Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)

Director:

Patricia Rozema

Writers (WGA):

Ann Peacock (written by)
Valerie Tripp (Kit Kittredge stories)

Release Date:

2 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Plot:

Set in Cincinnati at the height of the Great Depression, Kit Kittredge, a resourceful young girl, helps her mother run a boardinghouse after her father loses his job.

Plot Keywords:

Great Depression | Girl | Ohio | Boarding House | 10 Year Old

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Abigail Breslin	...	Kit Kittredge
Julia Ormond	...	Margaret Kittredge
Chris O'Donnell	...	Jack Kittredge
Jane Krakowski	...	Miss Dooley
Wallace Shawn	...	Mr. Gibson
Max Thieriot	...	Will Shepherd
Willow Smith	...	Countee
Glenne Headly	...	Mrs. Howard
Zach Mills	...	Stirling Howard
Kenneth Welsh	...	Uncle Hendrick
Madison Davenport	...	Ruthie Smithens
Joan Cusack	...	Miss Bond
Stanley Tucci	...	Jefferson Berk
Dylan Smith	...	Frederich
Douglas Nyback	...	Billy
Dylan Roberts	...	Reporter
Martin Doyle	...	Teacher
Colin Mochrie	...	Mr. Pennington
Martin Roach	...	Hobo Doctor
Austin Macdonald	...	Roger
Brieanne Jansen	...	Frances Stone
Erin Hilgartner	...	Florence Stone
Peter MacNeill	...	Sheriff
Erin McMurtry	...	Garden Club Lady
Joanna Swan	...	Garden Club Lady
Eddie Max Huband	...	Blonde Bully (as Eddie Huband)
Frank McAnulty	...	Wallet Man
Anna Louise Richardson	...	Soup Kitchen Woman (as Anna-Louise Richardson)
David Talbot	...	Neighbor
Darryn Lucio	...	Deputy
John Healy	...	Mr. Stone
Colette Kendall	...	Mrs. Stone
Quincy Bullen	...	Newsboy
Elisabeth Perez	...	Classmate
Jordan Rackley	...	Classmate
Eddie Graff	...	Sax-Playing Hobo
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Liam Powley-Webster	...	Hobo boy (uncredited)

Directed by
Patricia Rozema

Writing credits (WGA)
Ann Peacock		(written by)
Valerie Tripp		(Kit Kittredge stories)

Produced by
Ellen L. Brothers	....	producer
Lisa Roberts Gillan	....	producer (as Lisa Gillan)
Jodi Goldberg	....	co-producer
Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas	....	producer
Julie Goldstein	....	producer
Terry Gould	....	co-producer
Julia Roberts	....	executive producer
Marisa Yeres	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joseph Vitarelli

Cinematography by
David Boyd

Film Editing by
Julie Rogers

Casting by
Nancy Nayor

Production Design by
Peter Cosco

Art Direction by
Michele Brady

Set Decoration by
Odetta Stoddard

Costume Design by
Trysha Bakker

Makeup Department
Teresa Buccione	....	hair stylist
Cliona Furey	....	head of hair department
Claudia Gedge	....	second assistant makeup artist
Marie Nardella	....	makeup department head
Rita Pacitto	....	hair stylist
Kelly Shanks	....	hair stylist
Julia Valente	....	first assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Jonathan Ferrantelli	....	post-production supervisor
Ned Harvey	....	post-production manager
Mark L. Mitchell	....	post production executive
Michael Wray	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Campbell	....	second assistant director
Craig Newman	....	third assistant director
Andrew Shea	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tory Bellingham	....	property master
Mike Butt	....	head carpenter
Rossana DeCampo	....	key scenic artist
Tucker Doherty	....	set designer
Neil Floyd	....	art department apprentice
J. Ryan Halpenny	....	assistant art director
Suzanne Hodson	....	set decoration buyer
Yasmyn Lee	....	art department coordinator
Yasmyn Lee	....	trainee assistant art director
Yassara Monteleone	....	graphic designer
John Moran	....	graphics
Jeff Poulis	....	assistant property master
Robert Shipman	....	on-set dresser
Robert S. Smith	....	carpenter
Blaine Twyne	....	location head carpenter
Rob Valeriote	....	stand-by carpenter
Bill Vance	....	construction coordinator
Deborah Vance	....	construction accountant

Sound Department
Daniel Cioffi	....	sound editor: pre-dubs
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Denise Fuller	....	sound editor: pre-dubs
Dan Fulton	....	assistant sound editor
Glen Gauthier	....	sound mixer
Mariusz Glabinski	....	sound effects editor
Marlena Grzaslewicz	....	supervising sound editor
Brandon Hess	....	sound editor: pre dubs
Georgia Hilton	....	predub sound mixer
Dan Korintus	....	dialogue editor
Craig Kyllonen	....	ADR recordist
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Derril Sellers	....	sound editor: pre-dubs
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Casey Zanowic	....	sound editor: pre dubs

Special Effects by
Mark Mitton	....	magic consultant
David Reaume	....	special effects technician
Sophie Vertigan	....	special effects first assistant

Visual Effects by
Dennis Berardi	....	supervising vfx producer: Mr. X Inc.
Sarah Coatts	....	visual effects producer: PIC
Anand Dorairaj	....	digital compositor
Mike Duffy	....	flame artist: Mr X Inc.
David Fix	....	senior systems administrator: Mr. X Inc
Annu Gulati	....	digital compositor
Victoria Holt	....	visual effects coordinator: Mr. X Inc.
Karen Kriss	....	visual effects producer
Aaron Weintraub	....	visual effects supervisor: Mr. X Inc.
Matthew W. Johnson	....	smoke artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jeffrey G. Barnett	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Pierre Berube	....	electrician
Zena Bielewicz	....	second assistant camera
Vincent Borg	....	electrician
Dave Bouskill	....	rigging electric best boy
Russel Bowie	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Brad Crosbie	....	c camera first assistant
Antony Ellis	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Candide Franklyn	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Lee Guenette	....	best boy
Michael Hall	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bob Harper	....	key grip
Wilton Higgins	....	grip
Ben Lichty	....	second assistant camera
Ron Schroeder	....	grip
Paul Spaven	....	rigging gaffer
Darren Spriet	....	camera loader
John Sztejnmiler	....	generator operator
Franco Tata	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Beth Bowling	....	casting: New York
Jeremy Gordon	....	casting associate
Kathy Kaplan	....	casting associate
Kim Miscia	....	casting: New York
Jane Rogers	....	extras casting
Nadia Lubbe Simon	....	casting: New York (as Nadia Lubbe)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Bonniere	....	assistant costume designer
Constance Buck	....	wardrobe supervisor
Donna Butt	....	costume supervisor
Loreen Lightfoot	....	costume cutter
Cara Porter	....	costume stitcher
Carol Wong	....	costume buyer

Editorial Department
Ron Dulin	....	assistant editor
Ned Harvey	....	post-production coordinator
Mato	....	film timer
Brian Boyd	....	digital preview colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Lesley Barber	....	composer: additional music
Lesley Barber	....	orchestrator
Charlie Bishart	....	musician: violin soloist (as Charlie Bisharat)
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Bridgette Bryant	....	vocalist
Matt Chiaravalle	....	music producer
Joseph S. DeBeasi	....	music editor
Brad Dechter	....	source arrangements
Greg Dennen	....	assistant score engineer
George Doering	....	musician
Bruce Dukov	....	musician: violin soloist
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
Ken Gruberman	....	music preparation
Paul Intson	....	music editor
Bob Joles	....	music preparation
Evyen Klean	....	music supervisor (as Evyen J Klean)
David Low	....	music contractor
Frank Macchia	....	music preparation
Neil Parfitt	....	assistant to composer
Lucas Richman	....	conductor
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Nicholas Viterelli	....	music editor
Emily Weedon	....	piano instructor
Peter Erskine	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Boyd	....	picture car captain
John Brunt	....	driver
Matthew Garland	....	driver
Jay Krueger	....	driver
Tim Schau	....	transportation
William L. Tataryn	....	driver
Dave Wilson	....	picture car mechanic

Other crew
Florian Bailleul	....	title designer
Lex Batten	....	project supervisor: Technicolor
David Ben	....	consultant: magic
Laurel Bresnahan	....	studio teacher
Paul Chodirker	....	legal services
Sarah Christie	....	assistant: Ms. Rozema
Catherine Crawford	....	assistant location manager
Lynna' Davis	....	coach: rollerskating (as Lynna Davis)
Ramona Diaconescu	....	script supervisor: second unit
Sean Dooley	....	assistant: Ms. Goldsmith-Thomas
Terri Douglas	....	adr loop group
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
Julio Ferrario	....	creative director: main titles
Natsu Furuichi	....	assistant: producer
Megan Gallagher	....	adr voice group
Daniel Godwin	....	production secretary
Joel Goldes	....	dialect coach: pre-production
Matt Graver	....	assistant location manager
Pamela B. Green	....	main title producer
Kristin Johansen	....	adr actor
Oliver Kane	....	set production assistant
Andrew Magarian	....	acting coach
Aishleen McCann	....	production assistant
Robert Milicevic	....	craft service
Christie Moreau	....	adr artist
Sean Oliver	....	adr artist
Karen Perez	....	location manager
Diane Pitblado	....	on-set dialect coach
A.J. Reynolds	....	assistant to producer
Kimber Sider	....	assistant: Ms. Rozema
Nora Smith	....	assistant: Ms. Goldsmith-Thomas
Kitty Spiropoulos	....	production accountant
David Steinberg	....	legal services
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety coordinator
Mary Anne Themann	....	coach: rollerskating
Rebecca Thornell	....	script clearance
Jarik Van Sluijs	....	creative director: main titles
Casey Wallace	....	production assistant
Trevor White	....	color dailies
Amy Wright	....	choreographer
Bill Timoney	....	adr voice group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Picturehouse Entertainment (as Picturehouse) (presents)
• New Line Cinema (presents)
• HBO Films (in association with)
• American Girl Brands
• Front Street Films
• Goldsmith-Thomas Productions
• Red Om Films

Distributors

• Alliance Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (2009) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Soho VFX (visual effects)
• Mr. X (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• New Line Records  soundtrack
• PIC Agency  titles
• Postworks New York  digital intermediate
• Postworks New York  post-production facilities
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Wildfire Studios  adr recording facility
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"An American Girl Mystery" - International (English title) (short title), UK (short title), USA (short title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:G (certificate #44219) | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:G | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Picturehouse Entertainment

Trivia:

Abigail Breslin wore a blonde wig in her role.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Kitt gives the Cincinnati Register Editor her stories to read, they are in a portfolio envelope. When the Editor opens the portfolio, he removes an attached, corded elastic band which was stretched around the portfolio. Corded elastic bands for these types of thin cardboard portfolios did not exist in 1934. These envelopes would be tied with an attached, flattened cloth grosgrain ribbon type of tie.

Quotes:

Miss Bond:I'm sorry.. we were trying to be like Robin Hood- you know, steal from the rich to give to the poor. But... really, all we were doing was stealing from the rich... and the poor... and keeping it for ourselves. That's what we did, really.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Zach Braff/Maroon 5 (#32.20)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Side by Side

Touching and educational!

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a touching story about a young girl (named Kit) who is living during the Great Depression. The movie follows Kit and her family as they struggle through the tough times of the Great Depression. It is a very moving movie, with several emotional scenes, especially near the end.

This movie introduces viewers personally to the struggles that people had to go through during the time period, and I feel that this is one of the strengths of the movies. Not only is it touching and moving, but it also educates the viewer on what the time period was really like, giving a personal perspective to an important period of history.

In terms of acting, I absolutely loved Abigail Breslin as Kit. She is an amazing actress, and I think this is one of her best performances. All of the other actors give great performances, as well.

This is a wonderful movie that can be enjoyed by anyone, kids and adults alike. It is a movie which both touches the heart, and educates the mind.