Happiness (1998)

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz (written by)

Release Date:

16 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

The lives of many individuals connected by the desire for happiness, often from sources usually considered dark or evil.

Plot Keywords:

Sister | Restaurant | Parent | Magazine | Marriage

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 13 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jane Adams	...	Joy Jordan
Jon Lovitz	...	Andy Kornbluth
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Allen
Dylan Baker	...	Bill Maplewood
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Helen Jordan
Justin Elvin	...	Timmy Maplewood
Cynthia Stevenson	...	Trish Maplewood
Lila Glantzman-Leib	...	Chloe Maplewood
Gerry Becker	...	Psychiatrist
Rufus Read	...	Billy Maplewood
Louise Lasser	...	Mona Jordan
Ben Gazzara	...	Lenny Jordan
Camryn Manheim	...	Kristina
Arthur J. Nascarella	...	Detective Berman
Molly Shannon	...	Nancy
Ann Harada	...	Kay
Douglas McGrath	...	Tom
Eric Marcus	...	Courteous Waiter (as Dr. Eric Marcus)
Eytan Mirsky	...	Angry Picketer
Lisa Louise Langford	...	Radical Picketer
Anne Bobby	...	Rhonda
Socorro Santiago	...	Crying Teacher
Allison Furman	...	Consoling Teacher
Wai Ching Ho	...	Student #1
Bina Sharif	...	Student #2
Tsepo Mokone	...	Student #3
Jared Harris	...	Vlad
Dan Moran	...	Joe Grasso
Evan Silverberg	...	Johnny Grasso
Marla Maples	...	Ann Chambeau
Hope Pomerance	...	Hysterical Woman
Matt Malloy	...	Doctor
Elizabeth Ashley	...	Diane Freed
Dan Tedlie	...	Don
Marina Gaizidorskia	...	Zhenia
Johann Carlo	...	Betty Grasso
Joe Lisi	...	Police Detective
José Rabelo	...	Pedro
Diane Tyler	...	Janet
Olga Stepanova	...	Zhenia's Mother

Directed by
Todd Solondz

Writing credits
Todd Solondz		(written by)

Produced by
Ted Hope	....	producer
Pamela Koffler	....	line producer
David Linde	....	executive producer
James Schamus	....	executive producer
Christine Vachon	....	producer

Original Music by
Robbie Kondor

Cinematography by
Maryse Alberti

Film Editing by
Alan Oxman

Casting by
Ann Goulder

Production Design by
Thérèse DePrez

Art Direction by
John Bruce

Set Decoration by
Nick Evans

Costume Design by
Kathryn Nixon

Makeup Department
Cyndi Boyar	....	additional hair stylist: Florida
Cyndi Boyar	....	additional makeup artist: Florida
Nicki Ledermann	....	key makeup artist
Kerrie R. Plant	....	additional hair stylist
Kerrie R. Plant	....	additional makeup artist
Gianna Sparacino	....	hair designer

Production Management
Ross Katz	....	post-production supervisor
Elayne Keratsis	....	unit production manager: Florida unit
Eva Kolodner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lucia Burns	....	second second assistant director
Cindy Craig	....	second assistant director
Jude Gorjanc	....	first assistant director
John G. Karliss	....	second second assistant director: Florida
Alan Oxman	....	second unit director

Art Department
Joshua Barraud	....	additional props
Catherine Bayley	....	art intern
Nicole Boesch	....	art intern
Brian Buteau	....	lead set dresser
Margaret Pine Chabowski	....	assistant art department coordinator
Andromache Chalfant	....	assistant set decorator
Robert de Mar	....	carpenter
Matt Duncan	....	assistant property master
Makiko Endo	....	art intern
Hector M. Gonzalez	....	property master: Florida (as Héctor M. González)
Anton Graham	....	set dresser
Denise J. Grillo	....	additional set dresser
Caroline Handel	....	graphic artist
Michael N. Horan	....	additional set dresser
Zachary Jasie	....	additional set dresser
Chad Johnson	....	carpenter
Sara Kugelmass	....	assistant set decorator
Joseph Logan	....	additional set dresser
Melissa P. Lohman	....	additional set dresser
Sam McConnell	....	art intern
Stuart Montgomery	....	property master
Mike Morrison	....	graphic artist
Jutta Osthues	....	additional props
Allison Shigo	....	art intern
John M. Souto	....	assistant art director
Richard Tedesco	....	assistant property master
Aaron Ali Tichenor	....	additional set dresser
Cory A. Vincent	....	assistant props: Florida
Miyuki Yoshihara	....	art intern

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laurel Bridges	....	boom operator
Neil Danziger	....	production sound mixer
Tom Efinger	....	supervising sound editor
Curt Finale Hines	....	additional boom operator (as Curt Hines)
Jonah Lawrence	....	sound designer
Nicholas Montgomery	....	foley artist
Betsy Nagler	....	additional boom operator
Jaime Reyes	....	additional boom operator
Tony V. Stevens	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Eric Toline	....	additional boom operator
Eric Toline	....	boom operator: Florida
Damian Volpe	....	sound designer
Jessica Wing	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Drew Jiritano	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Alger	....	best boy electric: Florida unit
Joe Arcidiacono	....	camera crane operator
Dayvon Baldwin	....	fourth grip
Mia Barker	....	additional assistant camera
Gus Bechini	....	additional electrician
Matt Blades	....	additional grip
Bart Blaise	....	additional assistant camera
Eric Boncher	....	additional electrician
Shaw Hawkins Burrows	....	key grip: Florida unit
Gregory Cahill	....	best boy grip
Elizabeth Casinelli	....	additional electrician (as Libby Casinelli)
Joel Catalano	....	grip: Florida unit
Nicolas L. Charuet	....	additional grip
Christina Conroy	....	additional electrician
Nicole Corre	....	additional electrician
Moira Demos	....	additional electrician
John Dodgin	....	additional electrician
Tom Downey	....	additional assistant camera
Jacques H. Durand	....	additional grip
Johnny Erbes-Chan	....	additional grip
Matthew W. Flannery	....	second assistant camera
Joe Foley	....	key grip
Raphael Frank	....	best boy electric (as Raphie Frank)
Daryl Furr	....	third grip
Henny Garunkel	....	still photographer
David Dylan Gorn	....	additional grip
Raphaelle Gosse-Gardet	....	additional electrician
Christopher B. Green	....	first assistant camera
David Harges	....	additional grip
Nate Havens	....	camera production assistant
Nicole Hernandez	....	additional electrician
Curt A. Jentsch	....	third electrician
David Kaufmann	....	additional grip
Alex Kayne	....	electrician: Florida unit
Caroline Kazlas	....	camera intern
Stephen Kazmierski	....	additional photographer
Wolfgang Koslow	....	additional electrician
Jonathan Kovel	....	additional grip
Tony Krouse	....	electrician: Florida unit
Seth F. McAllister	....	additional electrician
Guy Morgan	....	additional grip
Michael D. North	....	grip: Florida unit
Alexa D. O'Brien	....	fourth electric
Larry Orvieto	....	additional grip
Toshiaki Ozawa	....	gaffer
Marcelo Panizza	....	additional second assistant camera: Florida
Storn Peterson	....	director of photography: second unit
Kate Phelan	....	additional electrician
Lance E. Phox	....	additional electrician
Steve Ramsey	....	additional electrician
Edward Read	....	additional grip
Danya Reich	....	additional assistant camera
Antonio Rossi	....	first assistant camera
August M. Smarra	....	electrician: Florida unit
Adam Snyder	....	additional grip
Melissa Soltis	....	additional assistant camera
Atsushi Takaoka	....	additional electrician
John Tanzer	....	additional electrician
James Thorne	....	additional electrician
John Unger	....	best boy grip: Florida
Jonathan Weaver	....	first assistant camera
Robert E. White	....	second assistant camera: Florida unit
Angela Whitesell	....	additional electrician

Casting Department
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting: children, Los Angeles
Karen E. Etcoff	....	extras casting
Rebecca L. Murray	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natalya V. Aikens	....	assistant costume designer (as Natalya V. Khorover)
Kristy Aitken Hernandez	....	wardrobe supervisor: Florida (as Kristy Aitken-Hernandez)
Pamela Kezal	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lynn True	....	wardrobe assistant
Oliver Wolf Wehner	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Sean Campbell	....	second assistant editor
Charlene Hamer	....	first assistant editor
Youna Kwak	....	apprentice editor
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter
David Pultz	....	color timer
Shelby Siegel	....	assistant conforming editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sam Burtis	....	musician: trombone
Dominic Cortese	....	musician: accordion
David Diggs	....	musician: english horn/oboe
Frank Egan	....	assistant music editor
Michael Fumento	....	musician: drums, "Happiness"
Erin Futterman	....	assistant to music supervisor
Victoria Gross	....	music recording engineer
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Robbie Kondor	....	score producer/musician: keyboards and pennywhistle
Matthew 'Boomer' La Monica	....	music mixing engineer
Richard Locker	....	musician: cello
Robert J. Magnuson	....	musician: english horn/oboe
Bob Montero	....	music production coordinator
Michael Nordberg	....	musician: bass, "Happiness"
Sean O'Neal	....	musician: keyboards, "Happiness"
Sandra Park	....	musician: violin
Mary Rowell	....	musician: violin
Larry Saltzman	....	musician: guitar and tiple, "Happiness"
Ira Siegel	....	musician: guitar
Pamela Sklar	....	musician: flute
David Spinozza	....	musician: guitar
Roger Squitero	....	musician: percussion
Jamey Staub	....	music mixer: "Happiness"
Blake Suib	....	music Recordist: "Happiness"
Danny Wilensky	....	musician: sax & flute
Sharon Yamada	....	musician: violin

Transportation Department
Henry S. Avelin	....	transportation captain
Thomas Colavito	....	driver
Thomas Crehan	....	driver
Roy Fortier	....	driver
Gus Hein	....	driver: special equipment
Steven Menasian	....	driver

Other crew
Ethan Adelman	....	cartoonist
Marco Ajello	....	additional production assistant
Monique Alderman	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Fabio M. Arber	....	location manager: Florida unit
Anna Beckman	....	cartoonist
Anna Beckman	....	office intern
Nadia Benamara	....	accounting intern
David Best	....	parking production assistant
Susan H. Bodine	....	legal services
Richard R. Boudreau	....	office intern
Mark Boulos	....	office intern
Shannon Bowen	....	location scout
René Brar	....	office intern
Andrea F. Cannistraci	....	legal services
Stephen Carr	....	location assistant
Lee Chabowski	....	Helen's poetry
Cory Chew	....	completion bond
Myfa Cirinna	....	payroll services
Jeremiah Clancy	....	production assistant
Alexander Cohen	....	additional location assistant
Chris Collins	....	additional location assistant
Lisa Collomb	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Chloe Conroy	....	location coordinator
Ryan Cooke	....	additional production assistant
Barbara Cordoves	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Justin Crabill	....	remote technician
Michael Dallas	....	location scout
Debora Degnan	....	additional production assistant
Ged Dickersin	....	location scout
Kate Eales	....	assistant film conformist
Elliot Earle	....	craft service: Florida unit
Kent Ehrhardt	....	weather report
Kimberly N. Fajen	....	production office coordinator
Andrew Federman	....	location assistant
Ramsey Fong	....	key office production assistant
Lyle Gamm	....	graphics coordinator
Nicholas Gansner	....	additional production assistant
Alessandro Garuzzo	....	office intern
Kelsey J. Geisler	....	production assistant
Esther Gould	....	office intern
Justine Halliday	....	assistant film conformist
Benjamin Harris	....	cartoonist
Dean Haspiel	....	cartoonist
Gretchen Hatz	....	production assistant
Marcee Healy	....	production assistant
Matthew Herrick	....	cartoonist
Anne-Marie Hess	....	office intern
Jeff Hill	....	unit publicist
Joyce Hsieh	....	production accountant
Jason Tavis Jeffries	....	office intern
Brian Johnson	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Jon M. Johnson	....	parking coordinator
William Johnson	....	parking production assistant
George Jones	....	parking production assistant
Amanda Katz	....	office intern
Charlie Kleinman	....	office intern
Elizabeth Klenk	....	location scout
Timothy M. Koenig	....	security officer
Zhenia Kozlov	....	consultant: Russia
Tina Kronis	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Brent Lagerman	....	additional production assistant
Ben Lauter	....	product placement coordinator
Gary Leib	....	cartoonist
John Limotte	....	legal services
Brenda M. Long	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Jeremy 'Bruiser' Mack	....	additional production assistant
Jonathan McGrath	....	additional production assistant
Alan McIntyre Smith	....	craft service (as Alan Smith)
Michael Meere	....	assistant production accountant
Nathaniel Mendelsohn	....	office intern
Jonathan Michals	....	office intern
Jennifer Miller	....	office intern
Ross Miller	....	production insurance
Christie Mullen	....	location scout
Rebecca L. Murray	....	assistant: Todd Solondz
Vonda G. Nelson	....	additional production assistant
Hetakaisa Paarte	....	assistant: Ted Hope
Julie Panebianco	....	conduit to "Happiness"
Derek Pastures	....	parking production assistant
Patricia Claire Pertalion	....	additional production assistant
Jessica Piscitelli	....	key set production assistant (as Jessica Anne Piscitelli)
Perri Pivovar	....	assistant film conformist
David Powers	....	additional production mixer
Lynn H. Powers	....	location scout
Jimmy Price	....	assistant location manager
Phillip Ristaino	....	cartoonist
Jose Rodriguez	....	office intern
Daniel S. Rogers	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Scott Rosenstein	....	additional production assistant
Niles Roth	....	office intern
Jim Ryan	....	cartoonist
Jason E. Sandys	....	office intern
Paula Schmidt	....	completion bond
Nancy Schwartzman	....	assistant: Christine Vachon
Betsy Shankin	....	location scout
Jessica Sharzer	....	office intern
Emily Samantha Sherman	....	production office coordinator: Florida unit
Nazgol Shifteh	....	office intern
Dan Shotz	....	office intern
Shelby Siegal	....	assistant film conformist
Margo S. Silver	....	office intern
Leah Sokolowsky	....	location scout: Florida unit (as Leah Weintraub)
Marion Spiegelman	....	completion bond
Brian J. Stapleton	....	office intern
Tim Streeto	....	post-production picture services
Michael Taylor	....	script supervisor
Mimi Turner	....	location scout
Al Valentine	....	location manager: additional photography
John Verni	....	set production assistant: additional photography
Jonathan Waks	....	cartoonist
Nicole Walker	....	office intern
Shelly Westerman	....	film conformist
Thomas J. Whelan	....	location manager
Fred Widland	....	assistant production office coordinator
Adrienne M. Williams	....	production assistant: Florida unit
Jim Williams	....	parking production assistant
Robert Wilson	....	additional production assistant
Shawn Wilson	....	post-production accountant
Maurier Winston	....	parking production assistant
Kurt Woolner	....	completion bond
Nakako Yamamoto	....	dog handler
Jung-Min Yoon	....	additional production assistant
Ronald T. Zizmor	....	production assistant
Matthew L. Weiss	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jake Myers	....	thanks
David W. Schoner Jr.	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Good Machine
• Killer Films

Distributors

• Good Machine (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Behaviour Entertainment (1998) (Canada) (theatrical)
• New Films International (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alameda Films (1999) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Budapest Film (1999) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (1999) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• ID Distribution (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Trimark Pictures (1999) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Cine Qua Non Films (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2000) (Finland) (video)
• Taki Corporation (2000) (Japan) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Lume Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Alpha Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Film Finances  completion guarantor

Also Known As:

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:R (Alberta/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:R21 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Italy:VM18 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) (rating surrendered)

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Good Machine

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Todd Solondz]as the doorman in Allen, Helen, and Kristina's building.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The number on top of Vlad's taxi is 5C19, while the license plate number is 8H69. On an actual New York City taxi, these numbers would match.

Quotes:

Johnny Grasso:Do you have any tuna salad?
Bill:Would you like a sandwich?
Johnny Grasso:Yes please.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)

Soundtrack:

You Light Up My Life

Sex: it's on everyone's mind!

The sexual foibles, perversities and hang-ups of a trio of sisters, their parents, neighbors and friends--told in a low, slightly monotone, key. It's a rich carousel of scared, scary lives with an inter-connecting pattern: the disillusionment of coupling--and how one keeps trying to succeed in this department despite the humiliations. Pretty funny once you get the idea--and only if you're attuned to this kind of sick black humor. Not for the faint of heart, but extremely clever concoction from talented writer-director Todd Solondz (whose first film, "Welcome To The Dollhouse", struck me as a stunt). This one is frank, funny, and very warped--almost over-the-top in places, especially the ending--yet kept on track by the terrific performances. Some might compare this to the later "Magnolia" (they're both tapestry films), but "Happiness" is superior, and certainly less pretentious. *** from ****