Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

26 January 2000 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Plot:

In the 1930s, fictional jazz guitarist Emmet Ray idolizes Django Reinhardt, faces gangsters and falls in love with a mute.

Plot Keywords:

Jazz | Train | 1930s | Gangster | Rat

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Himself
Ben Duncan	...	Himself
Daniel Okrent	...	A.J. Pickman
Dan Moran	...	Boss
Tony Darrow	...	Ben
Chris Bauer	...	Ace - Pool Player
Sean Penn	...	Emmet Ray
Constance Shulman	...	Hazel - Hooker #1
Kellie Overbey	...	Iris - Hooker #2
Darryl Alan Reed	...	Don
Marc Damon Johnson	...	Omer
Ron C. Jones	...	Alvin (as Ron Cephas Jones)
Steve Bargonetti	...	Musician Friend
Benjamin Franklin Brown	...	Musician Friend
James Urbaniak	...	Harry
Vince Giordano	...	Bass Player #1
Emme Kemp	...	Jam Session Musician
Clark Gayton	...	Jam Session Musician
Marcus McLaurine	...	Jam Session Musician
Carolyn Saxon	...	Phyliss
Brian Markinson	...	Bill Shields
Drummond Erskine	...	First Hobo
Joe Ambrose	...	Second Hobo
Molly Price	...	Ann
Joseph Rigano	...	Stagehand (as Joe Rigano)
Denis O'Hare	...	Jake
Dennis Stein	...	Dick Ruth - Club Owner
Nat Hentoff	...	Himself
Katie Hamill	...	Mary
Samantha Morton	...	Hattie
Kaili Vernoff	...	Gracie
Carole Bayeux	...	Rita - Opium Party Hostess
Paula Parrish	...	Party Guest
Cory Solar	...	Party Guest
Lexi Egz	...	Party Guest
Yvette Mercedes	...	Party Guest
Peter Leung	...	Party Guest
John Waters	...	Mr. Haynes
William Addy	...	Master of Ceremonies
Dick Monday	...	Chester Weems
Mary Stout	...	Felicity Thomson - Amateur Singer
Dick Mingalone	...	Birdman
Mr. Spoons	...	Spoon Player
Carol Woods	...	Helen Minton
Josh Mowery	...	Movie Director
Fred Goehner	...	William Weston
Eddy Davis	...	Bass Player #2
Vincent Guastaferro	...	Sid Bishop
Ralph Pope	...	Panhandler
Douglas McGrath	...	Himself
Jerome Richardson	...	Club Musician
Earl P. McIntyre	...	Club Musician
James Williams	...	Club Musician
Frank Wess	...	Club Musician (as Frank Wellington Wess)
Al Bryant	...	Club Musician
Ray Garvey	...	Club Manager
Sally Placksin	...	Sally Jillian
Uma Thurman	...	Blanche
Lola Pashalinski	...	Blanche's Friend
Simon Wettenhall	...	Jam Session Musician
Orange Kellin	...	Jam Session Musician
Brooks Giles III	...	Jam Session Musician
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Al Torrio
Brad Garrett	...	Joe Bedloe
Alfred Sauchelli Jr.	...	Ned - Pool Player
Michael Peter Bolus	...	Lynch - Bar Room Friend (as Michael Bolus)
Mick O'Rourke	...	Holdup Man
John Patrick McLaughlin	...	Holdup Man (as John P. McLaughlin)
Chuck Lewkowicz	...	Police Officer
Rick Mowat	...	Flat Tire Man
Ted Wilkins	...	Gas Station Proprietor
Michael Sprague	...	Django Reinhardt
Gretchen Mol	...	Ellie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Scott Beehner	...	Jay (uncredited)
Gary Cowling	...	Musician Friend (uncredited)
Michael Criscuolo	...	Carnival Vendor (uncredited)
Stanley Crouch	...	Himself (uncredited)
Anna Damergis	...	Manicurist (uncredited)
Catherine Dudley	...	Eavesdropper (uncredited)
Kenneth Edelson	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Eddie Eisele	...	Rich Car Collector Who Sells Sean Penn the Packard (uncredited)
Alan Francis	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Rick Hickman	...	Angry Townsman (uncredited)
Fiona Jones	...	Farmer's Wife (uncredited)
Jon M. McDonnell	...	Music Enthusiast (uncredited)
Trish McGettrick	...	Patron (uncredited)
Maria Ottavia	...	Mother and Family on Boardwalk (uncredited)
Adam Sietz	...	John (uncredited)
John H. Tobin	...	Bartender Serving Emmet (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	co-executive producer
J.E. Beaucaire	....	executive producer
Richard Brick	....	co-producer
Jean Doumanian	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Jack Rollins	....	co-executive producer

Cinematography by
Fei Zhao		(director of photography) (as Zhao Fei)

Film Editing by
Alisa Lepselter

Casting by
Laura Rosenthal
Juliet Taylor

Production Design by
Santo Loquasto

Art Direction by
Tom Warren

Set Decoration by
Jessica Lanier

Costume Design by
Laura Bauer		(as Laura Cunningham Bauer)

Makeup Department
Stephen G. Bishop	....	hair
Milton Buras	....	hair
Robert Kushner	....	wigmaker: Ira Senz
Eva Polywka	....	makeup
Rosemary Zurlo	....	makeup (as Rosemarie Zurlo)
Linda Lazar	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Nicki Ledermann	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Sanja Milic	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Richard Brick	....	unit production manager
Margo Myers	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lisa Janowski	....	second assistant director
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director
Helen Rella	....	dga trainee (as Helen Anne Rella)
Brian A. York	....	second second assistant director (as Brian York)

Art Department
Mark Bachman	....	sign designer
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
Peter Gelfman	....	property master
Regina Graves	....	assistant set decorator
Daniel K. Grosso	....	leadman
Vincent Guarriello	....	chief construction grip
Christian Halac	....	art department assistant
Jon Kaloudis	....	art department assistant
Hyun-joo Kim	....	assistant art director (as Hyun-Joo Kim)
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director
Glenn Lloyd	....	graphics and research
Leonardo Mastrantoni	....	shop assistant
Robin McAllister	....	assistant property master
Jessica A. Milstein	....	set decorating coordinator (as Jessica Milstein)
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (as Ronald Petagna)
Paul Robinson	....	assistant art director
Cliff Schorr	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
David Stein	....	assistant art director
Margot Therre	....	lead scenic artist
Josh Wick	....	art department assistant
Greg Aharoni	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Suzanne E. Cestare	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Eric Cheripka	....	property assistant (uncredited)
James Donahue	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
William Durnin Jr.	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Stephen Finkin	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ray Fisher	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Tony Gamiello	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Gilbert Gertsen	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Gordon Gertsen	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Greco	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Linda Harvey	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Ruth Katz	....	set dresser (uncredited)
James McDonagh	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jeff Naparstek	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jeffrey Rollins	....	props (uncredited)
Ari David Schwartz	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Costanzo)
Lee Dichter	....	re-recording mixer: Sound One Corporation
Kate Eales	....	assistant sound editor
Frank Graziadei	....	recordist (as Frank J. Graziadei)
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
John Hirst	....	playback
Bradford L. Hohle	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
George A. Lara	....	foley recording engineer (as George Lara)
Les Lazarowitz	....	production sound mixer
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Bruce Pross	....	foley editor
Neil Riha	....	boom operator
Melanie Ryder	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
John Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator
Ron Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Scott David	....	digital artist (as Scott Roscoe David)
Camille Geier	....	visual effects producer
Thomas Rosseter	....	visual effects supervisor (as Tom Rosseter)
Camille Eden	....	visual effects production coordinator: ILM (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Douglass	....	stuntman
Vic Bucossi	....	stunts (uncredited)
David Shumbris	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David E. Baron	....	second assistant camera (as David Baron)
Bob Brennan	....	best boy grip (as Robert Brennan)
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Jack Coffen	....	best boy electric
Michael Green	....	camera operator
A. Lee Morris	....	camera loader
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
George Patsos	....	key grip
Michael Proscia Jr.	....	gaffer
Matt Chubet	....	grip (uncredited)
Michael Gallart	....	grip (uncredited)
Chris Hammond	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Wayne Paull	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Pellegrino	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Mark Proscia	....	electrician (uncredited)
Chris Zizzo	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sarah Allentuch	....	casting assistant
Kristy Fitts	....	extras casting associate (as Kristi Fitts)
Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto	....	casting associate (as Patricia Kerrigan)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patricia Eiben	....	shop wardrobe supervisor
Barrett Hong	....	wardrobe supervisor
Anastasia Leopold	....	wardrobe tracker
Fionnuala M. Lynch	....	extras wardrobe supervisor (as Fionnuala Lynch)
Jennifer Newman	....	wardrobe assistant
Suzanne Pettit	....	wardrobe supervisor
Heather Priest	....	assistant costume designer
Elizabeth Roles	....	wardrobe assistant
Bobby Frederick Tilley	....	assistant costume designer
Jennifer Ingram	....	costumer (uncredited)
Roseann Milano	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Margaret Morettini	....	costume shopper (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Katherine Belsey	....	post-production coordinator
Sheri Bylander	....	assistant editor
Sara Corrigan	....	assistant editor
Katy Kei Cunningham	....	post-production assistant
Jennifer Lilly	....	apprentice editor
John Dowdell	....	hd colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Howard Alden	....	musician: solo guitar
James Chirillo	....	musician: additional rhythm guitar player
Kelly Friesen	....	musician: bass
Joel Helleny	....	musician: additional trombone player
Dick Hyman	....	conductor
Dick Hyman	....	music arranger
Dick Hyman	....	musician: additional piano player
Walt Levinsky	....	music recording supervisor
Carmel Malin	....	musicians coordinator
Jill Meyers	....	music clearances
Ken Peplowski	....	musician: clarinet
Bucky Pizzarelli	....	musician: rhythm guitar
Ted Sommer	....	musician: drums
Byron Stripling	....	musician: additional trumpet player
Roy B. Yokelson	....	music recording engineer

Transportation Department
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation captain (as Ed 'Ack' Iacobelli)

Other crew
Leon Adair Jr.	....	parking coordinator (as Leon Adair)
Howard Alden	....	instructor: solo guitar
Michael Anthony	....	location assistant
Abby Bailey	....	assistant production accountant
David Brotsky	....	location production assistant
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Lauren G. Chapin	....	assistant to: Mr. Allen
Drew Dillard	....	location manager
Kimberly N. Fajen	....	production coordinator
Debora Fearon	....	craft service
Alex Fernández	....	set production assistant (as Alex Fernandez)
Ramsey Fong	....	production secretary
Meredith Garlick	....	assistant to: Mr. Brick
Sarah Garrett	....	set production assistant
Jessica Glass	....	location production assistant
Amanda Ladd	....	payroll accountant
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production accountant
Shuping Lu	....	interpreter for: Mr. Zhao (as Shuping Lu Roman)
Colin MacLellan	....	set production assistant (as Colin A.J. MacLellan)
Michael McBrien	....	location assistant
Patrick McMahon	....	set production assistant
Kiersten Pilar Miller	....	set production assistant
Christie Mullen	....	location assistant
Yasmine Mustaklim	....	accounting assistant
Kim Noble	....	location assistant
Bucky Pizzarelli	....	instructor: rhythm guitar
Bing Rao	....	interpreter for: Mr. Zhao
Jason Rubenstein	....	set production assistant
Salvatore Savo	....	office assistant
Andy Segal	....	pool consultant (as Andy Seigel)
Kate Siamon	....	location production assistant
Jennifer Silverman	....	assistant production coordinator
Ted Sommer	....	instructor: drums
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist
Steven Weisberg	....	location assistant
Will Wilder	....	assistant parking coordinator
Tom Yeager	....	assistant location manager
Martin Zeichner	....	video dailies
Marc Baron	....	photo double: Sean Penn (uncredited)
Marc Baron	....	stand-in: Sean Penn (uncredited)
Eric Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Guy Efrat	....	location scout (uncredited)
Maggie Engelhardt	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Sarah Rae Garrett	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Danielle Giovanniello	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Tudor Jones	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Christie Mullen	....	location scout (uncredited)

Thanks
Valerie Haller	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank
Robert C. Janiszewski	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank: County Executive of Hudson County, New Jersey
Greg Johnson	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank

Production Companies

• Sweetland Films (copyright holder) (as Sweetland Films, B.V.) (A Jean Doumanian Production)
• Magnolia Productions (copyright holder) (as Magnolia Productions, Inc.)

Distributors

• Eurocine (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (USA) (TV) (a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• FS Film Oy (Finland)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Films de l'Elysée, Les (Luxembourg)
• GAGA
• Pyramide Distribution (France)
• SF Film (Denmark)
• SF Film (Sweden)
• SF Norge A/S (Norway)
• Sony Pictures Classics (USA)
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bangladesh) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bhutan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (India) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Maldives) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Nepal) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Pakistan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Sri Lanka) (TV)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as AON/Albert G. Ruben, Inc.)
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll (as Axium Entertainment Services)
• Condé Nast Publications, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as The Condé Nast Publications, Inc.)
• Dawn Animal Agency  animals
• Effects House, The  titles
• Flashy Trash & Company  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as Flashy Trash & Company, Chicago, Illinois)
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  vintage clothing rentals (uncredited)
• History For Hire  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as History For Hire Prop House)
• Hudson County Cultural & Heritage Affairs  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank
• Ira Senz  wigmaker (as Ira Senz, Inc.)
• J.G. Films  negative matching (as J.G. Films, Inc.)
• Nagra Sound Service  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as Nagra USA, Nashville, Tennessee)
• New Jersey and Hudson County Cultural & Heritage Affairs  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as The N.Y.C. Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting)
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• RCA Records  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as The RCA Records Label, A Unit of BMG Entertainment)
• Ralph Lauren  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as Polo Ralph Lauren)
• Sony Classical  soundtrack available on
• Sound One  re-recording mixer (as Sound One Corp.)
• Turner Entertainment  the producers gratefully acknowledge and wish to thank (as Turner Entertainment Co.)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some substance abuse

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 (PCA #36802) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Argentina:13 | Peru:PT | USA:TV-14 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Fresh Pond Rail Yards, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sweetland Films

Trivia:

Woody Allen pays a clever homage to Federico Fellini's La Strada (1954). The characters of Emmet (Penn) and Hattie (Morton) correspond to Zampano (Quinn) and Gelsomina (Masina) including the final scene with Emmet's/Zampano's breakdown and repentance.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The steel grain bins seen on a car trip would not be found in that time era.

Quotes:

Emmet Ray:[while Hattie is struggling to replace a tire on the car] What's the matter? Nobody said it was going to be a picknick. You know I can't risk my hands.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #26.192" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Avalon

The first essential Woody Allen film in a long time.

Sean Penn plays Emmett Ray, a little-known jazz guitarist, an eccentric, egocentric genius self-proclaimed as the "greatest guitar player in the country" or the "second greatest guitar player in the world" - because of that gypsy from France, the bane of his life, Django Reinhardt. The story of Sweet and Lowdown is the story of Emmett and the girl he first describes as "the little one with the silly hat," who is also, incidentally, called Hattie. There is something so special and memorable about the chemistry between Hattie and Emmett. Hattie is perfect for Emmett, because she's mute, and therefore he can sound off all day about how great he is, and she's the one person who won't contradict him.

Woody has the knack of making highly watchable movies - and popping them out one a year. There is a continuity across them all, yet they all seem somewhat unique. Sweet and Lowdown stands heads and shoulders above every other film Woody has made since Husbands and Wives. With Sweet and Lowdown, Woody reminds us why we loved him in the first place - yet i'm not sure i can think of another Woody film that's as genuine, beautiful and moving, yet eccentric and funny at the same time. Annie Hall was probably as touching, but with Woody is no actor next to Penn, which i think makes an incredible difference! Penn brings to life a character so eccentric and unbelievable, yet we never doubt him, we never feel he's not a total human being.

Penn's performance is counterbalanced by another equally moving performance by Samantha Morton as Hattie. Often you'll find yourself watching a two-shot with the both of them on screen, and you won't be able to decide which character you're more curious to watch. More often than not, you'll watch Samantha Morton, to see what Hattie is thinking and feeling. An extraordinary job by an extraordinarily talented actress you may have seen as the mother in In America or the pre-cog Agatha in Minority report.

The one fault in the film is Uma Thurman - she is badly miscast and clearly only suited to intentionally hammy fodder like Kill Bill. Her character, Blanche, is great ("Okay, so i slept with him, but i was just researching a book!"), which makes it more the shame that Thurman speaks her line like she thinks this is a cartoon or a Tarantino movie. The audience will only accept the eccentricity of this style if the performances are genuine: she gets an F. She pops the bubble of this movie. When she appears, we suddenly realise its only a movie, and the spell is broken. Nevertheless, she's only in a relatively small portion of the film, and she can't bring down the rest of it.

Sweet and Lowdown has the feeling of telling you a tale, and it spins some great fun yarns about little-known jazz guitarist Emmett Ray. Penn and Morton bring to life an incredible couple of characters - two of Woody's best creations. Well designed with nice period costumes and well directed, especially the magestic final crane shot (a reference to La Strada i believe). The story is beautifully punctuated with scintillating jazz music by Dick Hyman and others.

"Come listen," Emmett tells someone at one point, "you'll love this, i'm great."