Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005)

Director Michael Winterbottom (Northam) attempts to shoot the adaptation of Laurence Sterne's essentially unfilmable novel, "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman."

Director:

Michael Winterbottom

Writers:

Laurence Sterne (novel), Frank Cottrell Boyce (screenplay) (as Martin Hardy)

Stars:

Steve Coogan, Jeremy Northam, Rob Brydon

2 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Coogan	...	Tristram Shandy / Walter Shandy / Steve Coogan
Rob Brydon	...	Capt. Toby Shandy / Rob Brydon
Keeley Hawes	...	Elizabeth / Keeley Hawes
Shirley Henderson	...	Susannah
Raymond Waring	...	Trim
Conal Murphy	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 6
Joe Williams	...	Young Tristram Shandy - Age 9
Paul Kynman	...	Obadiah
Mark Tandy	...	London Doctor
Mary Healey	...	Midwife
Dylan Moran	...	Dr. Slop
Jack Shepherd	...	Surgeon
David Walliams	...	Parson
Jeremy Northam	...	Mark
Benedict Wong	...	Ed

Storyline

Two actors, as their make up is applied, talk about the size of their parts. Then into the film: Laurence Sterne's unfilmable novel, Tristram Shandy, a fictive autobiography wherein the narrator, interrupted constantly, takes the entire story to be born. The film tracks between "Shandy" and behind the scenes. Size matters: parts, egos, shoes, noses. The lead's girlfriend, with their infant son, is up from London for the night, wanting sex; interruptions are constant. Scenes are shot, re-shot, and discarded. The purpose of the project is elusive. Fathers and sons; men and women; cocks and bulls. Life is amorphous, too full and too rich to be captured in one narrative.

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Plot Keywords:

size | infant son | ego | behind the scenes | interruption | 

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Taglines:

Because everyone loves an accurate period piece.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

Filming Locations:

Blickling Hall, Blickling, Norfolk, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£2,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£332,582 (United Kingdom), 22 January 2006, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$60,886, 29 January 2006, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,253,413

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films,Baby Cow Productions,EM Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The credited writer Martin Hardy is actually a pseudonym for the writer Frank Cottrell Boyce, who had his name taken off the film after a falling-out with longtime collaborator Michael Winterbottom.

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Quotes

Steve Coogan: This is a postmodern novel before there was any modernism to be post about.

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Crazy Credits

Throughout the closing credits, Rob and Steve talk about how they use techniques of various other actors.

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Connections

Featured in British Film Forever: Corsets, Cleavage and Country Houses: The Story of British Costume Drama (2007)

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Soundtracks

Sarabande
Composed by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)
Arranged by Michael Nyman
Performed by the Michael Nyman Band

User Reviews

best literature adaptation in ages

Smart, funny, original. I just saw this at the Toronto Film Festival tonight, and was really impressed. Great and hilarious performances, especially by Steve Coogan, who is SO funny. But Rob Brydon is almost as great, and the two of them have a great rapport.

The film really captures the anarchistic spirit of the book. Hard to imagine that anyone could come up with an idea to bring this unusual book to the screen, and Michael Winterbottom hasn't been the most consistent of directors lately (or ever, really) but this is a winner. The story is told in several layers: a film is being made of the novel "Tristram Shandy", starring Steve Coogan as both Tristram and his father Walter Shandy, but the behind the scenes drama of the making of the film is an important component. And lots of parallels with the various players real lives (Steve Coogan and lap dancers, etc.) Incredibly clever. Definitely check it out.