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.

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

The last thing on his mind is murder.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of violence

Details

Country:

UK USA

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 USA:

$664,404, 4 November 2001

Gross USA:

$7,504,257

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,916,623

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

Billy Bob Thornton jokingly made it look like Ed Crane had an erection in one of the scenes where he's watching Birdy Abundas playing the piano. Only one of the prop guys noticed during production. When the Coen Brothers later found out, they made it clear that Ed would not be aroused in the scene.

---

Goofs

At the end of the movie, Ed enters the prison closing the door behind him. But as apparent from the light shining out, the sound of the closing door is heard well before the door actually closes.

---

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.

---

Crazy Credits

Special thanks to citizens and merchants of Orange, CA and The Bungalow Heaven Neighborhood - City of Pasadena, CA.

---

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

References Scarlet Street (1945)

---

Soundtracks

Moonlight in Vermont
Music by Karl Suessdorf
Lyrics by John Blackburn (as Johnny Blackburn)
Performed by Hugo Winterhalter and His Orchestra
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label, a unit of BMG Entertainment
Under license from BMG Special Markets

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.