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:

$3,046,924, 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

This is one of three 2006 movies to feature the topic of magic and magicians as main characters. The other two are The Illusionist (2006) and The Prestige (2006), the second of which also stars Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson. Woody Allen was tutored in magic and illusion for the movie by Scott Penrose.

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Goofs

There were several scenes where Scarlett Johansson's lapel mike radio frequency transmitter strapped on her waist behind her is visible.

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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

References Porky's Romance (1937)

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Soundtracks

Miami Beach Rhumba
Composed by Irving Fields & Albert Gamse
Performed by Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra (as Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra)
Courtesy of The Island Def Jam Music Group Limited
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Good Woody Allen? Definitely!

Great Woody Allen? No. Good Woody Allen? Definitely. I found myself, along with the audience in attendance, laughing hard and often at some of the best Woody Allen lines we've heard in a while. The aging Allen created an appropriate role for himself as Scarlett Johansson's "father" ... well, sort of. Some have said Johansson plays "a young Dianne Keaton." I beg to differ. She plays Woody's dialogue, which, in his comedies, always has a very similar feel...like, well, a Woody Allen comedy. That's fine for us Woody appreciators. She certainly did Woody's dialogue far better than the young cast of his last comedy, Melinda/Melinda. Some may find Woody's humor tiresome, but for those of us who love it when it's done right, we look forward to the next.