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The Man Who Wasn't There

  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
109K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Frances McDormand, Billy Bob Thornton, and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Theatrical Trailer from USA Films
Play trailer1:36
2 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
109K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Joel Coen
  • Writers
    • Joel Coen
    • Ethan Coen
  • Stars
    • Billy Bob Thornton
    • Frances McDormand
    • Michael Badalucco
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joel Coen
  • Writers
    • Joel Coen
    • Ethan Coen
  • Stars
    • Billy Bob Thornton
    • Frances McDormand
    • Michael Badalucco
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 474User reviews
    • 172Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 25 wins & 43 nominations total

    Videos2

    The Man Who Wasn't There
    Trailer 1:36
    The Man Who Wasn't There
    A Guide to the Films of the Coen Brothers
    Clip 1:56
    A Guide to the Films of the Coen Brothers

    Photos108

    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Frances McDormand and James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Scarlett Johansson in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Michael Badalucco in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Katherine Borowitz in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
    Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Billy Bob Thornton
    Billy Bob Thornton
    • Ed Craneas Ed Crane
    Frances McDormand
    Frances McDormand
    • Doris Craneas Doris Crane
    Michael Badalucco
    Michael Badalucco
    • Frankas Frank
    James Gandolfini
    James Gandolfini
    • Big Dave Brewsteras Big Dave Brewster
    Katherine Borowitz
    Katherine Borowitz
    • Ann Nirdlinger Brewsteras Ann Nirdlinger Brewster
    Jon Polito
    Jon Polito
    • Creighton Tolliveras Creighton Tolliver
    Scarlett Johansson
    Scarlett Johansson
    • Birdy Abundasas Birdy Abundas
    Richard Jenkins
    Richard Jenkins
    • Walter Abundasas Walter Abundas
    Tony Shalhoub
    Tony Shalhoub
    • Freddy Riedenschneideras Freddy Riedenschneider
    Christopher Kriesa
    Christopher Kriesa
    • Officer Perskyas Officer Persky
    Brian Haley
    Brian Haley
    • Officer Krebsas Officer Krebs
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • P.I. Burnsas P.I. Burns
    Gregg Binkley
    Gregg Binkley
    • New Manas New Man
    Alan Fudge
    Alan Fudge
    • Dr. Diedricksonas Dr. Diedrickson
    Lilyan Chauvin
    Lilyan Chauvin
    • Mediumas Medium
    Adam Alexi-Malle
    Adam Alexi-Malle
    • Jacques Carcanoguesas Jacques Carcanogues
    Ted Rooney
    Ted Rooney
    • Bingo Calleras Bingo Caller
    Abraham Benrubi
    Abraham Benrubi
    • Party Manas Party Man
    • Director
      • Joel Coen
    • Writers
      • Joel Coen
      • Ethan Coen
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Joel Coen and Ethan Coen came up with the story while working on The Hudsucker Proxy (1994). While filming the scene in the barbershop, the Coens saw a prop poster of 1940s haircuts and began developing a story about the barber who cut the hair in the poster.
    • Goofs
      Birdy Abundas says that Ludwig van Beethoven "was deaf when he wrote this. [...] He never actually heard it", referring to his Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathetique". When Beethoven composed this specific Sonata in 1798, he wasn't deaf. He already had some auditory troubles but he became totally deaf later, around 1815. During the very beginning of the 19th century he was still able to play public concerts and to hear the pieces he was composing.
    • Quotes

      Reidenschneider: They got this guy, in Germany. Fritz Something-or-other. Or is it? Maybe it's Werner. Anyway, he's got this theory, you wanna test something, you know, scientifically - how the planets go round the sun, what sunspots are made of, why the water comes out of the tap - well, you gotta look at it. But sometimes you look at it, your looking changes it. Ya can't know the reality of what happened, or what would've happened if you hadn't-a stuck in your own goddamn schnozz. So there is no "what happened"? Not in any sense that we can grasp, with our puny minds. Because our minds... our minds get in the way. Looking at something changes it. They call it the "Uncertainty Principle". Sure, it sounds screwy, but even Einstein says the guy's on to something.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening titles cast shadows on the wall as if they are real.
    • Alternate versions
      Though original intended to be released in black and white, the movie was originally shot in color. Some countries released the movie in color (e.g. Japan) for marketing reasons. Both versions are released on home media.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: What's the Worst That Could Happen?/Pearl Harbor/The Anniversary Party/Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 (Pathetique)
      (1799)
      Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

    User reviews474

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    awesome!
    since i have seen my first coen-brothers movie, i think, it was Fargo, i'm a great fan of these film-makers.

    i can't remember how often i watched this movie, because every time i get fascinated by the interesting story and the excellent characters. the slowness of the movie is fascinating. in spite of the slowness i never felt bored. the whole time i'm watching and thinking of the misery ed crane stepped into.

    the next highlight is the great soundtrack. Beethoven was and is the greatest composer ever. and the songs of carter burwell are awesome, not only in this movie, in every movie of the coen-brothers.

    i recently read in a comment on this movie, that someone could not imagine that somebody around the age of 25 votes high for this movie. I'm 21 and there was nothing that disturbed me.

    without doubt the man who wasn't there is one of my favorite movies.
    helpful•30
    19
    • emgeh
    • Apr 20, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 2001 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Barber Movie
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Rosa, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Good Machine
      • Gramercy Pictures (I)
      • Mike Zoss Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,504,257
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $664,404
      • Nov 4, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $18,916,623
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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