Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005) A Cock and Bull Story (original title)

Director:

Michael Winterbottom

Writers:

Laurence Sterne (novel)
Frank Cottrell Boyce (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Because everyone loves an accurate period piece.

Plot:

Director Michael Winterbottom (Northam) attempts to shoot the adaptation of Laurence Sterne's essentially unfilmable novel, "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman."

Plot Keywords:

Midwife | Vodka | Film Within A Film | Split Screen | Battle

Awards:

2 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Steve Coogan	...	Tristram Shandy / Walter Shandy / Steve Coogan
Rob Brydon	...	Capt. Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
Keeley Hawes	...	Elizabeth / Keeley Hawes
Shirley Henderson	...	Susannah
Raymond Waring	...	Trim
Conal Murphy	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 6
Joe Williams	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 9
Paul Kynman	...	Obadiah
Mark Tandy	...	London Doctor
Mary Healey	...	Midwife
Dylan Moran	...	Dr. Slop
Jack Shepherd	...	Surgeon
David Walliams	...	Parson
Jeremy Northam	...	Mark
Benedict Wong	...	Ed
Naomie Harris	...	Jennie
Claire Keelan	...	Make-up Assistant
Kelly Macdonald	...	Jenny
Mark Hadfield	...	Leo
Elizabeth Berrington	...	Debbie
Mark Williams	...	Ingoldsby
Jenny Ogilvie	...	Sandy
Tony Wilson	...	TV Interviewer (as Anthony H. Wilson)
Justine Mitchell	...	Tony's Director
Kieran O'Brien	...	Gary
Roger Allam	...	Adrian
Ashley Jensen	...	Lindsey
James Fleet	...	Simon
Ian Hart	...	Joe
Ronni Ancona	...	Anita
Greg Wise	...	Greg
Paul Rider	...	Prop Guy
Stephen Fry	...	Patrick Curator / Parson Yorick
Sara Stewart	...	Joanna
Gillian Anderson	...	Widow Wadman
Stephen Rodrick	...	New York Times Reporter
Stuart Wilson	...	Sound Mixer
Rosie Cavaliero	...	Rachel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Damon Caliendo	...	Fire Dancer
Andy Callaghan	...	Playing Film Crew
Richard Tree	...	Redcoat Officer
Peter Bach	...	Visual Effects Supervisor (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Winterbottom

Writing credits
Laurence Sterne		(novel "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy")
Frank Cottrell Boyce		(screenplay) (as Martin Hardy)

Produced by
Jeff Abberley	....	executive producer
Julia Blackman	....	executive producer
Wendy Brazington	....	co-producer
Andrew Eaton	....	producer
Henry Normal	....	executive producer
Kate Ogborn	....	executive producer
Anita Overland	....	co-producer
Tracey Scoffield	....	executive producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Edward Nogria

Cinematography by
Marcel Zyskind

Film Editing by
Peter Christelis

Casting by
Wendy Brazington

Production Design by
John Paul Kelly

Art Direction by
Emma MacDevitt

Costume Design by
Charlotte Walter

Makeup Department
Deborah Jarvis	....	hair stylist
Deborah Jarvis	....	makeup artist
Marese Langan	....	chief hair designer
Marese Langan	....	chief makeup designer
Chris Lyons	....	special effects teeth

Production Management
Layla Blackman	....	post-production supervisor (as Layla Evans)
Jethro Harris	....	post-production manager
Cass Marks	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jessica Hurles-Laws	....	second assistant director (as Jessica Hurles)
Josh Hyams	....	third assistant director
Barrie McCulloch	....	first assistant director
Lucy Thomas	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Mark Billingham	....	dressing props
Byron Broadbent	....	stand-by art director
Dan Carling	....	art department trainee: East Midlands (as Daniel Carling)
Justin Chappell	....	carpenter
Shay Leonard	....	property master
Andrew Palmer	....	art department assistant
Luke Stevens	....	art department trainee: Norfolk
Jackie Yau	....	prop buyer
Rob Anderson	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Luke Daniels	....	model constructor (uncredited)
Cara Higgins	....	model constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	foley recordist
Mark Appleby	....	assistant dubbing mixer (as Mark Apply)
Orin Beaton	....	boom operator
James Bennett	....	adr recordist
Richard Davey	....	dubbing mixer
James Hamilton	....	foley artist
Vincent Hazard	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kondal	....	dialogue editor
Mitch Low	....	boom operator (as Mitchell Low)
Rowan October	....	sound trainee
Jonathan Rimas	....	adr mixer
Joakim Sundström	....	supervising sound editor
Jessie Taylor	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Stuart Wilson	....	sound
Jamie Roden	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Doug McCarthy	....	senior special effects technician
Jon Moore	....	special effects prosthetic technician
Charlie Bluett	....	special effects prosthetics (uncredited)
Jo Grover	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Bach	....	head of film: Clear Films
Melissa Butler Adams	....	compositor: Clear Films
Chris Eborn	....	Shake engineer: Clear Films
James D. Etherington	....	compositor: Clear Films (as Jim Etherington)
Adam Gascoyne	....	lead compositor: Clear Films (as Adam Gasgcoine)
Laura Ricketts	....	line producer: Clear Films
David J. Zimmerman	....	data operator: Clear Films (as David Zimmerman)
Simon Hughes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Daniel Naprous	....	stunt double: Obadiah
Gerard Naprous	....	stunt coordinator
Andreas Petrides	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Struthers	....	stunt double: Dr. Slop

Camera and Electrical Department
John Colley	....	gaffer
Derek Docherty	....	rigger
Kevin Edwards	....	camera trainee
Henry Landgrebe	....	second assistant camera
John Law	....	rigger
Pim Tjujerman	....	first assistant camera
Amelia Troubridge	....	still photographer
Mat Wilson	....	best boy (as Matt Wilson)

Casting Department
Ruth Breslaw	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paula Casarin	....	costume continuity
Richard Cooke	....	assistant costume designer
Kate Eden	....	wardrobe supervisor
Shane Kingdon	....	costume assistant
Georgina Painter	....	wardrobe assistant
Gilli Thompson	....	period costume dyer
Sabrina Vickery	....	wardrobe assistant
Hannah Walter	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Ian Buchan	....	assistant editor
Scott Hinchcliffe	....	on-line editor: Pepper Post Production Ltd.
Jet Omoshebi	....	digital colorist: Pepper Post Production Ltd.
Shane Warden	....	on-line editor: Pepper Post Production Ltd.
Simon Giblin	....	on-line editor (uncredited)
Steve Lemley	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Christopher Barnett	....	composer: additional music
Michael Nyman	....	music arranger: Handel Sarabande
Leonard Rosenman	....	music arranger: "Lilburlero" from "Barry Lyndon"

Transportation Department
Graham Farmer	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk
Bob Hawkins	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk
Chris Johnson	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk
Alan Lewandowski	....	driver: wardrobe truck (as Alan Lewandlyski)
George Martin	....	driver: make-up truck
John Oxborough	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk
Linton 'Bullet' Small	....	driver: wardrobe truck
Bren Tierney	....	driver coordinator
Bernie Walsh	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk
Frank Wisbey	....	driver: East Midlands & Norfolk

Other crew
Chris Andrews	....	security officer
Isabel Begg	....	head of business and legal affairs: BBC Films
Sarah Best	....	production and finance coordinator: BBC Films
Izzy Bolling	....	set runner: Norfolk
Emma Brazier	....	assistant accountant
Fran Budd	....	production secretary
Francesca Budd	....	production secretary
Darren Capper	....	rushes runner
Nicole Carmen-Davis	....	production executive: Scion Films
Gilly Case	....	location manager: Norfolk
Rachel Clark	....	set runner: East Midlands
Owen Davies	....	set runner: East Midlands
Megan Davis	....	head of business and legal affairs: Scion Films
Dell Gakhal	....	chef
Kidj Gakhal	....	catering assistant
Helen Giles	....	legal and business affairs executive: BBC Films
Robert Gomdez	....	catering assistant
Alix Graham	....	assistant production coordinator
Nicola Graydon	....	publicist
David J. Groom	....	floor runner (as David Groom)
Michael Groom	....	floor runner
Hilary Grove	....	production runner: Norfolk
Michael Harm	....	additional location manager
Susy Liddell	....	head of production: BBC Films
Fiona McGuire	....	head of production: Revolution Films
Stephen Nex	....	production assistant: Revolution Films
Melissa Parmenter	....	assistant: Michael Winterbottom and Andrew Eaton
Melissa Parmenter	....	location manager: East Midlands
Bev Reid	....	production secretary: Scion Films
Joanne Sennitt	....	production accountant: Scion Films
Camille Sims	....	set runner: Norfolk
Maxine Stanley	....	post-production accountant
Trevor Stanley	....	production accountant
Laura Tatton	....	production assistant: Scion Films
Ben Thomas	....	business and legal affairs: Scion Films
Molly Tudhope	....	assistant location manager
Nick Warren	....	rushes runner
Sam Williams	....	security officer
Sally Wright	....	production runner: East Midlands
Pauline Burt	....	risk manager (uncredited)
Heather Mansfield	....	risk manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• BBC Films (presents)
• Baby Cow Productions (in association with)
• EM Media (executive production) (in association with)
• East Midlands Media Initiative
• Revolution Films (in association with)
• Scion Films (produced with)

Distributors

• Redbus Film Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Newmarket Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (all media)
• ID Distribution (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (New Zealand) (all media)

Special Effects

• Artem
• Clear

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment supplied by
• Clarity Post Production Sound  sound post-production
• Falco Ink.  publicity
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Goldcrest Post Production London  ADR Facility
• Limehouse Recordings  sound post-production
• Mayflower Studios  post-production facilities
• Pepper Post Production  post-production
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Soho Images  film laboratory services

Also Known As:

"A Cock and Bull Story" - UK (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual content

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Argentina:16 | Sweden:Btl | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:M18 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Blickling Hall, Blickling, Norfolk, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

The film features several pieces of music by Nino Rota from the Federico Fellini film 8½ (1963), which is also about frustrated efforts to make a movie.

Quotes:

Rob Brydon:The thing is, I can't act...
Steve Coogan:I know that.
Rob Brydon:...with Gillian Anderson. I have a sexual thing for Gillian Anderson.

Movie Connections:

References "Baywatch" (1989)

Soundtrack:

La passerella d'addio

Cocky and bullish

How do you film an unfilmable book? Well, you can either make it up as you go along, as David Cronenberg did with Naked Lunch, or you take this approach and make a film about a film crew making a film of an unfilmable book. The tricky tome in question here is The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentlemen - a bawdy work of wit and wonderment penned in 1760 by clergyman Laurence Sterne.

Steve Coogan plays Tristram - even though he's not born by the end of the book - as well as Tristram's father Walter... and himself. Or rather, a semi-fictional version of himself. Rob Brydon also stars as himself and Walter's brother - Tristram's Uncle Toby. There are lots of other familiar British TV actors either playing themselves playing other characters or simply playing characters who interact with the stars of the film-within-the-film (for example, Ian Hart plays the screenwriter but doesn't play Ian Hart). And Gillian Anderson makes an appearance. Confused? Don't worry, you won't be.

As the writer and director strive to retain the spirit of Shandy compromises have to be made to allow for star egos, historical accuracy (Mark Williams is excellent as a pain-in-the-arse military consultant), and a miniscule budget. In one cracking scene, the crew watch the 'rushes' of the underwhelming battle scene ("Look at that! There are, literally, tens of people..."), leaving the director in despair and the costume designer in tears.

The seemingly complicated set-up actually makes a lot of sense, with Coogan sending up the naughty-boy persona created for him by the British press and Brydon sending up Coogan, while the film itself sends up the movie-making process. Viewers will be frequently amused but never bewildered as Michael Winterbottom pulls it all together with panache.

Anyone unfamiliar with the novel won't learn much, but it matters not. Bawdy and barmy, A Cock And Bull Story embodies Sterne's work perfectly. Coogan gamely shows his vulnerable side (or maybe that's just good acting?) and shows terrific rapport with Brydon, who steals the show with marvellously mundane banter and spot-on impersonations of Coogan-as-Alan Partridge and Roger Moore. Give that man his own movie.