The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)

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.

Directors:

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (uncredited)

Writers:

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 24 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Ed Crane
Frances McDormand	...	Doris Crane
Michael Badalucco	...	Frank
James Gandolfini	...	Big Dave Brewster
Katherine Borowitz	...	Ann Nirdlinger Brewster
Jon Polito	...	Creighton Tolliver
Scarlett Johansson	...	Birdy Abundas
Richard Jenkins	...	Walter Abundas
Tony Shalhoub	...	Freddy Riedenschneider
Christopher Kriesa	...	Officer Persky
Brian Haley	...	Officer Krebs
Jack McGee	...	P.I. Burns
Gregg Binkley	...	New Man
Alan Fudge	...	Dr. Diedrickson
Lilyan Chauvin	...	Medium

Storyline

1949, Santa Rosa, California. A laconic, chain-smoking barber with fallen arches tells a story of a man trying to escape a humdrum life. It's a tale of suspected adultery, blackmail, foul play, death, Sacramento city slickers, racial slurs, invented war heroics, shaved legs, a gamine piano player, aliens, and Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Ed Crane cuts hair in his in-law's shop; his wife drinks and may be having an affair with her boss, Big Dave, who has $10,000 to invest in a second department store. Ed gets wind of a chance to make money in dry cleaning. Blackmail and investment are his opportunity to be more than a man no one notices. Settle in the chair and listen.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | chain smoking | santa rosa california | piano | 1940s | 

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Taglines:

The last thing on his mind is murder.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of violence

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Italian French

Release Date:

16 November 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Barber Project

Filming Locations:

Petaluma, Sonoma Valley, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£419,609 (United Kingdom), 28 October 2001, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$664,404, 4 November 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$7,494,849, 24 February 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Machine, Gramercy Pictures (I), Mike Zoss Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the director's commentary and in interviews, Billy Bob Thornton states that filming this movie helped him quit smoking, because he would be constantly chain-smoking during shooting, and would then have a cigarette of his own in his trailer, and this served to put him off the habit. However, he can be seen smoking in the documentary 'Lemmy' made a few years later, so it would seem he took it up again later.

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Goofs

When Big Dave confronts Ed Crane about the blackmail in his office, a member of the crew can be seen moving behind Ed, in the background.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ed Crane: Yeah, I worked in a barbershop, but I never considered myself a barber. I stumbled into it. Or married into it, more precisely.

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Crazy Credits

The opening titles cast shadows on the wall as if they are real.

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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.

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Connections

References Citizen Kane (1941)

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Soundtracks

Piano Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 (Pastoral)
(1801)
Written by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

Why you should see this movie

It is beautifully and refreshingly unpretentious. It is acted and filmed with grace and delicacy. This is the kind if movie we hope to find while sitting through most of the glitz and superficiality that gets made. Without question worth eight bucks, and two hours of your evening. Score another one for the Coen brothers.