Jackie Brown (1997)

A middle-aged woman finds herself in the middle of a huge conflict that will either make her a profit or cost her life.

Director:

Quentin Tarantino

Writers:

Quentin Tarantino (written for the screen by), Elmore Leonard (novel)

Stars:

Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pam Grier	...	Jackie Brown
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Ordell Robbie
Robert Forster	...	Max Cherry
Bridget Fonda	...	Melanie Ralston
Michael Keaton	...	Ray Nicolette
Robert De Niro	...	Louis Gara
Michael Bowen	...	Mark Dargus
Chris Tucker	...	Beaumont Livingston
LisaGay Hamilton	...	Sheronda
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister	...	Winston (as Tommy 'Tiny' Lister Jr.)
Hattie Winston	...	Simone
Sid Haig	...	Judge
Aimee Graham	...	Amy - Billingsley Sales Girl
Ellis Williams	...	Cockatoo Bartender (as Ellis E. Williams)
Tangie Ambrose	...	Billingsley Sales Girl #2

Storyline

The middle-aged stewardess Jackie Brown smuggles money from Mexico to Los Angeles for the arms dealer Ordell Robbie. When she gets caught by the agents Ray Nicolet and Mark Dargus with ten thousand dollars and cocaine in her purse, they propose a deal to her to help them to arrest Ordell in exchange of her freedom. Meanwhile Ordell asks the 56-year-old Max Cherry, who runs a bail bond business, to release Jackie Brown with the intention of eliminating her. Jackie suspects of Ordell's intention and plots a complicated confidence game with Max to steal half a million dollars from Ordell.

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Plot Keywords:

money | gun | flight attendant | gun dealer | bail bondsman | 

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Taglines:

Six players on the trail of a half a million in Cash. There's only one question... Who's playing who?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, some violence, drug use and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the novel, Jackie Brown (originally Jackie Burke) is white. Quentin Tarantino changed her race, solely for the purpose of getting to work with Pam Grier.

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Goofs

While putting the money in her bag in the airplane bathroom, Jackie drops numerous items on the floor. She doesn't pick them up, yet when the camera goes again to an overhead shot, the items on the floor are gone.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Girl at Security Gate: Flight 710 to Cabo San Lucas, now boarding Gate 103, first class only. Flight 710, Cabo San Lucas, now boarding Gate 103. First class only.
Jackie Brown: [greeting passengers] Buenos dias. Welcome aboard. Welcome aboard.

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Crazy Credits

A copyright notice appears under the title at the beginning of the movie--a common practice for low-budget movies in the 1960s and '70s but very uncommon for 1997.

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Alternate Versions

The following deleted scenes are included on the DVD:

• Extended scene with Jackie/Sheronda in the mall's food court.
• Extended scene with Jackie and Ray in the diner.
• A scene where Louis and Ordell walk into the Cockatoo.
• A scene where Jackie is discussing with Max how to set up Ordell.
• An alternate "for your eyes only" scene.
• Alternate opening credits sequence.

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Connections

References The Big Doll House (1971)

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Soundtracks

(Holy Matrimony) Letter to the Firm
(1996)
Written by Foxy Brown (as I. Marchand), Tone (as S.J. Barnes),
Poke (as J.C. Olivier), Isaac Hayes (as I. Hayes)
Performed by Foxy Brown
Courtesy of Violater Records, L.L.C.
Sample of "Ike's Mood Part 1" (1970)
Written by Isaac Hayes
Performed by Isaac Hayes
Courtesy of Fantasy, Inc.

User Reviews

Tarantino grows up

Quentin Tarantino follow up to the hysterical response generated by his suitably hysterical first two movies was 'Jackie Brown', an altogether more restrained film that garnered a somewhat more restrained set of reviews. Perhaps the relative lack of impact made by this film explains his subsequent return to extremes with 'Kill Bill'. But in some ways this is a shame, as there's a lot to enjoy in 'Jackie Brown', particularly in the universally first rate performances the director manages to get out of his distinguished cast. Robert Forster is wise and weary as a middle-aged bail bondsman, Samuel L. Jackson plays a criminal with all of the menace and none of the charm of his character in 'Pulp Fiction', while Bridget Fonda and a (cast against type) Robert de Niro are entertaining as a pair of useless crack-heads. Best of all is former blaxploitation star Pam Grier in the title role, combining human warmth and coolness under fire with considerable charm. The generic Ellmore Leanard plot is ultimately not quite as clever as it promises to be, and as as ever with Tarantino, both tone and taste are sometimes questionable: the early sequence 'Women Who Love Guns' is very funny, but it's quite unclear whether it's intended as satire or celebration. Nonetheless, once one adds in a typically splendid soundtrack, everything adds up to a movie far above the average crime thriller, and for all the breathtaking invention of his other movies, it's enough to make one wish that Tarantino didn't usually feel the need to try so very hard.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rum Punch

Filming Locations:

Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,292,248, 28 December 1997

Gross USA:

$39,673,162

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,673,162

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax, A Band Apart, Lawrence Bender Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

154 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1