warren Beatty	....	producer
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	producer
Frank Capra III	....	co-producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	executive producer
Victoria Thomas	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Vittorio Storaro

Film Editing by
Robert C. Jones
Billy Weber

Casting by
Jeanne McCarthy
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Dean Tavoularis

Art Direction by
William F. O'Brien

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Milena Canonero

Makeup Department
John Blake	....	makeup artist
Mary Burton	....	makeup artist: Ms. Berry
Ruby Ford	....	hair stylist
Lynda Gurasich	....	key hair stylist
Felicia Herron	....	hair stylist
Valli O'Reilly	....	key makeup artist
Cyndi Reece-Thorne	....	makeup artist
Joanetta Stowers	....	assistant makeup artist
Carme Tenuta	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jamie D. Boscardin	....	production supervisor
John Rusk	....	unit production manager
Robert Yamamoto	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
George Bamber	....	second assistant director
Andrew Bernstein	....	additional key second assistant director
Frank Capra III	....	first assistant director
Alicia Lewis	....	dga trainee
Michael J. Moore	....	second second assistant director (as Michael Moore)
Todd Y. Murata	....	second second assistant director (as Todd Murata)

Art Department
Hank Giardina	....	paint supervisor
Sean Haworth	....	assistant art director
Mike Higelmire	....	lead person
Alan James	....	paint foreman
Douglas E. Madison	....	property master
Douglas T. Madison	....	assistant property master
Doug Madison Jr.	....	assistant property master
Greg Nestor	....	set dresser
Eileen A. O'Donnell	....	art department coordinator
Tao Ruspoli	....	art department assistant
John A. Scott III	....	lead person
Bert Smith	....	assistant props
J.D. Smith	....	set dresser
Chris Snyder	....	construction coordinator
Dianne Wager	....	set designer

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer
Anna Behlmer	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
James Bolt	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Jim Bolt)
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Paul Timothy Carden	....	supervising sound editor
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
Gail Clark Burch	....	supervising adr editor
Matt Colleran	....	dubbing recordist
Andy D'Addario	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital sound assistant
Patrick J. Foley	....	foley editor (as Patrick Foley)
Tim Gomillion	....	sound recordist
Mark Gordon	....	dialogue editor
Marilyn Graf	....	foley mixer
Laura Graham	....	adr editor
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Philip A. Hess	....	sound effects editor
Spike Allison Hooper	....	adr assistant
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kite	....	cable person
Lou Kleinman	....	sound effects editor
Gary Mundheim	....	sound effects editor
Andy Nelson	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Paul O'Bryan	....	adr assistant (as Paul O'Brien)
Thomas O'Neil Younkman	....	first assistant sound editor
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Dan M. Rich	....	dialogue editor (as Dan Rich)
Mark P. Stoeckinger	....	supervising sound editor
Cary Stratton	....	adr recordist
Fabio Venturi	....	sound engineer
Kerry Dean Williams	....	adr editor (as Kerry D. Williams)
Rudy Pi	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	projectionist: rear projection special effects
Rick Hart	....	mechanical department: XFX Inc.

Stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Hymes	....	stunt coordinator
A.J. Nay	....	stunt coordinator
George Marshall Ruge	....	stunts
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Ben Betts	....	video engineer
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Jonathan Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Jonathan Brown	....	camera operator
Rocky Buzzini	....	electrician
Fabio Cafolla	....	lighting board operator
Cheli Clayton	....	camera loader
Billy Clevenger	....	first assistant camera (as William Clevenger)
James M. Cox	....	best boy electric
David Dunbar	....	electrician
John Emory	....	company grip
Carlos M. Gallardo	....	company grip
Steve Hastings	....	best boy rigger
David James	....	still photographer
Gerald A. King	....	key rigging grip
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator: additional photography
Kevin J. Lang	....	electrician
Jordan Lapsansky	....	electrician
Karl Linde	....	second assistant camera
John Maninger	....	electrician (as John H. Maninger)
Larry Markart	....	video playback operator
Art Martin	....	Steadicam first assistant camera
Art Martin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John McEveety	....	assistant camera
Richard Muldonado	....	electrician
Nicola Pecorini	....	Steadicam operator
Nicola Pecorini	....	camera operator
Bradford Ralston	....	video assist technician
Yiannis Samaras	....	apprentice to cinematographer
Yiannis Samaras	....	camera intern (as John Samaras)
Mike Schwake	....	dolly grip
Victor A. Shelehov	....	best boy grip
Gary Tandrow	....	gaffer
Jack Wallner	....	director of photography: second unit
Kirby Washington	....	second assistant camera (as William 'Kirby' Washington)
Rex Allan Worthy	....	company grip
Bill Young	....	key grip
Barry Berona	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
David Darwin	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jeremy Launais	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kim Coleman	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Tammy L. Smith	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Casey	....	costume supervisor
Eduardo Castro	....	associate costume designer
Jordanna Fineberg	....	costume coordinator
Helen Monaghan	....	key costumer
Lisa D. Quercioli	....	PR costumer
Hans Georg Struhar	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Tristan M. Brighty	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Debra Goldfield	....	assistant editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer (as Dale Grahn)
Lou Levinson	....	telecine colorist: high definition telecine
Ellie Brooks Vizard	....	first assistant editor
Scott K. Wallace	....	assistant editor: avid
Rebecca Weigold	....	second assistant editor
Brandon Willenberg	....	apprentice editor
Adrian Kays	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music designer
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Enrico DeMelis	....	score coordinator (as Enrico De Melis)
Shannon Erbe	....	assistant music editor
Angelo Giovagnoli	....	orchestra coordinator
Lisa Jaime	....	assistant music editor
Andrea Morricone	....	music assistant
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor
Ennio Morricone	....	orchestrator
Jennifer Nash	....	assistant music editor
Karyn Rachtman	....	executive soundtrack producer
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist

Transportation Department
Clay Bartholomew	....	transportation captain
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Jeff Kidman	....	transportation office coordinator
James Nordberg	....	transportation captain
Tom Rebber	....	transportation captain
Phil Strauss	....	transportation
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator
Bonnie Yamahiro	....	driver
Mitch Friedman	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Zelda Barron	....	production consultant
Chris Beal	....	production assistant
Elisa Ann Conant	....	location manager (as Elisa Conant-Coleman)
Maureen 'Mo' Crutchfield	....	post-production accountant
Michael Davison	....	assistant to director
J. Ellen Evans	....	script supervisor
Kristina Findley	....	production secretary
Tara Foran	....	assistant accountant: re-shoots
David 'Cajun' Guilbeau	....	craft service
Jack Hall	....	stand-in
Peter Hollocker	....	production assistant
Linda Klein	....	medical technical advisor
Stacy Layne Kramer	....	construction accountant
Christopher Lee	....	assistant location manager
Brigette Lester	....	production coordinator
Al Lewis	....	assistant production coordinator
Lori A. Lopes	....	second assistant accountant
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Beth Miller	....	set medic
Chris Miller	....	technical consultant
Jane Payne	....	production associate
Liz Probst	....	payroll accountant
Evangelina Rivera	....	stand-in
Woody Schultz	....	production assistant
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager
Peter Slowey	....	production assistant
Angelo Sotereanos	....	production assistant
James Tiffany	....	production assistant
Jay Traynor	....	co-location manager
Kristan Wagner	....	location manager
Chris Winn	....	craft service
Brent Davis	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Adrian Kays	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael Parks	....	location manager: preparation (uncredited)

Thanks
Benjamin Beatty	....	dedicatee (as B.M.B.)
Isabel Beatty	....	dedicatee (as I.I.A.B.)
Kathlyn Beatty	....	dedicatee (as K.E.B.B.)
Annette Bening	....	dedicatee (as A.B.)
John McLaughlin	....	thanks
Leroy R. Perry Jr.	....	thanks (as Dr. Leroy Perry)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (Argentina)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Filmes Castello Lopes
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (France)

Other Companies

• Accademia Musicale Italiana (AMIT)  orchestra (as AMIT-Academia Musicale Italiana)
• Music Village  score recording (as Music Village, Rome)
• 20th Century Fox Studios  re-recorded at (as Twentieth Century Fox)
• Aero Mock-Ups  aircraft mock-up
• C-SPAN  thanks
• Cable News Network (CNN)  thanks (as CNN)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Clairmont Camera  additional camera equipment
• For Stars Catering  catering
• Hollywood Rental Company  additional lighting equipment (as Hollywood Rentals)
• I.R.I.D.E., Rome  special lights
• Interscope Records  soundtrack
• Pacific Title/Mirage  opticals
• Playback Technologies  video playback services
• Reel Creations  tattoo process
• Scarlet Letters  titles
• Soundelux  sound recording
• Technicolor  color
• Technovision USA  camera equipment (as Technovision)
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording facility

Also Known As:

Tribulations (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #36031) | Brazil:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Aaron Sorkin and James Toback did a great deal of uncredited work on the script.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Nina is talking on a cell phone in Davers' garage, we hear a dial tone when the other party hangs up on her (cell phone networks don't use dial tones).

Quotes:

Bullworth: What is it exactly you're concerned about, Murphy?
Dennis Murphy: I'm concerned that you stood up in front of three hundred people in a black church and told them that they were not a factor and never would be as long as we remain in the pocket of the insurance lobby! I'm concerned that you went to a fundraiser in Beverly Hills and told various leaders of the entertainment industry that they make a lousy product...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Malibu's Most Wanted (2003)

Soundtrack:

Wrong Nigga to F*** Wit

Contemporary classic!

Bulworth was released quite a few years ago, but it is still (if not more) relevant today. It merges two "cultures," one being the rich white class culture, and the other being the urban lower class culture, and ends up with many universal ideals. The story's hero is Jay Billington Bulworth, portrayed brilliantly by Warren Beatty. I think some people have a problem with the fact that he is...well, more or less insane, but that is possibly the most important thing about the character. You could call him insane, but if you look at it more romantically, perhaps he is "posessed" by the "spirit" of social justice, a mere vessel for the truths that need to be told. He is a character unaware of the significance in what he is saying. To him, if he's not completely insane, he's simply a man who broke down and decided to tell it like it is (ala Peter Finch in Network, but with rapping and rhyming). There's something actually kind of mystical about all this.

Since it would be way too preachy if that's all there was to the story, there's some other aspects that make for an entertaining viewing. Bulworth, in his depression and anxiety, hired a hit-man to "off" him so his family could collect the life insurance. Once his speeches and raps become a success, this is obviously a big problem since he wants to live again ("You should never make life and death situations when feeling suicidal"). There is a love interest with a girl named Nina, played by the lovely Halle Berry. You don't know if you can trust her, and her intentions are unclear.

There is also a fine supporting role by Don Cheadle, who plays a "business man" who uses young children to sell drugs. His character does bring up some valid points, and we're forced to really put ourselves in his shoes. He's doing what he feels is right, but ultimately, the ends don't justify his means.

With a movie that has so much going on, it would probably be difficult for the filmmakers to figure out a way to wrap everything up, right? Unfortunately, yes. Bulworth ends pretty abruptly and leaves with the film's message being half-assedly shouted at the screen. The last act is a huge flaw in an otherwise perfect movie.

Bulworth is a hilarious comedy and it heralds something truly special and unique. It is not a film to be taken for granted or forgotten. It's a quintessential example of a 'contemporary classic' for our generation. I have no doubt that over the next decade or so, people will want to revisit it and examine the politics and the cultures; it should be studied in classrooms, it should be valued. I loved Bulworth!

My rating: 9/10