The Company (2003)

Ensemble drama centered around a group of ballet dancers, with a focus on one young dancer who's poised to become a principal performer.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Neve Campbell (story), Barbara Turner (story)

Stars:

Neve Campbell, James Franco, Malcolm McDowell

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Neve Campbell	...	Loretta 'Ry' Ryan
Malcolm McDowell	...	Alberto Antonelli
James Franco	...	Josh
Barbara E. Robertson	...	Harriet (as Barbara Robertson)
William Dick	...	Edouard
Susie Cusack	...	Susie
Marilyn Dodds Frank	...	Mrs. Ryan
John Lordan	...	Mr. Ryan
Mariann Mayberry	...	Stepmother
Roderick Peeples	...	Stepfather
Yasen Peyankov	...	Justin's Mentor
Davis C. Robertson	...	Alec - Joffrey Dancer (as Davis Robertson)
Deborah Dawn	...	Deborah - Joffrey Dancer
John Gluckman	...	John - Joffrey Dancer
David Gombert	...	Justin - Joffrey Dancer

Storyline

An inside look at the world of ballet. With the complete cooperation of the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, Altman follows the stories of the dancers, whose professional and personal lives grow impossibly close, as they cope with the demands of a life in the ballet. Campbell plays a gifted but conflicted company member on the verge of becoming a principal dancer at a fictional Chicago troupe, with McDowell the company's co-founder and artistic director, considered one of America's most exciting choreographers. Franco plays Campbell's boyfriend and one of the few characters not involved in the world of dance.

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Plot Keywords:

snapped achilles trendon | female nudity | nudity | chicago illinois | ballet | 

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for brief strong language, some nudity and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films [France] Sony Classic

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 2004 (Germany)

Also Known As:

A Companhia

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,776, 28 December 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,281,585, 9 May 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sony Pictures Classics, Capitol Films, CP Medien AG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Robert Altman shot 10 ballets in full specially for the film.

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Goofs

At about 1h 45m into the film, during the curtain call, those dancers were standing at different positions from different angles. Watch for the two men who were wearing blue and red bodysuits, they were standing at different places.

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Quotes

Alberto Antonelli: Hit the wall! I want you to move!

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Crazy Credits

The title is not shown until the end of the opening credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Hart of Dixie: A Better Man (2014)

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Soundtracks

Lowdown Thing or Two
Written by Billy Boy Arnold (as William Arnold)
Performed by Billy Boy Arnold
Courtesy of Alligator Records

User Reviews

The Blue Snake Bites

I'm no dance critic, but. . . I was very disappointed with the choice of "The Blue Snake" as the ultimate and climactic "number" in "The Company". To me, it really stood out as the least interesting and most cliched of all the dances in the film. Those outrageous costumes! That "Ice Capades" choreography! Altman & Co. really ought to have chosen a piece that would have shown the Joffrey's more adventuresome side.

I went into this film knowing that it was a "dance movie" with minimal storyline, and I was still disappointed. It's not a good sign when I start looking at my watch halfway through a film. It doesn't bother me that a "dance film" eschews the Melodrama of "The Turning Point" or "A Chorus Line." But "The Company" also eschews Interest! There was basically nothing to "hang onto" outside the dance sequences. Only Ry (Neve Campbell's character) was given any appreciable screentime, and aside from a few quiet moments, she wasn't given very much to do.

Okay, I admit that I liked one dramatic scene a lot: a flirtatious moment between Ry and Josh - the chef who looks like a male model - which takes place in a dive bar. There should have been more scenes like that.

I rate the film a 6 - dramatically disappointing, while the quality of the dance sequences varies from sublime to ridiculous.