Down with Love (2003)

Director:

Peyton Reed

Writers (WGA):

Eve Ahlert (written by) &
Dennis Drake (written by)

Release Date:

16 May 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The ultimate catch has met his match.

Plot:

Aaaah... it's New York City in 1962, and love is blooming between a journalist and a feminist advice author, who's falling head over heels despite her beau's playboy lifestyle.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Book | Playboy | Author | Sex

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Renée Zellweger	...	Barbara Novak
Ewan McGregor	...	Catcher Block
Sarah Paulson	...	Vikki Hiller
David Hyde Pierce	...	Peter MacMannus
Rachel Dratch	...	Gladys
Jack Plotnick	...	Maurice
Tony Randall	...	Theodore Banner
John Aylward	...	E.G.
Warren Munson	...	C.B.
Matt Ross	...	J.B.
Michael Ensign	...	J.R.
Timothy Omundson	...	R.J.
Jeri Ryan	...	Gwendolyn
Ivana Milicevic	...	Yvette
Melissa George	...	Elkie
Dorie Barton	...	Sally
Laura Kightlinger	...	Receptionist
Chris Parnell	...	TV Emcee
Robert Katims	...	Dry Cleaner
Florence Stanley	...	Dry Cleaner's Wife
John Storey	...	Maitre D' (as John Christopher Storey)
Peter Spruyt	...	Waiter
Lynn Collins	...	Beatnik Girl
David Doty	...	Doorman
Jude Ciccolella	...	Private Eye
Will Jordan	...	Ed Sullivan
Brad Hanson	...	Johnny Trementus
Beth LaMure	...	CBS Switchboard Operator #1
Christie Cronenweth	...	CBS Switchboard Operator #2
Megan Denton	...	Astronette #1
Melanie Lewis	...	Astronette #2
Sybil Azur	...	Astronette #3
Joanna Collins	...	Astronette #4
Sandra McCoy	...	Astronette #5 (as Sandra C. McCoy)
Sarah Christine Smith	...	Astronette #6
Norman Fessler	...	Photographer
Marc Shaiman	...	Pianist
Scott Wittman	...	Bartender
Pat Cusick	...	Waiter (as Patrick Cusick)
Rick Scarry	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Basil Hoffman	...	C. W. (uncredited)
Turtle	...	Beatnik (uncredited)

Directed by
Peyton Reed

Writing credits (WGA)
Eve Ahlert		(written by) &
Dennis Drake		(written by)

Produced by
Bruce Cohen	....	producer
Paddy Cullen	....	executive producer
Dan Jinks	....	producer
Arnon Milchan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marc Shaiman

Cinematography by
Jeff Cronenweth

Film Editing by
Larry Bock

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Andrew Laws

Art Direction by
Martin Whist

Set Decoration by
Don Diers

Costume Design by
Daniel Orlandi

Makeup Department
Jeri Baker	....	key hair stylist
Colleen Callaghan	....	hair stylist: Ms. Zellweger
Kymbra Callaghan	....	makeup artist: Ms. Zellweger
Dugg Kirkpatrick	....	hair stylist
Gary J. Perticone	....	key hair stylist
Ashlee Petersen	....	makeup department head
Ron Snyder	....	makeup artist
Michelle Vittone	....	makeup department head
Jay Pearlman	....	prosthetics: Ed Sullivan (uncredited)

Production Management
Steven Brown	....	unit production manager
Jeffrey Harlacker	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Todd Amateau	....	first assistant director (as Todd M. Amateau)
Jennifer Anderson	....	second assistant director
Dan Katzman	....	first assistant director: second unit
Korey Scott Pollard	....	second second assistant director (as Korey Pollard)
Handel Whitmore	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Scott Bauer	....	props
Shane Buckallew	....	plaster foreman
Michael Buha	....	set dresser
Don 'Tex' Clark	....	set dresser
Michael A. Clark	....	propmaker
Chuck Coffman	....	set dresser
David Corral	....	greensman
Todd Ellis	....	property master
Matthew Ferreira	....	set dresser
Canada Johanna Gordon	....	art department coordinator
Allison Gross	....	set dresser
Gregory S. Hooper	....	set designer
Johnnie Jenkins	....	construction accountant
Robert W. Joseph	....	lead man
Charles Kern	....	painter
Jonas Kirk	....	construction coordinator
Ronnie Lombard	....	set dresser
Gregory Lynch Jr.	....	construction foreman
Kacy Magedman	....	art department coordinator
Scott Morgan	....	art department assistant (as Jack Treehorn)
Antonia Nunez	....	assistant to set decorator
Cesar Orozco	....	propmaker
Rhonda Paynter	....	on-set dresser
Mary Saisselin	....	set designer
David Sandefur	....	assistant art director
Hugo Santiago	....	set designer
David Scott	....	graphic designer
Catherine Smith	....	set designer
Eric Sundahl	....	set designer
John Michael Tillotson	....	set dresser
Jason Vanover	....	key greensman
Tim Y. Wetzel	....	assistant property master
Lyndell Wolff	....	construction
Lyndell Wolff	....	general forman
Ronald L. Woodward	....	on-set dresser
Ronald L. Woodward	....	set dresser
Marcel Worch	....	propmaker
David Keir	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Brown	....	foley editor
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
Vincent Cirilli	....	ProTools engineer
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith	....	dialogue editor
Cameron Frankley	....	supervising sound editor
Craig Heath	....	sound recordist (as Craig 'Pup' Heath)
Benjamin Kaplan	....	sound production assistant
Charles Maynes	....	sound effects editor
Jon Michaels	....	assistant sound editor
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul N.J. Ottosson	....	sound effects editor
John Pritchett	....	sound mixer
Robert Renga	....	sound recordist
David M. Roberts	....	boom operator
Ben Wienert	....	cable person
Scott G.G. Haller	....	sound editor (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
R. Michael Bisetti	....	special effects foreman (as R. Michael Bissetti)
Greg Curtis	....	special effects foreman
Morgan Guynes	....	special effects coordinator
Mike Sasgen	....	special effects foreman (as Mike J. Sasgen)

Visual Effects by
Blondel Aidoo	....	visual effects executive producer: Asylum
Jean-Luc Azzis	....	compositor: Asylum
Andy Barrios	....	Inferno artist: Asylum (as Andy Rafael Barrios)
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World Digital
Jimmy Batchelder	....	visual effects coordinator: Asylum
Joel Behrens	....	animator: Asylum
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects producer: Digital Filmworks
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Filmworks
Timothy Michael Cairns	....	quality control supervisor: Efilm/Panavsion
Glenn Cotter	....	3D artist: Matte World Digital
Brandon Criswell	....	compositor: Asylum
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	visual effects producer: Matte World Digital
Del DePierro	....	motion control
Christopher Evans	....	digital matte artist: Matte World Digital
Lindsay Hallett	....	visual effects producer: Asylum (as Lindsay Burnett)
Michael Hemschoot	....	animator: Asylum (as Michael 'Ffish' Hemschoot)
Heather Ignarro	....	visual effects production coordinator: Digital Filmworks
David Jones	....	visual effects supervisor: Asylum (as David M.V. Jones)
Ntana Key	....	digital intermediate paint artist
Kevin Lin	....	digital cleanup artist
Mark Alan Loso	....	Inferno artist: Asylum
Patrick Loungway	....	cameraman: Matte World Digital
Emma McGuinness	....	visual effects executive producer: Asylum
Nathan McGuinness	....	senior visual effects supervisor: Asylum
Darren Mortillaro	....	technical artist: Matte World Digital
Marco S. Paolini	....	senior digital compositor: Digital Filmworks (as Marco Paolini)
Edward Quirk	....	senior 3D animator: Digital Filmworks
Mark P. Renton	....	Inferno artist: Asylum
Paul Rivera	....	chief technical artist: Matte World Digital
Hilda Saffari	....	digital intermediate associate producer
Steven J. Scott	....	digital intermediate colorist: EFilm
Todd R. Smith	....	technical artist: Matte World Digital
Zac Sneesby	....	motion control
Sharon Stetzel	....	visual effects production coordinator: Digital Filmworks
Chris Stoski	....	digital matte artist: Matte World Digital
Tommy Tran	....	digital artist: Digital Filmworks
Morgan Trotter	....	3D artist: Matte World Digital
John R. Ellis	....	digital cleanup artist (uncredited)
George Hladky	....	motion control operator (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	digital cleanup artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Clayton J. Barber	....	stunts
Sophia Crawford	....	stunt double: Renee Zellweger
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Ted Larkin	....	stunts
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunt double: Sarah Paulson
Neal Naito	....	stunts
John Tamburro	....	helicopter stunt pilot

Camera and Electrical Department
Lucas Bielan	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bobby Brown	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Marq Edwards	....	assistant camera
Paul J. Giacalone	....	grip
Phil Hardt	....	electrician
David Kanner	....	assistant camera
Gary Kanner	....	assistant camera
Greg Lopez	....	lamp operator
Ed Maloney	....	chief lighting technician
John R. Manocchia	....	chief rigging technician
Michael E. Matteson	....	key rigging grip
Carson E. Mayne	....	rigging electrician
Daniel Page McDonough	....	first assistant camera
Daniel P. Moore	....	video operator
Merrick Morton	....	still photographer
Peter Rosenfeld	....	Steadicam operator
Peter Rosenfeld	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Rick Senteno	....	assistant chief lighting
Brent Studler	....	electrician

Animation Department
Maximilian Graenitz	....	animator: title sequence
Jane Poole	....	animator: title sequence
David Wasson	....	animation supervisor

Casting Department
Bill Dance	....	extras casting
Gary Davies	....	extras casting associate
Peter Kalin	....	associate casting: in-house
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr voice casting
Michele Short	....	casting associate
Pamela Lynn Thomas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Craig Ames	....	costumer
Lee Harris	....	costumer
Monica Haynes-Nino	....	costumer (as Monica Haynes)
Linda Henrikson	....	costume supervisor
Juan Lopez	....	costumer
Jessica Peel	....	assistant costume designer
Susan Roberts	....	set costumer
Tricia Yoo	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
Terra Bliss-Alvarez	....	digital intermediate producer (as Terra Bliss)
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Adrian Colbert	....	digital colorist assist (as Adrian S. Colbert)
Michael Eaves	....	digital color timer
Jack Lewars	....	assistant color timer: Efilm
Jack Lewars	....	digital colorist assist
David McKimmie	....	post-production coordinator
Mindy Minkow	....	digital intermediate associate producer
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Hilda Saffari	....	digital intermediate associate producer
Steven J. Scott	....	digital color timer
Chris Taft	....	digital intermediate services coordinator
Amy Tompkins	....	digital intermediate editor
Sam Vanny	....	assistant editor
Erik C. Andersen	....	additional editor (uncredited)
Lonnie A. Mathes	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Frank Bennett	....	orchestrator
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Tim Boyle	....	score recordist
Celeste Chada	....	music licensing
Bryan Clements	....	scoring crew
Harvey Cohen	....	orchestrator
David De Palo	....	scoring assistant
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Dan DiPrima	....	supervising music editor
George Doering	....	musician
Chris Douridas	....	music supervisor
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew
Oliver Hug	....	assistant music editor
Adam Michalak	....	score recordist
Maria Newman	....	musician
Denise Okimoto	....	assistant music editor
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Marc Shaiman	....	orchestrator
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Sally Stevens	....	choir mistress
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Nick Vidar	....	music programmer
Pat Weber	....	scoring technician
Laura Ziffren	....	music supervisor (as Laura Z. Wasserman)
Julia Michels	....	executive in charge of music (uncredited)
Mervyn Warren	....	vocal editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Avallon	....	driver
Charley Bob Burnham	....	transportation coordinator
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Gina August	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Stacy Adair	....	stand-in
Matt Adler	....	additional voices
Maggie Baird	....	additional voices
Justin Blampied	....	montage designer
Justin Blampied	....	title designer
Mandy Booke	....	assistant: Mr. Reed
Trisha Burton	....	script supervisor
Jerome Butler	....	dialect coach
Joe Cappelletti	....	adr voice artist
John Cappelletti	....	additional voices
Simon Cassels	....	montage designer
Simon Cassels	....	title designer
Robert Clotworthy	....	additional voices
Kathryn Cressida	....	additional voices (as Kat Cressida)
Drew Crevello	....	assistant: Mr. Cohen and Mr. Jinks
Holly Dorff	....	additional voices
Terri Douglas	....	additional voices
Taylor M. Favale	....	production coordinator
Anne Fletcher	....	choreographer
Michael Fossat	....	stand-in: Ewan McGregor
Cesare Gagliardoni	....	set production assistant
Jessica Gee	....	additional voices
Johnny Gidcomb	....	additional voices (as John Gidcomb)
Sydney Gilner	....	script supervisor
Carla Hacken	....	studio executive
Carla Hacken	....	studio executive: Fox 2000
Sam Hansen	....	assistant: Mr. Cohen and Mr. Jinks
Jean Hodges	....	food stylist
Bridget Hoffman	....	additional voices
Dorothy Joo	....	production assistant
Paul Kenney	....	first assistant accountant
Matthew Labyorteaux	....	additional voices
Luisa Leschin	....	additional voices
Hope Levy	....	additional voices
Lindsey Liberatore	....	assistant: Mr. Milchan
Yun Lingner	....	assistant: Mr. Reed and Ms. Cullen
Jessie S. Marion	....	additional voices
Christopher Massey	....	production assistant
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	additional voices (as Caitlin McKenna)
Peter McManus	....	production accountant
Scott Menville	....	additional voices
Anthony J. Nahar	....	key set production assistant
Jennifer Pedevilla	....	payroll accountant
Eileen Peterson	....	unit publicist
Tony Pope	....	additional voices
Jill Remez	....	additional voices
Patrick Richmond	....	set production assistant
Clay Savage	....	additional voices
Amanda Segel	....	assistant: Mr. Milchan
Ron Snow	....	additional voices
Steve Staley	....	additional voices
Gene Starzenski	....	rigging medic
Laura Summer	....	additional voices
Mark Sussman	....	additional voices
Billy Taylor	....	production assistant
Andrew Trosmans	....	research consultant
Peter Vogel	....	assistant production coordinator
Chase White	....	stand-in
Deborah J. Chesebro	....	assistant accountant: re-shoots (uncredited)
David De Palo	....	midi transcriptor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Fox 2000 Pictures (presents)
• Regency Enterprises (presents)
• Jinks/Cohen Company
• Mediastream Dritte Film GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG
• Epsilon Motion Pictures

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• 01 Distribuzione (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2003-2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Rialto Film AG (2003-2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD) (as Medaria Home Entertainment)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)
• StudioCanal (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Acme Filmworks (animation)
• Asylum VFX (visual effects) (as Asylum)
• Digital Filmworks (visual effects)
• Go Moco
• Matte World Digital (digital matte paintings) (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  post-production facilities (as Twentieth Century Fox Studios)
• Asylum VFX  main titles (as Asylum)
• BT Industrial Supply  expendables
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Custom Film Effects  end titles
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color and prints
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as JoAnn Kane Music Services)
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  score recorded at (as The Newman Stage, Twentieth Century Fox)
• Panavision Remote Systems  remote cranes and heads
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Reprise Records  soundtrack published by
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Signet Sound Studio  score mixed at (as Signet Sound)
• Sony Pictures Studios  additional score recorded at
• WMG Soundtracks  soundtrack
• Warner Sunset Records  soundtrack published by
• Western Costume Company  custom millinery (uncredited)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and dialogue

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Denmark:A | Finland:K-7 | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39331) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:18SX | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Center Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

Tony Randall, who plays publisher Theodore Banner, appeared with Rock Hudson and Doris Day in Pillow Talk (1959), Lover Come Back (1961), and Send Me No Flowers (1964). In all three films, Randall played Hudson's employer and nebbish sidekick (the role played by David Hyde Pierce in "Down With Love").

Goofs:

Factual errors: Barbara's book is shown being bought in a Russian bookstore. The book's cover is incorrectly written using the Latin alphabet, when it should be written using Cyrillic characters.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:The place: New York City. The time: Now, 1962. And there's no time or place like it. If you've got a dream, this is the place to make that dream come true. That's why the soaring population of hopeful dreamers has just reached eight million people. Oh! Make that eight million and one.

Movie Connections:

References That Touch of Mink (1962)

Soundtrack:

Alone and Blue

Not for the casual moviegoer

It's 1962 New York. Barbara Novak (Renee Zellweger) has written a book called "Down With Love" convincing woman that they don't need a man or love or sex to succeed and be happy with themselves. Womanizer Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) is determined to prove her wrong.

This is many things--an affectionate remake of those silly Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies; a sweet sendup of them at the same time; a perfect example of 1960s sex comedies with a 2000s twist; a huge barrel of laughs for film buffs with its perfect remake of a 1960s film and an examination of sexual mores and stereotypes of the 1960s.

The movie look like a Day/Hudson movie right down to the fashions Zellweger wears, the VERY colorful sets, the obviously painted backdrops from penthouse apartments and the crappy back projection in cars. There's also a hysterical (and very dirty) use of split screen during a phone conversation between Zellweger and McGregor. The movie even opens with the old Cinemascope logo used in films of that era!

The cast is right on target--Zellweger and McGregor give their all to the performances--they wink at the audience all the time...but not TOO much. David Hyde Pierce (doing Tony Randall) and Sarah Paulson are also very funny with the dreaded best friends role. The only real problem is the script. It is sharp and funny bit occasionally bogs down and some of the twists are too obvious.

Still, I enjoyed it. The casual moviegoer will probably hate this--unless you get the inside jokes all throughout the film you'll think you're watching a badly dated sex comedy. But it's not--it's a parody and an affectionate sendup. This will be most appreciated by film buffs or students.