A Mighty Wind (2003)

Mockumentary captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show at The Town Hall to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter.

Director:

Christopher Guest

Writers:

Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy

Stars:

Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Michael McKean

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 13 wins & 20 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Moret	...	Newscaster
Stuart Luce	...	Irving Steinbloom
Mary Gross	...	Ma Klapper
Marty Belafsky	...	Ramblin' Sandy Pitnik (as Marty Belasky)
Michael Baser	...	Pa Klapper
Jared Nelson Smith	...	Young Chuck Wiseman
Ryan Raddatz	...	Bill Weyburn
Todd Lieberman	...	Fred Knox
Matthew Joy	...	Boy Klapper
Laura Harris	...	Girl Klapper
Brian Riley	...	Young George Menschell
Harry Shearer	...	Mark Shubb
Michael McKean	...	Jerry Palter
Christopher Guest	...	Alan Barrows
Eugene Levy	...	Mitch Cohen

Storyline

When folk icon Irving Steinbloom passed away, he left behind a legacy of music and a family of performers he has shepherded to folk stardom. To celebrate a life spent submerged in folk, Irving's loving son Jonathan has decided to put together a memorial concert featuring some of Steinbloom's best-loved musicians. There's Mitch and Mickey, who were the epitome of young love until their partnership was torn apart by heartbreak; classic troubadours The Folksmen, whose records were endlessly entertaining for anyone able to punch a hole in the center to play them; and The New Main Street Singers, the most meticulously color-coordinated neuftet ever to hit an amusement park. Now for one night only in New York City's Town Hall, these three groups will reunite and gather together to celebrate the music that almost made them famous.

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Plot Keywords:

concert | mockumentary | musician | new york city | singer | 

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Taglines:

Back together for the first time, again.

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States] Soundtrack website (U.S.)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Christopher Guest Project

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Museum of Natural History, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$2,112,140 (USA) (18 April 2003)

Gross:

£62,657 (UK) (16 January 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In an early-'90s, and again in late 90's/ early 2000's, Spinal Tap tour, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest opened for themselves as The Folksmen and were booed during the first act, as people did not know or cared that the two bands had the same musicians.

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Goofs

When Mitch and Mickey are introducing their song at Town Hall, Mitch's hand is making a "C" chord. In the next shot with just Mickey's head and Mitch's guitar in the background, it has no hand on it. When the shot returns to Mitch and Mickey together, he is still making a "C" chord.

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Quotes

Mitch Cohen: Seeing these long lines of fans who want nothing more than to have you sign an autograph, it's like it's 1968... Or '67... Or '66.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the film, before the traditional scrolling credits, the screen is filled with all the main actors' names. One at a time, each star's name is highlighted, in alphabetical order. The scrolling credits are in order of appearance.

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Connections

References Saturday Night Live: Michael McKean/Chaka Khan/The Folksmen (1984)

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Soundtracks

The Good Book Song
Written by Michael McKean and Harry Shearer
Performed by The New Main Street Singers

User Reviews

A Christopher Guest comedy that goes for something deeper.

SPOILERS LIE AHEAD

A Mighty Wind is a film that I loved, and it disappoints me that there were so many critics and filmgoers who were disappointed with it. It seems that quite a few people think that comedies, especially the ones of the mockumentary sort (as this one is), can't go farther then simple mocking. It puzzles me that so many were in agreement that a film about a bittersweet reunion can't be good comedy. I think some moviegoers need quit worrying about smuggling that bag of Milk Duds into the theater and remember to bring an open mind. There may be funnier, more farcical situations (which have been the basis of many, many lesser films), but a bittersweet reunion can inspire comedic moments as well as be the basis for a great film, which A Mighty Wind is.

Christopher Guest, who has championed the film making style that is mockumentary with his role in the classic This Is Spinal Tap, and by directing the hilarious Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show, directs as well as co-writes the story with Eugene Levy (the actual lines are all improvised by the actors).

The film plays as a documentary about the organization of a memorial concert featuring folk groups from the 60's who were managed by the late Irving Steinbloom. The groups featured in the concert are the cheesy "neuftet" The New Main Street Singers, the classic folk trio The Folksmen, and the former sweethearts of the folk music world Mitch and Mickey.

The best performance in the film is that of Catherine O'Hara as Mickey Crabbe. She boldly doesn't go for all the laughs, and creates a complete, full, interesting character. Note the interview scenes where she reminisces about her past as one half of the folk "phenomenon" that was Mitch and Mickey. When she talks about their relationship you can see and hear that this is a woman who loved Mitch and Mickey, but not Mitch. Levy is also superb as Mitch Cohen, clearly still in love with Mickey but also clearly insane. He creates an almost over the top comedic performance that makes great use of his infamous eyebrows. He is in a constant state of uncomfortable quirkiness, except when he is singing with Mickey, and he remembers what their relationship used to be, and how it felt to be loved. Note the scene where the two practice one of their hits, "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow," and don't know what to do when its time for them to lovingly kiss each other, which was their claim to fame when they were making TV appearances back in the 60's. Without saying a word, they agree that it would be inappropriate and continue to the end of the song. O'Hara's reaction to that moment is perfect. Then note the scene when they perform the song at the concert and, each for different reasons, they decide to do the kiss. When I first saw that moment and the characters' reaction to it, I got goosebumps. I realized that for the first time in any of Guest's mockumentaries, I actually cared for the characters, and I loved it. It's great that instead of going down that road taken by so many other films, where the former lovers find that they have loved each-other all along and have sex to affirm this to the audience, A Mighty Wind gives something far more interesting.

Although the Mitch & Mickey relationship is the heart of the film, it should not be forgotten that this an ensemble movie. There are terrific comedic performances all around, including those of Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and Guest as the members of The Folksmen, John Michael Higgins and Jane Lynch as the color worshiping Terry and Laurie Bohner, Jennifer Coolidge as the can't-quite-place-her-accent Amber Cole, Fred Willard as the outrageously sad Mike LaFontaine and Ed Begley Jr. the yiddish talking Swede Lars Olfen.

It may not have gotten as many laughs as This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, or Best in Show, but A Mighty Wind bravely goes where those films didn't. It achieves touching, real emotion. It is one of the best films of 2003.