Short Cuts (1993)

Short Cuts (1993)

Directed by Robert Altman from a screenplay by Robert Altman and Frank Barhydt, starred by Andie MacDowell, Julianne Moore, Peter Gallagher, Madeleine Stowe, Tim Robbins, Matthew Modine, Anne Archer, Robert Downey Jr., Frances McDormand, Bruce Davison, Fred Ward, Jack Lemmon , it is inspired by nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver. Substituting a Los Angeles setting for the Pacific Northwest backdrop of Carver's stories, the movie traces the actions of twenty-two principal characters, both in parallel and at occasional loose points of connection. Produced by Cary Brokaw, Scott Bushnell, Mike Kaplan, David Levy; original music by Mark Isham; director of photography by Walt Lloyd; film editing by Suzy Elmiger; production
design by Stephen Altman; art direction by Jerry Fleming.
Robert Altman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director and shared a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay with Frank Barhydt. The cast won a Special Golden Globe Award for their ensemble acting. The movie also won the prestigious Golden Lion and the Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast at the Venice Film Festival. Box office: $6,110,979

Cast with pictures

Andie MacDowell as Ann Finnigan

Bruce Davison as Howard Finnigan

Julianne Moore as Marian Wyman

Matthew Modine as Dr. Ralph Wyman

Anne Archer as Claire Kane

Fred Ward as Stuart Kane

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lois Kaiser

Chris Penn as Jerry Kaiser

Lili Taylor as Honey Bush

Robert Downey Jr. as Bill Bush

Madeleine Stowe as Sherri Shepard

Tim Robbins as Gene Shepard

Lily Tomlin as Doreen Piggot

Tom Waits as Earl Piggot

Frances McDormand as Betty Weathers

Peter Gallagher as Stormy Weathers

Annie Ross as Tess Trainer

Lori Singer as Zoe Trainer

Jack Lemmon as Paul Finnigan

Lyle Lovett as Andy Bitkower

Storyline

Dr. Ralph Wyman (Matthew Modine) and his wife, Marian (Julianne Moore), meet another couple, Stuart and Claire Kane (Fred Ward and Anne Archer) at a concert and make a spontaneous Sunday dinner date, but both marriages show their cracks over the weekend. While Ralph and Marian Wyman avoid a taboo topic that is undermining their marriage, Stuart goes on a fishing trip with some buddies (Buck Henry and Huey Lewis) and they discover a dead body in the water. Upon his return, Claire Kane is repelled to discover that Stuart and his buddies left the girl in the water until the end of the weekend so they could continue fishing. Meanwhile, waitress Doreen Piggot (Lily Tomlin), whose lout of a husband Earl (Tom Waits) is a verbally abusive drunk, accidentally hits young Casey Finnigan (Zane Cassidy) with her car. When the little boy walks away from the accident, she assumes he is all right, but never learns the fatal consequences, or the tragic harassment his parents, Howard (Bruce Davison) and Ann Finnigan (Andie MacDowell), must face from the local baker (Lyle Lovett) who is livid because Casey's birthday cake was never picked up. Howard's father, Paul Finnigan (Jack Lemmon) drops by the hospital after a twenty-year absence and relates the story of his own infidelity. Doreen's daughter, Honey (Lili Taylor) is married to Bill Bush (Robert Downey, Jr.), a man aroused by sadism. Their party buddies, Lois (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Jerry Kaiser (Chris Penn), face a toxic brew of phone sex and jealousy, as Lois earns her living as a phone-sex operator, leaving Jerry (a pool cleaner who has the Finnigans as clients) with a wife whose attitude toward sex is indifferent at best. Gene Shepard (Tim Robbins) is an unethical cop who cheats on his wife, Sherri (Madeleine Stowe), and seems oblivious to the fact that his wife long ago had discovered his secret-and just does not care. Gene's mistress is realtor Betty Weathers (Frances McDormand), and Sherri's ultimate confidante is Marian, her sister. These stories are woven together with musical bridges performed by Zoe (Lori Singer), a depressed cellist, and her embittered, jazz singer mother, Tess (Annie Ross), who live next to the Finnigans.

Trivia

The notorious bottom nude scene ultimately played by Julianne Moore deterred a lot of other actresses, including Madeleine Stowe, who switched roles in the film. Ironically, Stowe's new part required nudity too, though it was topless, rather than bottomless.
Madeleine Stowe turned down the part later taken by "Julianne Moore".
All Jennifer Jason Leigh's phone-sex conversations are verbatim of the calls she heard when she was researching for the part.
Annie Ross and Lori Singer's segment is a Robert Altman invention and has no connection to anything Raymond Carver has written.

Goofs

When Paul and Howard are sitting in the hospital cafeteria, the food items on the table keep changing between shots. Share this Hide options
When Honey and Gordon eye each other suspiciously after mixing up their photo envelopes, they try to find identifying information on each other. Gordon repeats the phone number he sees on Jerry Kaiser's car to remember it better, however the last 4 digits of number he is repeating differ from the actual phone number on Kaiser's car. Share this Hide options
When Doreen hits Casey with her car it is obvious that she doesn't even come close to him (he's at least 10 feet away when he falls).
Gene Shepard throws a rock through his mistress's living room window while she's away on vacation. Yet when she comes back, the window is unbroken. Share this Hide options

Soundtracks

"I Don't Want To Cry Anymore"; composed by Victor Schertzinger; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"I'm Gonna Go Fishin"; composed by Duke Ellington and Peggy Lee; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"Blue"; composed by Jon Hendricks & Gildo Mahones; performed by The Low Note Quintet
"Full Moon"; composed by Doc Pomus & Dr. John; performed by The Low Note Quintet
"Pushing Kiss"; composed by Elvis Costello, MacManus, O'Riordon; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"These Blues & Those Blues"; composed by Terry Adams; performed by The Low Note Quintet
"To Hell with Love"; composed by Doc Pomus & Dr. John; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"Prisoner of Life"; composed by Doc Pomus & Dr. John; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"I Don't Know You"; composed by Doc Pomus & Dr. John; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"Imitation of a Kiss"; composed by Roy Nathanson, David Cale, Marc Ribot; performed by The Low Note Quintet
"Nothing Can Stop Me Now"; composed by Horace Silver; performed by The Low Note Quintet
"Conversation on a Bar Stool"; composed by Bono and The Edge; performed by Annie Ross and The Low Note Quintet
"Cello Concerto in D Minor"; composed by Antonín Dvorák; performed by The Trout Quintet
"Cello Concerto No. 2, Opus 30"; composed by Victor Herbert; performed by The Trout Quintet
"Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor (BWV 1011)"; composed by Johann Sebastian Bach; performed by Lori Singer
"Berceuse, from The Firebird Suite"; composed by Igor Stravinsky; performed by Lori Singer
"Cello Concerto No. 2, Opus 30 (Second Movement)"; composed by Victor Herbert; performed by Lori Singer
"Schelomo"; composed by Ernest Bloch; performed by Lori Singer

Quotes

Gene Shepard: May I see your license and registration, ma'am? Claire Kane: Did I do something wrong, Officer? Gene Shepard: Take your sunglasses off, ma'am. Claire Kane: You know, this clown is detachable. I have a permit for it. It's to code. I've been stopped before. There's never been a problem. Gene Shepard: Phone number, ma'am? Claire Kane: 504-0361. Gene Shepard: I'm gonna let you go with a warning this time, ma'am. You were driving too slow. Just as dangerous as driving too fast. Please refrain from doing so in the future. Claire Kane: Can I go now? Gene Shepard: No, ma'am. I have one more question. Claire Kane: What's that? Gene Shepard: How many clowns can you fit in this car? Claire Kane: I beg your pardon. Gene Shepard: How many clowns can you fit in this car, ma'am? Claire Kane: Why'd you take my phone number? Gene Shepard: Well, you never know when you might need the services of a clown, ma'am. Claire Kane: You have children? Gene Shepard: No, ma'am. I can use some cheering up from time to time myself, ma'am. Being a cop isn't easy. You have a nice day now.

Aubrey Bell: How are you today, sir? My name is Aubrey Bell. You must be Mr. Weathers. Stormy Weathers: Yeah. Aubrey Bell: I have something here for Mrs. Weathers. She won something. Is Mrs. Weathers home? Stormy Weathers: Oh, she's not at home. What did she win? Aubrey Bell: I'll have to show you. May I come in? Stormy Weathers: I'm kind of busy right now. Tell me what it is. Aubrey Bell: She won a free vacuuming and carpet shampoo, no strings attached. I'll even do your mattress. You'd be surprised what could build up under a mattress over the months, over the years. Same with the pillows. Stormy Weathers: Really? Aubrey Bell: Yes, sir. This is your lucky day.