Six Degrees of Separation (1993)

An affluent New York City couple finds their lives touched, intruded upon, and compelled by a mysterious young black man who is never quite who he says he is.

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Writers:

John Guare (play), John Guare (screenplay)

Stars:

Will Smith, Stockard Channing, Donald Sutherland

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stockard Channing	...	Ouisa
Will Smith	...	Paul
Donald Sutherland	...	Flan
Ian McKellen	...	Geoffrey
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Kitty
Bruce Davison	...	Larkin
Richard Masur	...	Dr. Fine
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Trent
Heather Graham	...	Elizabeth
Eric Thal	...	Rick
Anthony Rapp	...	Ben
Oz Perkins	...	Woody (as Osgood Perkins)
Catherine Kellner	...	Tess
J.J. Abrams	...	Doug (as Jeffrey Abrams)
Joe Pentangelo	...	Police Officer

Storyline

New Yorkers Ouisa and Flan Kittredge are upper-class private art dealers, pretentious, but compassionate. Their prized possession is a double-sided Kandinsky: one side represents control; the other, chaos. They relay a story to their friends and acquaintances that becomes legendary over time: their encounter with a young black stranger who came stumbling upon their front door one evening as they were courting Geoffrey Miller, an important investor who could make them wealthy beyond their dreams. The young man, Paul Poitier, had just arrived in the city when he was mugged outside their building, he sported a minor knife wound to the abdomen. He was a friend of the Kittredges' children, who are attending Harvard; more importantly, he's the son of actor and Director Sidney Poitier. Tomorrow, Paul is meeting up with his father, who is in town directing a movie of "Cats". Beyond the attraction of talking Paul into getting them roles in the movie, Ouisa, Flan, and Geoffrey all end up being ...

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Plot Keywords:

racism | urban setting | satire | new york city | based on play | 

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Taglines:

For Paul, every person is a new door to a new world.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

8 December 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seis Graus de Separação

Filming Locations:

860 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$53,058, 12 December 1993

Gross USA:

$6,405,918

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,405,918

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Maiden Movies, New Regency Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

J.J. Abrams (Doug) went on to become a writer and producer of several television shows, including one called Six Degrees (2006) (a reference to the same "small world" theory that is discussed in this movie).

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Goofs

Paul's position when talking about the huskey statue changes between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Flan: My God!
Ouisa: Is anything gone?
Flan: How can I look, I'm shaking!
Ouisa: I want to know if anything's gone!
Flan: Calm down.
Ouisa: We could have been killed! Oh, my God! The Kandinsky!
Flan: The Kandinsky!
Ouisa: It's gone, oh my God! Call the police!
Flan: Oh, no, there it is. Oh! The silver Victorian inkwell!
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Stan Helsing (2009)

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Soundtracks

The American
Quartet #6 in F major, Op. 96
by Antonín Dvorák (as Antonin Dvorak)

User Reviews

The pampered rich folk of Manhattan get skewered alive

The pampered rich folk of Manhattan get skewered alive in this elegant adaptation of John Guare's hit play. Based on an amazing true story, the film concerns a wealthy Manhattan couple (Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland) whose lives are turned upside down when a young black man (Will Smith) who claims to be a friend of their children's drops in after having been attacked in the park. He says he's Sidney Poitier's son, cooks up a gourmet meal, quotes "Catcher in the Rye," and endears himself to this couple. As the film progresses, one stunning event after another occurs, culminating in a beautifully cathartic ending. Sutherland gives one of his best performances, but it is the luminescent Channing who steals the movie. It is so nice to see this gifted actress -- looking more beautiful than ever -- in the lead as opposed to playing someone's best friend. Her impeccable timing and innate charm elevate an already dazzling screenplay to heights unimaginable. "Six Degrees of Separation" is as witty, thoughtful, and relevant as any film made the entire decade.