The Player (1992)

A Hollywood studio executive is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected, but which one?

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Michael Tolkin (screenplay), Michael Tolkin (novel)

Stars:

Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 24 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tim Robbins	...	Griffin Mill
Greta Scacchi	...	June Gudmundsdottir
Fred Ward	...	Walter Stuckel
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Detective Avery
Peter Gallagher	...	Larry Levy
Brion James	...	Joel Levison
Cynthia Stevenson	...	Bonnie Sherow
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	David Kahane
Dean Stockwell	...	Andy Civella
Richard E. Grant	...	Tom Oakley
Sydney Pollack	...	Dick Mellen
Lyle Lovett	...	Detective DeLongpre
Dina Merrill	...	Celia
Angela Hall	...	Jan
Leah Ayres	...	Sandy

Storyline

Events in the life of a Hollywood studio executive, unfold with the same unrealistic positive coincidences, ultimately culminating to a "happy ending", much like the movie scripts, with which he works day in and out, after he accidentally murders someone.

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Plot Keywords:

hollywood | multiple cameos | long take | film industry | male nudity | 

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Taglines:

The Best Movie Ever Made!" - Griffin Mill

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, and for some sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

The sex scene between Griffin and June is shot from the neck up because Greta Scacchi refused to shoot a nude scene after director Robert Altman asked.

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Goofs

At around 25'50" when Griffin is looking up Kahane's name in a registry, he finds 'Kalchime' on one page and then turns to the next page to find 'Kahane', despite it being an ostensibly alphabetically arranged book.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Man 1: [voiceover] Quiet on the set.
Woman: [voiceover] OK, everybody, quiet on the set.
Man 2: [voiceover] Scene 1, take 10. Marker.
Man 1: [voiceover] And - action!

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Crazy Credits

This film recorded digitally in a THX Sound System Theatre

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Alternate Versions

In the theatrical version there was a frontal nude scene of Tim Robbins at the hotel in the desert. This scene was removed for the cable version.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Proof of Life/Vertical Limit/The Emperor's New Groove/State and Main/Pollock (2000)

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Soundtracks

SNAKE
Written & Performed by Kurt Neumann
Copyright Lla-Mann Music

User Reviews

Excellent Hollywood satire that succeeds in every way.

For anyone who loves movies, "The Player" is a treat.

To start, the screenplay is first-rate. The plot that holds the entire film together is superbly crafted; very few films leave you guessing right to the end as this one does. The finer details also shine through, such as the sales pitch scenes, which are inarguably classic (i.e. "The Graduate II").

I loved the attention to detail in "The Player". One can find a new detail every time one watches the film. For example, the opening sequence is a very long, continuous shot during which characters are discussing Hitchcock's "Rope", which appears to be a movie filmed all in one continuous shot. The sheer number of cameos in "The Player" makes it difficult to list all of them, so I won't even try.

"The Player" is one film that sets out to skewer Hollywood and actually succeeds. One only has to view the Bruce Willis/Julia Roberts sequence in order to understand this. My hat goes off to Robert Altman for making another excellent film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 May 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Player

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$302,216, 12 April 1992

Gross USA:

$21,706,101

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,706,101

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures, Spelling Entertainment, Addis Wechsler Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1