Cannery Row (1982)

Monterey, California in the 1940's. Cannery Row - the section of town where the now closed fish canneries are located - is inhabited primarily by the down and out, although many would not ... See full summary »

Director:

David S. Ward

Writers:

John Steinbeck (novels), David S. Ward (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Nick Nolte, Debra Winger, Audra Lindley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Doc
Debra Winger	...	Suzy DeSoto
Audra Lindley	...	Fauna Flood
Frank McRae	...	Hazel
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Mack
Tom Mahoney	...	Hughie
John Malloy	...	Jones
James Keane	...	Eddie
Sunshine Parker	...	The Seer
Santos Morales	...	Joseph and Mary
John Huston	...	Narrator (voice)
Ellen Blake	...	Wisteria
Sharon Ernster	...	Agnes
Kathleen Doyle	...	Violet
Mary Margaret Amato	...	Lola

Storyline

Monterey, California in the 1940's. Cannery Row - the section of town where the now closed fish canneries are located - is inhabited primarily by the down and out, although many would not move away even if they could. Probably the most upstanding citizen in the area is Doc, a marine biologist who earns a living primarily by collecting and selling marine specimens for research. He is a lost soul who is looking for his place in life. He is running away from his past, one where he is trying to make amends for what he considers a past wrong. But his current life isn't totally satisfying either. He believes that his recent collection of eight baby octopi will help him define that future in conducting research on their behavior. However, he is finding that research is not as easy as he had hoped, and that he is still feeling restless. Into the area comes drifter Suzy DeSoto. She too is a lost soul. With few job skills, she gets a job as what she calls a floozy in the local whorehouse, ...

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Plot Keywords:

waterfront | 1940s | marine biologist | bordello | female drifter | 

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Taglines:

You don't have to be crazy to live here...but it helps.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

John Steinbeck's Cannery Row

Filming Locations:

Monterey, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,500,000, 15 February 1982, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$5,301,539

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chai Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Star Nick Nolte told "The Rolling Stone" during production that he was a fan of John Steinbeck's work. He also admitted to having to wear a girdle to flatten his stomach. In the interview, Nolte called the girdle a "Richard Dreyfuss special".

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Goofs

When Mack sits down at the open upright piano and starts playing during the final party scene, none of the hammers - which are clearly visible - move.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: [voice over] Cannery Row has never been like anywhere else. For one thing, its people are different. When the town died off, most of them failed to notice. Some say nobody would live here if they didn't have to, but there are some, like The Seer, who wouldn't live anywhere else, even if they could. Of all the people on Cannery Row, Doc is probably the best known. He makes as good a living as he needs by collecting marine animals and selling them to colleges and museums. Over the ...

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

In The Mood
(1939) (uncredited)
Music by Wingy Manone, arrangement by Joe Garland
Performed by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
Danced to by Doc (Nick Nolte) and Suzy (Debra Winger).

User Reviews

This film starts slowly, but is well worth watching to the end.

The first time I saw this movie, I almost walked out of the room (watching on a laser disc), but I decided to stay...and I'm glad I did. The film spends the first half developing the characters, among which are a PHD doing research on "Octopii" (Nick Nolte), a group of "ladies of the night", and a group of "bums". All of this is taking place around an old sardine cannery plant that is no longer in operation.

The movie begins to pick up steam toward the second half and is filled with laughs and giggles. The bums steal the show when they go frog hunting...hoping to sell the frogs to "Doc" so that they can have a party (for Doc). "Hazel" is hilarious and "Mac" (the head bum) has a unique approach to philosophy.

The bottom line is that the movie will make you laugh and has a happy ending. When (if) the movie comes out on DVD, I will buy it for my collection of classics.

PS: The film is narrated throughout, but the narration actually adds to the movie.