Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Director:

James Mangold

Writers (WGA):

Susanna Kaysen (book)
James Mangold (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Based on a true story

Plot:

Based on writer Susanna Kaysen's account of her 18-month stay at a mental hospital in the 1960s.

Plot Keywords:

Social Worker | Bad Girl | Identity Crisis | Female Bonding | Intimacy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 23

1:25 AM

HBO

Cast

Winona Ryder	...	Susanna Kaysen
Angelina Jolie	...	Lisa Rowe
Clea DuVall	...	Georgina Tuskin (as Clea Duvall)
Brittany Murphy	...	Daisy Randone
Elisabeth Moss	...	Polly 'Torch' Clark
Jared Leto	...	Tobias 'Toby' Jacobs
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Dr. Melvin Potts
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Dr. Sonia Wick
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Valerie Owens, RN
Angela Bettis	...	Janet Webber
Jillian Armenante	...	Cynthia Crowley
Drucie McDaniel	...	M.G.
Alison Claire	...	Nurse Gretta
Christina Myers	...	Nurse Margie
Joanna Kerns	...	Annette Kaysen
Travis Fine	...	Nurse John
Gloria Barnhart	...	Older Catatonic
Josie Gammell	...	Mrs. McWilley
Bruce Altman	...	Prof. Gilcrest
Mary Kay Place	...	Barbara Gilcrest
Ray Baker	...	Carl Kaysen
KaDee Strickland	...	Bonnie Gilcrest
Christian Monroe	...	Ronny
Kurtwood Smith	...	Dr. Crumble
David Scott Taylor	...	Monty Hoover (Cabby)
Janet Pryce	...	E.R. Nurse
C. Scott Grimaldi	...	E.R. Resident
Ginny Graham	...	Arleen
Richard Domeier	...	Art Teacher
John Kirkman	...	Jack
Sally Bowman	...	Maureen
Misha Collins	...	Tony
John Lumia	...	Van Driver
Marilyn Brett	...	Italian Shop Keeper
Henry Alex Rubin	...	Josh (as Alex Rubin)
Marilyn Spanier	...	Miss Plimack
Linda Gilvear	...	Miss Paisley
Allen Strange	...	Principal
Spencer Gates	...	British Teacher
Rebecca Derrick	...	Lillian
Anne Connors	...	Nurse
Steve Altes	...	Medic
Joe Gerety	...	Cop
Anne Lewis	...	Dance Therapist
Donny Martino Jr.	...	Naked Man
John Levin	...	E.R. Doctor
Irene Longshore	...	Connie
Katie Rimmer	...	Tiffany
Jonathan Martin Spirk	...	Tough Guy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bobby	...	Therapist #2 (uncredited)
Kenneth Keith Kallenbach	...	Van Driver (uncredited)
Annie Marter	...	Druggy Chick (uncredited)
Eric Mitchell	...	Hippie (uncredited)

Directed by
James Mangold

Writing credits (WGA)
Susanna Kaysen		(book)
James Mangold		(screenplay) and
Lisa Loomer		(screenplay) and
Anna Hamilton Phelan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Carol Bodie	....	executive producer
Georgia Kacandes	....	co-producer
Susanna Kaysen	....	associate producer
Cathy Konrad	....	producer
Winona Ryder	....	executive producer
Douglas Wick	....	producer

Original Music by
Mychael Danna

Cinematography by
Jack N. Green		(as Jack Green)

Film Editing by
Kevin Tent

Casting by
Lisa Beach

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Jeff Knipp

Set Decoration by
Maggie Martin

Costume Design by
Arianne Phillips

Makeup Department
Milton Buras	....	key hair stylist
Jane Galli	....	key makeup artist
Kathrine Gordon	....	hair stylist: Ms. Ryder
Linda Grimes	....	makeup artist: Whoopi Goldberg
John E. Jackson	....	prosthetic makeup application
Diane Maurno	....	makeup artist
Emanuel Millar	....	hair stylist: Ms. Jolie
Janeen Schreyer	....	makeup artist: Ms. Jolie
Carol Schwartz	....	makeup supervisor
Gunnar Swanson	....	hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	hair styles supervisor
Julia L. Walker	....	hair stylist: Ms. Goldberg (as Julia Walker)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	prosthetic makeup designer (uncredited)
Clinton Wayne	....	prosthetic technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Georgia Kacandes	....	unit production manager
Susan McNamara	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dieter 'Dietman' Busch	....	second assistant director (as Dieter Busch)
Cas Donovan	....	first assistant director
Kristen Ploucha	....	second second assistant director
Henry Alex Rubin	....	second unit director (as Alex Rubin)

Art Department
Harry Conrad Chitwood	....	construction coordinator (as Conrad Chitwood)
Josh Ian Elliott	....	on-set dresser
Hank Giardina	....	paint supervisor
John Paul 'J.P.' Jones	....	property master
Ann Knight	....	assistant set decorator
David C. Potter	....	lead man (as David Potter)
Monica Ragan	....	assistant property master
Mary Saisselin	....	set designer
Stephen Siersema	....	scenic artist
Patrick M. Sullivan Jr.	....	set designer
Andrea Swistak	....	prop assistant
Mimi Wyeth	....	art department coordinator
Jonathan A. Davidson	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Sharon Potts	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
George H. Anderson	....	sound effects editor (as George Anderson)
Michael J. Benavente	....	dialogue editor (as Michael Benavente)
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Fred Burke	....	foley editor
Ali Derakhshan	....	assistant sound editor
David Diamond	....	boom operator
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Howell Gibbens	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Hanson Hsu	....	stage engineer
Elizabeth Kenton	....	supervising adr editor
James Morioka	....	assistant sound editor
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Jim Stuebe	....	production sound mixer
F. Scott Taylor	....	assistant sound editor
Hugo Weng	....	dialogue editor
Gary Wright	....	foley editor

Special Effects by
Ron Bolanowski	....	special effects
Jeffrey Cox	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Ralph Maiers	....	visual effects supervisor
Christopher Grandel	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Colletti	....	stunts
Jennifer Lamb	....	stunt coordinator
Kym Washington	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Coe	....	first assistant camera
Jan Gould	....	best boy grip
Jan Gould	....	second grip
Ryan Green	....	second assistant camera
Harold Groshon	....	electrician (as Hal Groshon)
Douglas C. Hart	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael Kleiman	....	additional second assistant camera
Craig Ligget	....	rigging electrician
Steven Litecky	....	rigging electrician
David Luckenbach	....	camera operator
David Luckenbach	....	steadicam operator
Bobby McMahan	....	second assistant camera
Michael K. O'Melia	....	assistant chief lighting technician
William O'Melia	....	electrician
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Paul Varrieur	....	camera operator: "b" camera
H. Mark Vuille	....	gaffer
Charles W. Wayt	....	dolly grip
James D. Wickman	....	dolly grip
Frank Yario Jr.	....	24 frame video operator

Casting Department
Sharon Hillegas	....	extras casting
Sarah Katzman	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Wendy M. Craig	....	costumer (as Wendy Craig)
Lorraine Crossman	....	costumer
Linda Matthews	....	wardrobe supervisor
Natasha Paczkowski	....	tailor
Trish Summerville	....	assistant costume designer
Rory Valentine	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Tom Dailey	....	first assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer (as Denny McNeill)
Holly Sachi	....	second assistant editor
Tom Scully	....	second assistant editor
Lee Michael Searles	....	print editor
Mark C. Pituch	....	dailies colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Nicholas Dodd	....	conductor
Nicholas Dodd	....	orchestrator
Brad Haehnel	....	music mixer
Brad Haehnel	....	scoring engineer
Paul Intson	....	musician
Andrew Lockington	....	assistant to composer
Thomas Milano	....	music editor
Ron Searles	....	scoring engineer

Transportation Department
Bob Foster	....	transportation captain
Robert Lee Mitchell	....	transportation co-captain
John H. Stephens	....	driver

Other crew
Sheila Allen	....	production accountant
Sibi Blazic	....	assistant: Ms. Ryder
Barbara Branch	....	second assistant accountant
Ursula Brauner	....	animal trainer
Damon E. Burke	....	production assistant
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
Ben Everhart	....	production assistant
Mike Fantasia	....	location manager
April H. Grantham	....	craft service
Reva Grantham	....	craft service
Michelle Iwamoto	....	animal trainer
Alan Jacques	....	projectionist
Annie Marter	....	production assistant
Donny Martino Jr.	....	location assistant
Brad Minnich	....	assistant to producer
Andrea Mitchell	....	production assistant
Boone Narr	....	animal supplier
Kelly O'Bier	....	production secretary
Danny Pellegrine	....	assistant: Ms. Konrad
Ronit Ravich-Boss	....	script supervisor
Jeremy Roberts	....	payroll accountant
Tyler Romary	....	production assistant
Nancy Safran	....	assistant: Mr. Wick
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Lori A. Spall	....	production coordinator
Lance Stockton	....	assistant: Mr. Mangold
John Burton West	....	assistant production coordinator
Mimi Wyeth	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• 3 Art Entertainment
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Company Medien KG
• Red Wagon Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Argentina)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (Japan)

Other Companies

• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)  score recording (as C.B.C., Toronto)
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Deluxe Catering  catering
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services (as Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California)
• Sony Scoring Stage  score recording (as Sony)
• The Glass Orchestra  score performed by

Also Known As:

Durchgeknallt (Germany)
Durchgeknallt - Girl, interrupted (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and content relating to drugs, sexuality and suicide.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | USA:R (certificate #36459) | Iceland:14 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Malaysia:18PL | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:16+ (Québec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | New Zealand:M | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hanover, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

3 Art Entertainment

Trivia:

Rose McGowan auditioned for the role of Lisa.

Goofs:

Continuity: This film was set in 1968 yet after Daisy is taken away after hanging herself it is in a 1970 Cadillac ambulance.

Quotes:

Susanna: Is that what you learned in your advanced studies at "Night School for Negro Welfare Mothers"?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Judging Amy: Maxine Interrupted (#4.15)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

How To Fight Loneliness

Brief critique-- 9/10 Excellent drama and lyric insight

I came to the film with low expectations. I was simply stunned by how good it was.

Angelina Jolie is an absolutely PHENOMENAL actress. Her performance alone is worth watching the movie for. But unlike show-stoppers like Marissa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinnie," merely shines the brightest light in a luminescent cast.

The cinematography was innovative, but not distractingly so-- "Girl Interupted" shines primarily for its dramatic power, not as a mind-blowing work of art. It will not explode your vision of the mundane world in the same way that "American Beauty" might, but it will certainly probe you to question your way of seeing the world-- at least psychologically.

Winona Ryder challenged my preconception of her, and proved herself as more than a pretty-girl. Her performance was convincing as Suzanna, a confused high-school graduate who is eloquent and insightful on paper yet unable to a rticulate her own desperate melancholy.

The movie takes place primarily in the women's ward of a mental institution and follows the dynamic friendship between Lisa (Jolie's character) and Suzanna. Lisa is a kinetic, dynamic personality who cuts right to the "truth" of things. Her "truth" knows no boundaries and she is a controlling person prone to violence. Her piercing insights about people and social recklessness led to her to be institutionalized as a sociopath.

This is not a depressing film. Rather, it is suprisingly life-affirming. Not cloying, not sacherine, but not inpenetrably dark, either. Anyone seeking an angst-ridden portrayal of abuses in mental institutions should check out Jack Nicholson's "One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest."

This film has little of the violent anger of that old classic. Yet it does echo some of the ebulience, the defiance of authority and embracing of freedom at sometimes incalculable cost.

Performances by Whoppie Goldberg (in a serious and nuanced role) and Vanessa Redgrave were excellent, as expected.

With the exception of a few holywood gimmicks, predictable cuts and music, this is a nearly flawless film. Dead-on dramatically, and excellently scripted and based on an eloquent true-story by Suzana Keisen, this movie offers a glimpse of one intensely personal experience of truth. Without the quotation marks, dark cynicism, or pretensions that revelation so frequently entails.