Bartleby (2001)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jonathan Parker

Writers:

Herman Melville (story)
Jonathan Parker (screenplay) ...

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

I would prefer not to.

Plot:

A clueless boss has no idea what to do with his mundane office worker whose refusal of duties only gets worse each passing minute.

Plot Keywords:

Office | Employee | Records | Employer | Insubordination

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Paymer	...	The Boss
Crispin Glover	...	Bartleby
Glenne Headly	...	Vivian
Maury Chaykin	...	Ernest
Joe Piscopo	...	Rocky
Seymour Cassel	...	Frank Waxman
Carrie Snodgress	...	Book Publisher
Dick Martin	...	The Mayor
Greta Danielle Newgren	...	Boss's Date
Ken Murakami	...	Landlord
Josh Kornbluth	...	Property Manager
Nick Scoggin	...	Street Philosopher
Stoney Burke	...	Soup Kitchen Server
Terry Allen Jones	...	New Tenant
Stu Klitsner	...	Professor Bum (as Stuart Klitsner)

Also Known As:

Bartleby at the Office (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content.

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Novato, California, USA

Company:

Parker Film Company

Trivia:

Dick Martin's final acting performance.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the boss's date is straddling him in his office, sometimes her hair is wrapped in a scarf and sometimes it's not.

Quotes:

Rocky: Let me tell you something: It's the sensitive guy that gets the needy woman.
Ernie: Yeah, well it's the worm that gets the hooker.

Movie Connections:

Version of Bartleby (1976)

Soundtrack:

Preludes

The Man Who Preferred Not To...

I never heard of this movie until couple of weeks ago when I saw it on TV. This brings my question - where do all the good, "small", independent movies go after they've been created and screened on the Sundance Film Festival? How do we learn about their existence? Where do we read about them? And most importantly, where can we see them?

Bartleby, the first film directed and written by Jonathan Parker is a real gem - modern version of the Melville's short story "Bartleby the Scrivener" with absolutely amazing cast.

Crispin Glover plays Bartleby, the man who was hired, but preferred not to work and who was fired, but preferred not to leave. David Paymer is his clueless boss who tries to understand what he is dealing with. Glenne Headly is Vivian, an office secretary, the woman of many adorable talents; Maury Chaykin, and Joe Piscopo are his coworkers in the one of the most boring office ever existed. The office is located in the building that sits on the top of the hill and comes directly from the El Greco's painting "View of Toledo" with its atmosphere of mystery, danger, and loneliness: Would you like to work in the building like that? I'd prefer not to...

I believe Parker made a very impressive debut - the film is creatively shot, the use of music is amazing - Beethoven's sonata turns into a creepy, quirky and moody Bartleby's theme for which Parker used theremin - very interesting and unique musical instrument. Parker and his co -writer transported 'Bartleby the Scrivener' into a surreal and absurd black comedy - satire on bureaucracy and alienation in the insane and cruel modern world.

Franz Kafka's name came to my mind more than once while watching the film - he would've loved that absurd, funny but dark and sad story. Also, if ever a good movie is made about one of the greatest and tragic writers of 20th Century, Crispin Glover should play him. Just compare their pictures...