The Man Who Sued God (2001)

Director:

Mark Joffe

Writers:

John Clarke (original screenplay)
Patrick McCarville (story)
(more)

Release Date:

25 October 2001 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Billy Connolly plays Steve Myers, a lawyer who became a fisherman from frustration. When his one piece of property...

Plot Keywords:

Insurance | Lawyer | Act Of God | Lightning | Boat

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Billy Connolly	...	Steve Myers
Judy Davis	...	Anna Redmond
Colin Friels	...	David Myers
Wendy Hughes	...	Jules Myers
Bille Brown	...	Gerry Ryan
John Howard	...	Edward Piggott
Emily Browning	...	Rebecca Myers
Blair Venn	...	Les
Vincent Ball	...	Cardinal
Tim Robertson	...	Judge Bonaface
Linal Haft	...	Rabbi
Peter Whitford	...	Moderator
Frank Whitten	...	Primate
Steve Jacobs	...	Hal
Richard Carter	...	Dirk Streicher
Josephine Byrnes	...	Cressida Roache
Tamblyn Lord	...	Doctor
Andrea Moor	...	Maxine Jeffrey (as Andrea Moore)
Glenda Linscott	...	Co-plaintiff
Tamara Kuldin	...	Co-plaintiff
Martin Vaughan	...	Co-plaintiff
Maggie Blinco	...	Co-plaintiff
Leonid Dobrinsky	...	Russian Guy
Troy Carlson	...	Havers
Andrew Blaxland	...	Insurance Branch Head
Matthew Lilley	...	Reporter
Lenore Smith	...	Reporter
Stuart Katzen	...	Reporter
Warren Jones	...	Reporter
Nigel Sutton	...	TV warm up man
Ken Senga	...	Kazu, Head Waiter
Ron Zines	...	Janitor in synagogue
Pamela Shaw	...	American Reporter
Clarence Dany	...	French Reporter
Dina Panozzo	...	Italian Reporter
Kell Graham	...	Insurance executive
Jeanette Cronin	...	Insurance Executive
Vic Hunter	...	Meeting Leader
Dariusz Paczynski	...	Polish Newsreader (as Darius Paczynski)
Ritchie Singer	...	Sam Cohen
Tanmaya	...	Fisherman
Anthony Weigh	...	Clerk at Court
Warren Coleman	...	Pastor
Jack Friels	...	Pastor's son
Robert Noble	...	Religious Fanatic
Michael Robertson	...	Pro-Steve Demonstrator
Danny Cowles	...	Registry Clerk
John Bevan	...	Hymn singer
Dennis Allard	...	Steve Supporter
Ross Fowler	...	Customer
Peter Drinkwater	...	Burly security guard
Stan Farbman	...	Burly security guard
Ross Symonds	...	Newsreader
Chris Bath	...	Newsreader
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicholas Gledhill	...	Various V / O
Alan Hennessy	...	Inspector Gittman
Michael Ienna	...	Courtroom Attendant
Diana Kotatko	...	Woman in Restaurant
Beejan Land	...	Steve Supporter
Stanislav Madorski	...	Assistant
Peter Hansen	...	Newspaper Office Security Guard #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Joffe

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Clarke		original screenplay
John Collee		uncredited
Patrick McCarville		story idea
Don Watson		written by

Produced by
Brian Abel	....	associate producer
Irene Dobson	....	line producer
Ben Gannon	....	producer
Mark Joffe	....	producer

Original Music by
David Bridie

Cinematography by
Peter James

Film Editing by
Peter Barton

Casting by
Alison Barrett

Production Design by
Luigi Pittorino

Art Direction by
Juliet John

Costume Design by
Lisa Meagher

Makeup Department
Jane Atherton	....	hair stylist
Jane Atherton	....	makeup artist
Robbie Austin	....	makeup designer
Kate Birch	....	hair stylist
Kate Birch	....	makeup artist
Wendy De Waal	....	hair designer
Adele Durno	....	hair stylist
Adele Durno	....	makeup artist
Carolyn Nott	....	makeup artist
Pamela Roth	....	makeup artist: Judy Davis
Paul Williams	....	hair stylist
Paul Williams	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Brad Roberts	....	unit manager
Julie Sims	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Debbie Antoniou	....	second assistant director
Matthew Harris	....	third assistant director
Toby Pease	....	first assistant director
Sophie Stawaruk	....	assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Andrew Chan	....	draughtsperson
Jane Culverhouse	....	buyer/dresser
Terry Hunt	....	art department assistant
Robert Molnar	....	set dresser
Leroy Plummer	....	stand-by props
Kim Prentice	....	art department coordinator
David Russell	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Julius Chan	....	supervising sound editor
Liam Egan	....	sound effects editor
Les Fiddess	....	foley artist
Phil Judd	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Korber	....	assistant sound editor
Gerry Nucifora	....	boom operator
Ben Osmo	....	sound recordist
Jenny T. Ward	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Dave Roberts	....	special effects
Bill Young	....	special effects assistant
Bill Young	....	special effects assistant
Bill Young	....	special effects technician
David Young	....	special effects (as Dave Young)

Visual Effects by
Charlie Armstrong	....	supervising compositor
Emmanuel Blasset	....	3D animator
Dan Breckwoldt	....	Data I/O operator
David Dulac	....	3D supervisor
Stuart Partridge	....	compositor
Murray Pope	....	visual effects supervisor
Dane Rapaport	....	systems administrator
Sandeep Vengsarkar	....	digital compositor
David Woodland	....	visual effects art director animal logic
George Zwier	....	digital compositor
Ben De Luca	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Stunts
Russell Allen	....	stunt performer
Damian Bradford	....	stunt performer
Terry Flanagan	....	stunts
Brian Grogan	....	stunt performer
Bob Hicks	....	stunt performer
Kathy McMorrow	....	stunt performer
Andy Owen	....	stunt performer
Tove Petterson	....	stunt performer
Brit Sooby	....	stunt performer
John Walton	....	stunt performer
Lawrence Woodward	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
David Elmes	....	assistant camera
Mark Goellnicht	....	Steadicam operator
Simon Harding	....	Steadicam operator
James Hopwood	....	crane technician
Frank Hruby	....	focus puller
Gerard Maher	....	video split/loader
Mick Morris	....	gaffer
David Nichols	....	key grip
Michael Vivian	....	a dolly grip: a camera
David Williamson	....	camera operator
Matt Windon	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Terri Lamera	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
David Burrows	....	assistant editor
Alicia Gleeson	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Robin Gray	....	scoring engineer
Christine Woodruff	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Gordon Andersen	....	unit assistant
Mark Bamford	....	production lawyer
Dirnity Bjork	....	head animal trainer
Richard Bjork	....	animal trainer
Sophie Dick	....	production coordinator
Terry Lee	....	helicopter pilot
Marcus Levy	....	location assistant
Louise McNicholl	....	production assistant
Samantha Rebillet	....	assistant to director
Phillip Roope	....	location manager
Kristin Voumard	....	continuity
Jessica Brentnall	....	pre-production secretary (uncredited)
Jason Mack	....	security officer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)
• New South Wales Film & Television Office (in association with)
• Showtime Australia (in association with)
• Gannon Films
• Empress Road Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (Australia) (2001) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Feature Film Company
• Icon Entertainment International
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Image FX (special effects)

Other Companies

• Ausfilm Transport Logistics  freight
• Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)  financed with the assistance of
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chris Powell Productions  negative cutting
• Creatures on Call  dog and bird trainers
• FACB  completion guarantor
• Film Victoria  developed with the assistance of
• HW Wood Australia  insurance broker
• Hel's Kitchen  catering
• Kodak Australasia  film stock supplied by
• Leed Helicopters  helicopter supplied by
• New South Wales Film & Television Office  produced with the assistance of
• Optical & Graphics  end titles
• Panavision Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Panavision Lighting Asia Pacific  lighting equipment
• PhilmSound  sound editing
• Pop Pictures  post-production facilities
• Showgroup  travel
• The Grip Shop  grip equipment
• Traveltoo  travel
• Tress Cocks & Maddox  solicitors
• Whats your Scene Ccenery Services  construction
• Who Dares  security

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Denmark:7 | UK:15 | Germany:6 | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:L | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Bermagui, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Finance Corporation (AFFC)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dave throws the newspaper on top of Steve as he's lying in bed, the second shot of Steve shows no newspaper lying on his upper body, but the third and fourth shots show the newspaper again.

Quotes:

Steve Meyers:So if God does exist, the Churches must be liable.
Anna Redmond:And the churches can only win the case if they prove God does not exist.
Steve Meyers:[laughs] Do you want to tell them?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Getaway: Episode #15.33" (2006)

Wow. Interesting.

"The Man Who Sued God" - well, right from the start, it's an attention-grabbing name.

The story of retired lawyer Steve Myers (Billy Connolly), whose boat is struck by lightning and, well, he wouldn't beat the insurance companies, so theres gotta be _someone_ to sue, is... interesting to say the least. Connolly and Judy Davis are great, Billy in particular being roaringly funny at some points. Although for all its funniness the film raises some interesting questions as well, like: can the churches sue insurance companies for "breach of copyright" on the phrase "Acts of God"?

A great film.