Flash of Genius (2008)

Director:

Marc Abraham

Writers (WGA):

Philip Railsback (written by)
John Seabrook (article)

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Corporations have time, money, and power on their side. All Bob Kearns had was the truth.

Plot:

Robert Kearns takes on the Detroit automakers who he claims stole his idea for the intermittent windshield wiper.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Engineer | Teacher | Justice | College

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Greg Kinnear	...	Bob Kearns
Tim Eddis	...	Maryland Cop #1
Warren Belle	...	Maryland Cop #2
Karl Pruner	...	Pete
Bill Lake	...	Scott
Dermot Mulroney	...	Gil Previck
Lauren Graham	...	Phyllis Kearns
Landon Norris	...	Young Dennis
Shae Norris	...	Young Kathy
Steven Woodworth	...	Young Tim
Victoria Learn	...	Young Maureen
Dylan Authors	...	Young Patrick
Ronn Sarosiak	...	Reverend
Gavin Kuiack	...	Baby Bob Jr.
Ben Kuiak	...	Baby Bob Jr.
Tom Rooney	...	Jerry Barnley
Kate Parker	...	Waitress
Andrew Gillies	...	Paul Previck
Duane Murray	...	Jim
Kate Greenhouse	...	Jean Previck
Philip Nessel	...	Club Member
Liam Titcomb	...	Joe Warwick
Sal Scozzari	...	Workman #1
Daniel Roebuck	...	Frank Sertin
Mitch Pileggi	...	Macklin Tyler
Richard Blackburn	...	Executive One
Michael Spencer-Davis	...	Real Estate Agent (as Michael Spencer Davis)
Michael Rhoades	...	Salesman
Nicole Crozier	...	Waitress #2
Sergio Di Zio	...	Louis
Ashley Wright	...	Security Officer
Jonathan Whittaker	...	MC / Singer
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Barney Howell
Jared Durand	...	Student
London Angelis	...	Wade
Matthew Edison	...	Nerdy Student
Kristian Truelsen	...	Doctor
Simon Reynolds	...	Angry Driver
Denis Akiyama	...	Dr. Ito
Liam Wright	...	Toddler Bob Jr.
Owen Wright	...	Toddler Bob Jr.
Quancetia Hamilton	...	Case Worker
Alan Alda	...	Gregory Lawson
Aaron Abrams	...	Ian Meillor
Jake Abel	...	Dennis (21 Years)
Tim Kelleher	...	Charlie Defao
Tatiana Maslany	...	Older Kathy
Bill Smitrovich	...	Judge Franks (as Bill Smitrovitch)
Conor O'Farrell	...	Chris Finley
Isaac Lupien	...	Bob Jr.
Grant Boyle	...	Older Patrick
Ashton Doudelet	...	Older Tim
Josette Halpert	...	Older Maureen
Bruce Gooch	...	Jury Foreman
Chuck Shamata	...	Professor Irwin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jim Chad	...	Patron in Diner (uncredited)
TJ Cheslea	...	Auto Show Patron (uncredited)
Dan Cristofori	...	Student (uncredited)
David B. Guthrie	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Kate Parr	...	Peggy (uncredited)
David Webster	...	Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Marc Abraham

Writing credits (WGA)
Philip Railsback		(written by)
John Seabrook		(article "The Flash of Genius")

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	producer
Roger Birnbaum	....	producer
Thomas A. Bliss	....	executive producer
J. Miles Dale	....	executive producer
Jonathan Glickman	....	executive producer
Michael Lieber	....	producer
Eric Newman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Aaron Zigman

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jill Savitt

Casting by
Denise Chamian

Production Design by
Hugo Luczyc-Wyhowski

Art Direction by
Patrick Banister

Set Decoration by
Peter P. Nicolakakos		(as Peter Nicolakakos)

Costume Design by
Luis Sequeira

Makeup Department
Kelly Brennan	....	hair stylist
Linda Dowds	....	makeup artist
Susan Hayward	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Paul Jones	....	prosthetics creator (uncredited)
Kelly Whetter	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Dennis Chapman	....	production manager (as Dennis V. Chapman)
J. Miles Dale	....	unit production manager
Peter Oillataguerre	....	executive in charge of production: Spyglass Entertainment

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Miles Dale	....	second unit director
Myron Hoffert	....	first assistant director
Patrick Murphy	....	third assistant director
Bob Warwick	....	second assistant director
Nick Lopez	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Neesha Patki	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Deryck Blake	....	property master
Brenton Brown	....	on-set dresser
Jean-Pierre Charbonneau	....	construction coordinator (as JP Charbonneau)
Itsuko Kurono	....	second assistant art director
H. Nancy Pak	....	art department coordinator
Douglas Slater	....	first assistant art director
Michael Vanderteems	....	greens key
George Venckus	....	leadman
Toni Wong	....	assistant property master
Colin Adams	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Greg Chown	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Rossana DeCampo	....	key scenic artist (uncredited)
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator (uncredited)
Paul Greenberg	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Tracey Strikwerda-Valeriote	....	trainee assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Keith Bilderbeck	....	sound editor
Anne Couk	....	assistant sound editor
Barbara Delpuech	....	sound editor
Yann Delpuech	....	sound editor
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
Glen Gauthier	....	sound mixer
Shaughnessy Hare	....	supervising sound effects editor
Darren King	....	supervising sound editor
E. Niles Klein	....	assistant sound editor
Goro Koyama	....	foley artist
Greg LaPlante	....	digital mastering
Travis MacKay	....	adr recordist
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Mike McKone	....	assistant sound editor
Christian P. Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Christian Minkler)
Barbara Noren	....	sound editor
Unsun Song	....	re-recording mix technician
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
John C. Stuver	....	sound editor (as John Stuver)
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator
Jon Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Dan Yale	....	sound editor
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist
Jenna Dalla Riva	....	foley recording assistant (uncredited)
Brooke Graeff	....	foley assistant (uncredited)
Vanessa Marshak	....	foley recording assistant (uncredited)
Justin Pearson	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Don White	....	foley recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Appleby	....	special effects coordinator
Fiona MacPherson	....	special effects shop coordinator
Tim Barraball	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Tomas Hartl	....	key special effects (uncredited)
David Reaume	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Adnan Ahmed	....	visual effects coordinator: Mr. X
Barb Benoit	....	digital matte painter: Custom Fiulm Effects
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects executive producer: Mr. X
Anand Dorairaj	....	compositor: Custom Film Effects
Mark Dornfeld	....	visual effects supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Michele Ferrone	....	visual effects producer: Custom Film Effects
Adam Gass	....	digital editorial
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator: Custom Film Effects
Sarah McMurdo	....	visual effects producer: Mr. X
Daniel Mizuguchi	....	animation supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Daniel Mizuguchi	....	pre-vis supervisor: Custom Fuilm Effects
Matt Schofield	....	digital matte painter: Custom Fulm Effects
David Thompson	....	compositor: Custom Film Effects
Aaron Weintraub	....	visual effects supervisor: Mr. X
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O (uncredited)
Sarah Coatts	....	visual effects producer: PIC (uncredited)
David Fix	....	senior systems administrator: Mr. X Inc (uncredited)
Matt Glover	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Sarah Grieshammer	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Safia Siad	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Amani Williams	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Matt Birman	....	stunt coordinator
Shelley Cook	....	stunt driver #1
Rick Forsayeth	....	stunt driver #2
Danny Lima	....	stunt double: Bob
Vanessa Reid	....	stunt double: Phyllis

Camera and Electrical Department
Mongo Andrews	....	assistant key rigging grip
Sean Bourdeau	....	best boy grip
Robert Cochrane	....	dolly grip
Brad Crosbie	....	b camera first assistant
Alex Dawes	....	rigging electric
Richard Emerson	....	key grip (as Rico Emerson)
Jay Fortune	....	chief lighting technician
Michael L. Hall	....	best boy electrician: splinter unit
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Chris Howard	....	chief lighting technician (as Christopher Howard)
John Irwin	....	generator operator
Tim Kneeshaw	....	second assistant camera
Tim Merkel	....	Steadicam operator
Tim Merkel	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Harald Ortenburger	....	camera operator
Christopher Raucamp	....	first assistant camera
Daniel Sauvé	....	Steadicam opertator
Daniel Sauvé	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Brian Scholz	....	digital video technician
Stephen Spurrell	....	chief rigging gaffer
Raphael Boettger	....	daily grip (uncredited)
Russel Bowie	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Brian Cassar	....	film loader (uncredited)
Tim Davis	....	video assist operator (uncredited)
Duane Gullison	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
Dianne L. Haggarty	....	grip (uncredited)
Bill Hong	....	camera car operator (uncredited)
Sean Marjoram	....	daily electrician (uncredited)
Herb Reischl Jr.	....	rigging best boy (uncredited)
Ron Renzetti	....	dolly grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Angela Demo	....	casting associate: US
Diane Kerbel	....	casting: Canada
Zameret Kleiman	....	extras casting
Chantal Leblanc-Everett	....	casting assistant: Canada (as Chantal LeBlanc)
AnnaRosa Piccione	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Suzanne Aplin	....	costume supervisor
Stacia Bon	....	wardrobe assistant
Patricia Hanley Cumming	....	costume set supervisor (as Patricia Hanley-Cummings)
Jay Du Boisson	....	assistant costume designer
Karen Eppstadt	....	key wardrobe breakdown artist
Sara Schilt	....	costume buyer

Editorial Department
Clark Campbell	....	assistant editor
Christine Carr	....	digital intermediate producer
Salvatore Catanzaro	....	on-line editor
Mike Chiado	....	digital intermediate technologist
Adrian DeLude	....	assistant colorist
Annie Johnson	....	digital intermediate producer
Lara Johnston	....	assistant editor
Jackie Lee	....	digital intermediate account executive
Missy Papageorge	....	digital intermediate producer
Laura Paulsen	....	post-production coordinator
Kurt Smith	....	color timer
Mary Beth Smith	....	negative cutter (as Marybeth Smith)
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	digital intermediate executive producer
Ofe Yi	....	first assistant editor
Rob Doolittle	....	senior on-line editor (uncredited)
Cam McLauchlin	....	assistant editor: avid dailies (uncredited)
Jorge Tanaka	....	digital intermediate assistant (uncredited)
Ian Turpen	....	digital intermediate scanner: Company 3 (uncredited)

Music Department
Thomas Bowes	....	orchestra leader
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Jerry Hey	....	orchestrator
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor
Stuart Martz	....	music consultant
Stuart Martz	....	violin coach
G. Marq Roswell	....	music supervisor
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer (as Dennis Sands)
Dennis S. Sands	....	score recordist (as Dennis Sands)
Michael Stern	....	additional score mixer
Michael Stern	....	additional score recordist
Adam Swart	....	music supervisor
Jesse Voccia	....	electronic score programmer
Lucy Whalley	....	assistant orchestra contractor
Aaron Zigman	....	conductor
Aaron Zigman	....	orchestrator
Alethia Austin	....	music coordinator (uncredited)
Christine Bergren	....	music licensing (uncredited)
Rob Bertola	....	music playback engineer (uncredited)
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Nevin Seus	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Aleck Duncan	....	driver: construction department
Greg McGrath	....	driver
Roland McGrath	....	transportation captain
Bruce McLean	....	transportation coordinator
Orest W. Muz	....	picture car captain (as Orest Muz)
John Ratushniak	....	picture car mechanic
Gord Bettles	....	picture car mechanic (uncredited)
Ian C. Harris	....	daily driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Scott Alexander	....	assistant location manager: Brazil
Mary Malone Browning	....	assistant to Eric Newman (as Mary Browning)
Kathryn Buck	....	script supervisor
Jared Burton	....	location production assistant
Kim Buttlar	....	executive coordinator: Gary Barber (as Kimberly Buttlar)
Juliette Caron	....	french subtitles by
Jennifer Chovancek	....	assistant production coordinator
Matt Dines	....	assistant: Jonathan Glickman
Wendy Gaboury	....	production accountant
Emily Halfon	....	production assistant
Jennifer Hoffmeister	....	assistant: Marc Abraham
Michaela Jung	....	translator
The Kearbs Family	....	consultants
Dennis Kearns	....	consultant
Ashley Kravitz	....	script clearance
Jacinta McDonnell	....	stand-in: Uruguay
David McIlroy	....	location manager
Caitlin McKenna-Wilkinson	....	adr group coordinator
Jason McLean	....	stand-in
Jed Metzger	....	assistant location manager
Kati Moore	....	location production assistant
Chris Moulson	....	assistant location manager: Brazil
Gabrielle Neimand	....	production executive: Strike Entertainment
Kerry Ann Redmond	....	first assistant accountant
Lisa Shamata	....	unit publicist
Erik Sudmals	....	assistant accountant
Will Taylor	....	production assistant
Marlena Thomas	....	executive coordinator: Roger Birnbaum
Jarik Van Sluijs	....	creative director: main titles
Uma Venkataramaiah	....	assistant: J. Miles Dale
Alison Waxman	....	production coordinator
Daniel Zuccala	....	production assistant
Mark Barclay	....	assistant: Thomas Bliss (uncredited)
Brian Bruskrud	....	finance executive (uncredited)
Andrea Eisen	....	on-set tutor (uncredited)
Julio Ferrario	....	creative director: main titles (uncredited)
Pamela B. Green	....	main title producer (uncredited)
Rui Martins	....	rushes telecine operator (uncredited)
Alex McNaughton	....	location scout (uncredited)
Sue Nelson	....	third assistant accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Phil Altmann	....	the producers wish to thank
Robert W. Kearns	....	dedicatee
D. Jim Mirkopoulos	....	the producers wish to thank (as Jim Mirkopolous)
Donna Zuchlinski	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Spyglass Entertainment (presents)
• Strike Entertainment
• Intermittent Productions

Distributors

• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2010) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Geneon Universal Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (DVD) (rental)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Mr. X (visual effects)
• Custom Film Effects (visual effects and opticals)
• Acme F/X (special effects)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  score recording studio
• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• Canada Film Capital  tax incentive consulting services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Company 3  digital intermediate
• Dawgs Sound Design  sound
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• PIC Agency  titles (as PIC)
• Reder & Feig  production legal counsel
• Star Grazing  craft service
• Todd-AO Studios  adr (as Todd AO)
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  sound re-recording facility (as Universal Studios Sound)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• Wildfire Studios  additional adr

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Runtime:

USA:119 min | Canada:119 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44181) | Australia:PG | UK:12A | Ireland:PG | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Convocation Hall, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Kearns received many offers from Hollywood for his story over the years but he rejected them all as he didn't trust anyone enough to tell his story properly. Eventually he was won over by Marc Abraham's passion and his promise to keep to the facts as much as possible. The family provided documentation, photographs, home movies and anecdotes, while eldest son Dennis - now a lawyer - represented the family's interests. All in all, the process of getting the Kearns story up onto the big screen took 9 years.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The 1969 Lincoln Mark III he drives to Ford, with the invention installed, had variable-speed hydraulic wiper motors running off the power steering pump. They were used on Mark IIIs and Thunderbirds because Mercedes used them, and they were very quiet. It wasn't until the 1972 models that they had electric intermittent wipers on them.

Quotes:

Bob Kearns:Whatever happened to this little thing called justice you talked about?
Gregory Lawson:This is justice, Bob. This is how justice is dispensed in this country - with checkbooks. There are no brass bands, you know, there are no ticker tape parades, the mayor doesn't give you the key to the city and call you a hero. You get a check.

Movie Connections:

References Frankenstein (1931)

Soundtrack:

Sailor's Hornpipe

It's About Giving Credit To The Right Person For The Effort And Hardwork

I, for one, strongly oppose any kind of plagiarism because nobody has the right to steal someone else's work and claim it to be theirs. 'Flash of Genius' tells the heartbreaking story of inventer Dr. Kearns. While windshield wipers may sound like a small thing that hardly many give consideration to (as Kearns's friends have told him), it's not a matter of the object at hand but the effort that went behind it and why should credit go to somebody else? I admire Kearns for putting up a fight and keeping up the battle for justice and even though it cost him his family, he fought to the end. I'm surprised as to how little recognition 'Flash of Genius' received considering that the story is extremely relevant even for today's world.

The director does a splendid job in telling this moving story. Greg Kinnear delivers a heartfelt lowkeyed performance which is among one of the best of his career. Unfortunately, he remains an underrated actor but I hope he keeps making the wise film choices and gets his due soon. Lauren Graham is wonderfully restrained and marvelous but she's risking getting typecast (she's played supportive wife in two other recent movies 'Evan Almighty' and 'Birds of America'). Dermot Mulroney too stands out as Privick.

Where the technical department is concerned, the director has used a lot of subtlety with the cinematography, soundtrack and visuals. It is only later that we realize what an important symbol rain is in this movie. The washed out colour adds to the tense, stressful and sad atmosphere. 'Flash of Genius' is definitely a worthy watch not only because it tells an engaging story but a very relevant one.