Small Time Crooks (2000)

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer (WGA):

Woody Allen (written by)

Release Date:

19 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Explodes with big-time laughter.

Plot:

A loser of a crook and his wife strike it rich when a botched bank job's cover business becomes a spectacular success.

Plot Keywords:

Crook | Dinner Party | Small Business | Building | Botched Crime

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Woody Allen	...	Ray
Carolyn Saxon	...	Candy Salesperson
Tracey Ullman	...	Frenchy
Michael Rapaport	...	Denny
Tony Darrow	...	Tommy
Sam Josepher	...	Real Estate Agent
Jon Lovitz	...	Benny
Lawrence Howard Levy	...	Dynamite Dealer (as Lawrence Levy)
Diane Bradley	...	Cookie Store Customer
Crystal Field	...	Cookie Store Customer
Cindy Carver	...	Cookie Store Customer
Ray Garvey	...	Cookie Store Customer
Bill Gerber	...	Cookie Store Customer
Olivia Hayman	...	Cookie Store Customer
Laurine Towler	...	Cookie Store Customer
Fanda Nikic	...	Cookie Store Customer
Brian Markinson	...	Cop
Elaine May	...	May
Dana Tyler	...	TV News Reporter
Steve Kroft	...	Himself
Brian McConnachie	...	Paul Milton
Ricardo Bertoni	...	Winklers' Butler
Isaac Mizrahi	...	Winklers' Chef
Kristine Nielsen	...	Emily Bailey
Larry Pine	...	Charles Bailey
Hugh Grant	...	David
Julie Lund	...	Linda Rhinelander
Teri Black	...	Winkler Party Guest
John Doumanian	...	Winkler Party Guest
Phyllis Burdoe	...	Winkler Party Guest
Maurice Sonnenberg	...	Garth Steinway
Richard Mawe	...	Anthony Gwynne
Karla Wolfangle	...	Modern Dance Performer
Rob Besserer	...	Modern Dance Performer
Frank Wood	...	Oliver
Ruth Laredo	...	Concert Pianist
Julie Halston	...	Concert Party Guest
Anthony Sinopoli	...	Frenchy's Chauffeur
Jesse Levy	...	Church Cellist
Josephine Calabrese	...	Churchgoer
Cindy Wilks	...	Churchgoer
Trevor Moran	...	Churchgoer
Peter McRobbie	...	Frenchy's Lawyer
Douglas McGrath	...	Frenchy's Lawyer
Elaine Stritch	...	Chi Chi Potter
Howard Erskine	...	Langston Potter
Christine Pipgras	...	Potter Party Guest
Nick Garfinkle	...	Potter Party Guest
Kenneth Edelson	...	Potter Party Guest
Ira Wheeler	...	Potter Party Guest
William Hill	...	Potter Party Guest
Ramsey Faragallah	...	Potter's Waiter
Scotty Bloch	...	Edgar's Wife
George Grizzard	...	George Blint
Marvin Chatinover	...	Dr. Henske
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alva Chinn	...	Potter Party Guest (uncredited)
Evelyn Iocolano	...	Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Woody Allen

Writing credits (WGA)
Woody Allen		(written by)

Produced by
Letty Aronson	....	co-executive producer
J.E. Beaucaire	....	executive producer
Jean Doumanian	....	producer
Charles H. Joffe	....	co-executive producer
Helen Robin	....	co-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
Suzanne McCabe

Makeup Department
Milton Buras	....	second hair stylist
Dina Doll	....	second makeup artist (as Dina Doll Prospero)
Werner Sherer	....	key hair stylist
Rosemary Zurlo	....	key makeup artist (as Rosemarie Zurlo)

Production Management
Mara Hade Connolly	....	production supervisor
Helen Robin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul F. Bernard	....	second assistant director
Keith Maitland	....	dga trainee
Richard Patrick	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter
Peter Gelfman	....	property master
Robert Grant	....	stand-by carpenter
Daniel K. Grosso	....	leadman
Vincent Guarriello	....	chief construction grip
Christian Halac	....	art department assistant
Glenn Lloyd	....	art department coordinator
Leonardo Mastrantoni	....	shop manager (as Leonardo Mastrantonio)
Robin McAllister	....	assistant property master
Jessica A. Milstein	....	set decorating coordinator (as Jessica Milstein)
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (as Ronald Petagna)
Cliff Schorr	....	stand-by scenic artist
James Sorice	....	master scenic artist
Ray Fisher	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Regina Graves	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Joseph S. Patire	....	shop craftsman (uncredited)
Addison Pettit	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gary Alper	....	production sound mixer
Kam Chan	....	foley editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Constanzo)
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Hein	....	supervising sound editor
Bradford L. Hohle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Brad Hohle)
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
George A. Lara	....	foley recording engineer (as George Lara)
Sylvia Menno	....	dialogue editor
David Pastecchi	....	second boom operator
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Anne Pope	....	assistant sound editor
Gisburg Smialek	....	assistant sound editor
Marc-Jon Sullivan	....	boom operator

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

Camera and Electrical Department
David E. Baron	....	second assistant camera (as David Baron)
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Jack Coffen	....	best boy electric
Michael Green	....	camera operator
A. Lee Morris	....	camera loader
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Billy Patsos	....	best boy grip (as William Patsos)
George Patsos	....	key grip
Michael Proscia Jr.	....	gaffer
Chris Hammond	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Mark Proscia	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sarah Allentuch	....	casting assistant
Patricia Kerrigan DiCerto	....	casting associate (as Patricia Kerrigan)
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Adkins	....	wardrobe supervisor
Susan Carrano	....	assistant costume designer
Anne Gorman	....	shop wardrobe supervisor
Rosemary Lepre	....	costume assistant
Melissa Stanton	....	wardrobe supervisor
Thomas Stokes	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Tom Stokes)

Editorial Department
Michelle Botticelli	....	assistant editor
Sheri Bylander	....	assistant editor
Sara Corrigan	....	first assistant editor
Jennifer Lilly	....	apprentice editor
John Dowdell	....	hd colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Jill Meyers	....	music clearance

Transportation Department
John Mulligan	....	transportation co-captain
Peter Tavis	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Leon Adair Jr.	....	parking coordinator (as Leon Adair)
Clay Adams	....	production assistant
Abby Bailey	....	assistant production accountant
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Lauren G. Chapin	....	assistant: Mr. Allen
Meredith Cohen	....	assistant production coordinator
Logan Cooper	....	production assistant
Teena Deocales	....	production assistant
Drew Dillard	....	location manager
Peter J. Dowd Jr.	....	production assistant (as Peter Dowd)
Debora Fearon	....	craft service
Alex Fernández	....	production assistant (as Alexandra Fernández)
Atnan Guze	....	craft service
Cecil Ham	....	production assistant (as Cecil 'Buddy' Ham)
Kathleen E. Kearney	....	production assistant
Cary Lin	....	assistant: Mr. Zhao
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	production accountant
April Merl	....	payroll accountant
Christie Mullen	....	location scout
Kim Noble	....	location scout
Cesar Quinones	....	production assistant
Jenni Ross	....	production assistant (as Jennifer Ross)
Elizabeth Stoll	....	production assistant
Carl Turnquest Jr.	....	projectionist
Renannah Weinstein	....	dailies apprentice (as Renannah Seliger)
Will Wilder	....	parking coordinator
Janice Williams	....	production coordinator
Tom Yeager	....	assistant location manager

Thanks
Greg Johnson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG (as a DreamWorks release)
• Sweetland Films (presents)

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• FilmFour (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2000-2001) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gloria Film A/S (2001) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Indies Film Distribution (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2000) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Pyramide Distribution (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Canvas (2003) (Belgium) (TV)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2001) (Italy) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Emerald (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• RTL Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• 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)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)

Other Companies

• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recording
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Effects House, The  titles and opticals
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll
• Associated Press Ltd.  thanks
• Bragman Nyman Cafarelli (BNC)  thanks
• Mercedes Benz USA  thanks
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks
• New York Public Library  thanks
• Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum  thanks
• Trans World Airlines (TWA)  thanks: airplane footage

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for language

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (Mono) | Dolby Digital (Mono)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Peru:PT | South Korea:All | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Mott Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The film contains several references to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's short story 'The Red-Headed League,' including the plot to break into a bank through the basement of an adjacent storefront and Frenchy's attempt memorize the contents of the dictionary.

Goofs:

Continuity: Tony Darrow's character is referred to alternately as Tommy Walker and Tommy Beal.

Quotes:

Ray:Your cousin May is dumb like a horse, or a dog or something.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Classics from the Vault: Mel Brooks or Woody Allen? (#2.4)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Sarabande From the Suite #2 for Solo violoncello In D Minor

Smart and funny with a sense of style, pure Woody Allen. *** out of ****.

SMALL TIME CROOKS / (2000) ***

Woody Allen's artistic sense of humor is the perfect style of wit for the timid new comedy "Small Time Crooks." Allen wrote and directed the film, which is pure Allen. This amusing filmmaker brings a focused sensation of clumsiness and silliness to the various ensemble of characters; this movie is classy, sharp, and funny.

Woody Allen stars as an ex-con named Ray Winkler, currently employed as a local dishwasher. He is the kind of person who comes up with maniac ideas he explains as beneficial, but they end up causing more grief than gratitude. His mangy wife Frenchy (Tracey Ullman) is sick of her loser lifestyle, so when Ray proposes to burglarize a nearby bank with his old buddies, including Denny (Michael Rapaport), Tommy (Tony Darrow), and Benny (Jon Lovitz), she reluctantly agrees.

Ray comes up with a scheme that consists of renting a storefront next to the bank in order to tunnel a passage way into their destination. To avoid suspicion, Frenchy and her cousin May (Elaine May) open a bakery offering cookies as the four criminals screw everything up in the basement. The cookie sales unexpectedly become a massive achievement, leading to the characters opening up a corporation that makes them rich.

The film's setup introduces the main characters with intelligent humor and riffraff detail. We learn they are unintelligent, desperate, and deprived nobodies living in unmistakable poverty without purpose or hope of a decent future. Also decently developed is the story, with a clear, stable first act and early laughs to capture the audience's attention from the start. This is the kind of movie that relies on situations to pull its characters through the story, and Allen gives the script fresh twists, active subplots, and creativity.

"Small Time Crooks" is a character movie; a study of well-acted personas given funny edge and dimension. The characters are dazzlingly portrayed by some of the most clever names in Hollywood. Woody Allen rehearses his basic charismatic personality that we all know and love, and brackets himself between witty dialogue and well-cast supporting actors. Tracey Ullman is perfect in a role seemingly prepared towards her performance and Hugh Grant's false charming tenderness creates a despicable image in which the audience opposes but enjoys.

The movie's story clearly exhibits the life of Ray and Frenchy, which is probably the smartest level in which it succeeds. We see gradual changes in the two as the story uses side characters as benchmarks that help to propel the plot along. There is minute tension involved with Ray and his spouse, however, although the Hugh Grant character provides a little romantic competition. If I had to change something in this movie, I would increase the level of the story's stakes and change the horridly annoying soundtrack.

Too much of this movie relies on dialogue to pull itself through story slouches; at times the plot seems to drift and the character end up explaining developments and advancements. "Small Time Crooks" does not suffer to immensely in result of this material because Woody Allen often supports his dialogue with visual story and amusing conversations that look as if especially written for each character in each scene.

"Small Time Crooks" furnishes seeking audiences with effective comedy. So often we desire for comic adventures only to find contrived and recycled humor in stale stories. This film succeeds in perspiring light-hearted humor with a surprising human dimensional touch. "Small Time Crooks" will not disappoint fans of Woody Allen's gawky sense of humor.