Scoop (2006)

An American journalism student in London scoops a big story, and begins an affair with an aristocrat as the incident unfurls.

Director:

Woody Allen

Writer:

Woody Allen

Stars:

Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman, Jim Dunk

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Dunk	...	Funeral Speaker
Robert Bathurst	...	Strombel's Co-Workers
Geoff Bell	...	Strombel's Co-Workers
Christopher Fulford	...	Strombel's Co-Workers
Nigel Lindsay	...	Strombel's Co-Workers
Ian McShane	...	Joe Strombel
Fenella Woolgar	...	Jane Cook
Pete Mastin	...	Death (as Peter Mastin)
Doreen Mantle	...	Joe's Co-Passengers
David Schneider	...	Joe's Co-Passengers
Meera Syal	...	Joe's Co-Passengers
Kevin McNally	...	Mike Tinsley (as Kevin R. McNally)
Robyn Kerr	...	Tinsley's Fans
Richard Stirling	...	Tinsley's Fans
Scarlett Johansson	...	Sondra Pransky

Storyline

In the funeral of the famous British journalist Joe Strombel (Ian McShane), his colleagues and friends recall how obstinate he was while seeking a scoop. Meanwhile, the deceased Joe discloses the identity of the tarot card serial killer of London. He cheats Death (Pete Mastin) and appears to the American student of journalism Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson), who is on the stage in the middle of a magic show of the magician Sidney Waterman (Woody Allen) in London, and tells her that the murderer is the aristocrat Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman). Sondra drags Sid in her investigation, seeking for evidence that Peter is the killer. However, she falls in love with him and questions if Joe Strombel is right in his scoop.

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Plot Keywords:

implied sex | swimsuit | serial killer | strong female lead | scantily clad female | 

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Taglines:

The perfect man. The perfect story. The perfect murder.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some sexual content

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 July 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Woody Allen Fall Project 2006

Filming Locations:

CityPoint, Moorgate, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,003,000, 30 July 2006

Gross USA:

$10,525,717

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,215,642

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Ingenious Film Partners, Phoenix Wiley

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (Mono)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charles Dance claimed that Writer and Director Woody Allen didn't give any direction for his performance, and further claimed that he was asked to arrive on-set in his own suit and tie, upon which he filmed his scene and left.

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Goofs

Sondra tells Peter Lyman that her father is having sensitivity in tooth "lower # 7." In the American tooth numbering system, number seven is always an upper tooth, specifically the upper right lateral incisor. In the British tooth numbering system, there is no tooth number seven.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Funeral Speaker: Don't mourn for Joe Strombel. Joe Strombel had a full life. A newspaper man in the best tradition. A great credit to the Fourth Estate. It didn't matter if the bombs of the war zone were falling, it didn't matter how high up the political scandal went, or how many big corporations or small time racketeers leaned on him. Whatever the risk, if there was a story there, Joe went after it. And he usually got it.

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Connections

Referenced in Cleanflix (2009)

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Soundtracks

Adios Muchachos
Composed by Julio C. Sanders (as J. Sanders)
Arranged & Performed by Lester Lanin
Courtesy of Epic Records by arrangement with Sony BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

better than I expected

I went to the movie theater this afternoon expecting to be underwhelmed by Scoop. Happily, the film exceeded expectations, at least a little bit. It's nothing heavy, nothing deep -- and not anywhere as good as any number of real Allen masterpieces -- but it's also completely enjoyable as a light, bantering comedy. There's something kind of simple and sweet about it. "Cute" was the word I heard from people in the audience as they were walking out after the show. It doesn't feel like Allen set out to create a masterpiece here, it feels like he wanted to make a little comedy and have fun doing it. Compared to just about everything Hollywood is producing, Allen's stuff has a tendency to charm. Even the fluffy stuff. These days it's just refreshing to go to a movie made by an actual human being.