Focus (2001/I)

Director:

Neal Slavin

Writers:

Arthur Miller (novel)
Kendrew Lascelles (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 May 2002 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Everything Is About To Become Very Clear

Plot:

In the waning months of World War II, a man and his wife are mistakenly identified as Jews by their anti-Semitic Brooklyn neighbors...

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Neighbor | Jew | Face Slap | Religious Discrimination

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

William H. Macy	...	Lawrence 'Larry' Newman
Laura Dern	...	Gertrude 'Gert' Hart
David Paymer	...	Mr. Finkelstein
Meat Loaf	...	Fred (as Meat Loaf Aday)
Kay Hawtrey	...	Mrs. Newman
Michael Copeman	...	Carlson
Kenneth Welsh	...	Father Crighton
Joseph Ziegler	...	Mr. Gargan
Arlene Meadows	...	Mrs. Dewitt
Peter Oldring	...	Willy Doyle
Robert McCarrol	...	Meeting Hall Man (as Robert Mccarrol)
Shaun Austin-Olsen	...	Sullivan
Kevin Jubinville	...	Mr. Cole Stevens
B.J. McQueen	...	Mel
Conrad Bergschneider	...	Tough's Leader
Brad Austin	...	First Tough
David Blacker	...	Petey
Beatriz Pizano	...	Rape Victim (as Betariz Pizano)
Rick Braggins	...	Mr. Lorring
Rodger Barton	...	Sergeant
Andrew Massingham	...	Policeman
Bryon Bully	...	Billy
Anita Burkhart	...	Speaking Woman on Subway
Olivia Slavin	...	Mrs. Dewitt's Granddaughter
Wendy Lyon	...	Elsie
Angela Fusco	...	Second Woman on Subway
Barbara Barnes-Hopkins	...	Maid
Stefan Brogren	...	Bodyguard (as Stephan Brogren)
Paulette Sinclair	...	M.P. Receptionist
Pat Patterson	...	Green Grocer
Julia Paton	...	Waitress
Leo Petrus	...	Truck Driver
Durward Allen	...	Photographer
Peter Evans	...	Man in Theater
Tedde Moore	...	Woman #1 in Theater
Anna Louise Richardson	...	Woman #2 in Theater (as Anna-Louise Richardson)

Directed by
Neal Slavin

Writing credits
Arthur Miller		(novel)
Kendrew Lascelles		(screenplay)

Produced by
Thomas D. Adelman	....	co-producer
Thomas D. Adelman	....	line producer
Michael Bloomberg	....	producer (as Michael R. Bloomberg)
Martin Geller	....	executive producer
Kip Konwiser	....	co-producer
Robert A. Miller	....	producer
Neil O'Connor	....	executive producer
Jamie Rizzo	....	executive producer
Sherri Saito	....	line producer: Canada
Anita Slavin	....	executive producer
Neal Slavin	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Adler

Cinematography by
Juan Ruiz Anchía		(director of photography) (as Juan Ruiz-Anchia)

Film Editing by
Tariq Anwar
David B. Cohn

Casting by
Felicia Fasano
Anne McCarthy
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Vlasta Svoboda

Art Direction by
Edward Bonutto

Set Decoration by
Michelle Convey

Costume Design by
Vicki Graef

Makeup Department
James D. Brown	....	chief hair stylist
Linda Dowds	....	key makeup artist
Traci Loader	....	assistant makeup artist
Linda Melazzo	....	makeup artist: Ms. Dern (as Linda V. Melazzo)
Rita Pacitto	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Sherri Saito	....	production manager
Natalie Samanon	....	post-production supervisor (as Nathalie Samanon)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Campbell	....	second assistant director
Jennifer Côté	....	trainee assistant director
Felix Gray	....	first assistant director
Patrick Murphy	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Lloyd Brown	....	set decoration buyer
Malcolm Byard	....	lead man
Romuald Bylinski	....	carpenter (as Romek Bylinski)
Mel Carleton	....	carpenter
Marlene Chapelle	....	carpenter
Jai Chong	....	assistant key scenic artist
Attilio Cimini	....	carpenter
Ken Clark	....	greensman
Richard Dickenson	....	on-set carpenter
Lowell Doyle	....	carpenter
Noel Doyle	....	scenic
Ted Dudas	....	scenic
Gord Elliston	....	head carpenter
Steven Elliston	....	construction coordinator (as Steve Elliston)
Peter Fletcher	....	property master
Pat Flood	....	first assistant art director
Darrell Gasparini	....	assistant property master
Brad Greaves	....	second assistant art director (as Bradley Greaves)
Fred Haywood	....	carpenter
Darryl Hoskins	....	scenic
Jeff Laidlaw	....	carpenter
Brian Legault	....	assistant head painter
Roy MacDonald	....	on-set painter
Tony Mainelli	....	carpenter
O'Tucky McLean	....	scenic
Avelino Miguez	....	carpenter
John Moran	....	graphics
Rick Moran	....	on-set dresser
Annie Morin	....	scenic
Victor Muscat	....	scenic
Dan O'Neill	....	scenic
Brian Patrick	....	set dresser
Raymond Pryce	....	head painter
Henry Ranger	....	key scenic artist
Robin Renter	....	scenic
John Todd	....	assistant head carpenter
Jeff Travaglini	....	carpenter
Arianna Van Durron	....	scenic
Rum Zanjani	....	carpenter
Mike Zingrove	....	carpenter
David G. Fremlin	....	set designer (uncredited)
Adam Weir	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eric Behrend	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Bell	....	cable puller
Greg Chapman	....	sound recordist
David B. Cohn	....	supervising sound editor (as David B. Cohen)
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer (as Dean Dravin)
Ben Georgiades	....	assistant sound engineer
Jonathan Golodner	....	sound editor
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley walker (as Vince Guisetti)
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Peggy McAffee	....	sound editor
Amy Morrison	....	dialogue editor
Bryan Pennington	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Ken Porter	....	boom operator
Elizabeth Rainey	....	foley walker
Neale Ricotti	....	second assistant engineer
Kyle Rochlin	....	foley mixer
Steven M. Sax	....	sound editor (as Steve Sax)
David Spence	....	dialogue editor
Jon Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Tuchrello	....	first assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lisa Pacitto	....	special effects coordinator: Laird McMurray Services
Skyler Wilson	....	special effects key (as Skylar Wilson)
Ray Comiso	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Ray McMillan	....	front projection (uncredited)
Laird McMurray	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)
Jeff Skochko	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Reid Burns	....	visual effects producer: The Image Resolution Inc.
Reid Burns	....	visual effects supervisor: The Image Resolution Inc.
Greg Dewey	....	optical department mattes: The Image Resolution Inc.
Michael Ferriter	....	digital compositing artist: The Image Resolution Inc. (as Mike Ferriter)
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital compositing artist: The Image Resolution Inc.
David McCue	....	optical effects supervisor: The Image Resolution Inc. (as Dave McCue)
Beth Parker	....	digital lineup: The Image Resolution Inc.
Beth Parker	....	optical lineup: The Image Resolution Inc.
Kevin Shawley	....	digital compositing artist: The Image Resolution Inc.
Randall Weatherington	....	animation camera: The Image Resolution Inc.

Stunts
Wayne Brown	....	stunts
Curtis Hibbert	....	stunts
Brian Jagersky	....	stunt coordinator
Chris Lamon	....	stunts
Duncan McLeod	....	stunts
Billy Oliver	....	stunts
Bryan Thomas	....	stunt double: Newman
Matthew Vanhart	....	stunt double: Finkelstein (as Matthew Van Hart)
Steve Vignola	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeffrey Michael Adams	....	grip (as Jeff Adams)
Keith Adams	....	grip
Sean Bourdeau	....	best boy grip
Morgan Carpenter	....	electrician
Robert Cochrane	....	dolly grip
Kevin Craine	....	generator operator
Alex Dawes	....	rigging gaffer
Sean Dawes	....	electrician
Aidan Dunstan	....	camera trainee
Richard Emerson	....	key grip (as Rico Emerson)
Sophie Giraud	....	still photographer
Vince Gordon	....	electrician
Robert Herring	....	key rigging grip
Sacha Hindle	....	video playback operator
Reni Hoz	....	first assistant camera
Martin Lake	....	grip
Scott MacKinnon	....	best boy electric
Russ Martin	....	still photographer
Kevin Murphy	....	gaffer
Kirsta Teague	....	second assistant camera
Steve Van Denzen	....	grip
Mark Willis	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Luisa Cabbidu	....	extras casting (as Luisa Cabidu)
Zameret Kleiman	....	extras casting
Jocelyn Legault	....	casting associate: Toronto
Freddy Luis	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles (as Freddie Luis)
Clare Walker	....	casting: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ann Henshaw	....	assistant costume designer
Laurie Munday	....	key set costumer
Mia Sturup	....	costume supervisor
Gisella Zomparelli	....	costume truck supervisor

Editorial Department
Diane Brunjes Robb	....	post-production trainee: Toronto (as Diane Brunjes)
Steve Corcoran	....	second assistant editor: Toronto
Maura Forziati	....	post-production assistant
Adam Geiger	....	second assistant editor: Los Angeles
April Lewis	....	negative cutter: US Computamatch
Malcolm Pearcey	....	cutter
Saska Simpson	....	first assistant editor
Marilyn Sommer	....	negative cutter: US Computamatch
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Mark Adler	....	score orchestrator
Joanie Diener	....	music editor
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Gerry Gershman	....	music supervisor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestral contractor
Jennie Muskett	....	scoring coordinator: London
Tony Stanton	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Barry Barber	....	driver: set decoration
John Bignell	....	az driver
Mike Billard	....	head driver
Ron Coles	....	driver captain
Dennis Dolcetti	....	driver
Ron Hilts	....	driver (as Ron Hiltz)
Brian Lytle	....	driver: Mr. Macy
Joe Morris	....	driver
Reg Renolds	....	driver: honeywagon
Jean Ritchie	....	driver
Alan Shoub	....	driver
Robert Smith	....	transportation coordinator
Joe Vechiola	....	driver: Ms. Dern (as Joe Vecciola)

Other crew
Kevin Alakas	....	office production assistant
Susan Araki	....	representative: DGC
Susan Bassett	....	assistant production accountant
Debra Beers	....	location manager
McMillan Binch	....	legal: Willkie, Farr & Gallagher
Heenan Blaikie	....	legal: Alexander, Nau, Lawrence & Frumes LLP
Michael Bloomberg	....	presenter (as Michael R. Bloomberg)
Blake Busby	....	graphics: titles, The Image Resolution Inc.
Ian Campbell	....	stand-in: Mr. Macy
Anthony Carovillano	....	on-set craft (as Anthony Carvalino)
Rory Cheyne	....	clearance research
Jonathan Dana	....	producer's representative
Patti Davidson	....	stand-in: Ms. Dern
Trisha DeLuca	....	assistant: Mr. Slavin
Suzanne Dentay	....	associate publicist
James Fraser	....	clearance research
Bobbie Gardner	....	on-set nurse coordinator
Sabine Graham	....	production coordinator (as Sabine Bernhard)
Darron Leiren-Young	....	production assistant
Jayme Lemons	....	assistant: Ms. Dern
Ken Leslie-Smith	....	representative: IATSE 411
Kristian Loosberg	....	location production assistant
Chris Martin	....	assistant location manager
Susan Moffatt	....	production steward: ACTRA
Peter Muldoon	....	production accountant
Marie A. Nazar	....	publicist (as Marie Nazar)
Rick Perotto	....	representative: IATSE
Basil Person	....	assistant production coordinator
George Pimentel	....	interpreter
Daniela Saioni	....	script supervisor
Erik Sudmals	....	second assistant production accountant
Shawn Tanaka	....	assistant: Mr. Macy
Mimi Wolch	....	representative: IATSE
Tara Ziemba	....	on-set craft

Thanks
Lee Adasko	....	thanks
Wayne Alexander	....	thanks (as L. Wayne Alexander)
Rhonda Baron	....	thanks
Seth Berg	....	thanks
Susan Bloomberg	....	thanks
Christina Buchli	....	thanks
George Buck	....	thanks
Freida Oline Burkhart	....	in loving memory of
Scott Cain	....	thanks
Wayne Carmona	....	thanks
Jill Anne Castle	....	thanks
Chris Dalton	....	thanks
Dick Descherer	....	thanks
Ken Dhaliwal	....	thanks
Sally Dundas	....	thanks
Ken Ferguson	....	thanks
Jill Franklin	....	thanks
Susan Garson	....	thanks
Robert Goldfarb	....	thanks
Dan Grossman	....	thanks
Mark Halloran	....	thanks
Mary Ann Haney	....	thanks
Ken Hauptman	....	thanks
Michael Hausman	....	our deepest appreciation
Kenneth Higney	....	thanks
Mack Hill	....	thanks
Jennifer Jesperson	....	thanks
Cris Judd	....	thanks
Bob Knight	....	thanks
Carol Leslie	....	thanks
Tom Lopinski	....	thanks
Erica Loutsch	....	thanks
Hope T. Mastras	....	thanks
Gary Miller	....	thanks
Jonathan Miller	....	additional thanks
Nicky Morrow	....	thanks (as Nick Morrow)
Marty Olinick	....	thanks
Roger Playter	....	thanks
Marisa Porter	....	thanks
Sandra Richmond	....	thanks
Diane Rizzo	....	thanks
Tom Rowland	....	thanks
Alan Schwartz	....	thanks
Zel Schwartzman	....	thanks
Ellen Urell	....	thanks
Barbara Von Schieber	....	thanks
Alex Wengert	....	thanks
David Wolf	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Carros Pictures
• Dog Pond Productions
• Focus Productions Inc. (as Focus Productions)

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Finnkino (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Paramount Classics
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Image Resolution, The (visual effects)
• Laird McMurray Film Service (as Laird McMurray Services)

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  score recorded and mixed at (as Air Studios, Lyndhurst Hall)
• Alexander, Nau, Lawrence & Frumes  legal
• By David's  catering
• Chiodo Brothers Productions  miniatures (as The Chiodo Brothers)
• Churchill Studios  editing facilities: Los Angeles
• Eagle Eye Digital Film  editing systems: Heavyworks
• Erickson & Halloran  distribution counsel
• Geller & Company  finance, tax and accounting
• Hacate Entertainment Group  thanks
• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• Image Resolution, The  titles and opticals
• Jones Brown Insurance  production insurance provided by (as Jones Brown & Associates Ltd.)
• Kodak  film stock provided by
• Motion Picture Bond Company, The  completion guarantee (as The Motion Picture Bond Company)
• Museum of Television & Radio  thanks (as The Museum of Television and Radio)
• Ontario Film Development Corporation  thanks (as Ontario Film & Development Corporation)
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by (as Otto Nemenz International)
• Owen & DeSalvo Company  post-production accountants (as Owen & De Salvo Co.)
• Pan E Vino  thanks
• Post Group, The  post-production facilities: Toronto
• Production Services International  grip and lighting equipment
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services
• Starcraft  craft service
• The Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith  thanks (as Anti-Defamation League)
• The Township of Uxbridge  thanks
• Toronto Film Liaison Office  thanks
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio
• US Computamatch  negative cutting
• Willkie, Farr & Gallagher  legal

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence and some sexual content

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:PG | Norway:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38298) | Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Carros Pictures

Trivia:

Neal Slavin claimed to have wanted to make this film since college.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: About halfway through the movie, Larry and Gert are in an automobile. There is a vinyl "Sport Grip Steering Wheel Cover" laced around the steering wheel of the car. It is noticeable due to its distinctive pattern of perforations and cushioning. This item was not in existence in 1944, the year the movie is set in.

Quotes:

Lawrence 'Larry' Newman:Really, Gertrude, I never stop thinking about you. It's like I've been thinking about you for years. That's why you struck me so the first time I saw you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Shanghai Kiss (2007)

Soundtrack:

Down and Out

Terrific Performances and a finely tuned story

One of Arthur Miller's finest works, Focus, comes to the screen and while there was a lot to like about the movie, some of it seemed like it was almost unreal (though I'm not sure if that's in a good or bad way).

William H. Macy, great as always, plays Lawrence Newman, average Joe and good guy in Brooklyn, NY in the early 1940's who finds he needs a new pair of specs. Unfortunately, his choice of glasses makes him appear to be, well, Jewish, as this seems to his mother from the start. Lawrence tries to ignore the ignorance and bigotry in his neighborhood against the Jewish people, but with a string of events involving his neighbors (Meat Loaf, David Paymer), and a new girlfriend (Laura Dern in one of her best performances) who knows what trouble Lawrence is in, push him into the conflict of his life.

Often, Focus, delivers a poignant, startling and smart story in showing a character with so much at stake it is making him insane. Macy and the rest of the cast are so close to perfect and if only for them make this a must see. Not to dissapoint the fans of Miller's book, I suppose, but if it does then that is just another flaw. B+