Say Anything...
(1989)
PG-13 | 100 mins | Comedy, Romance | 14 April 1989
Cast:
John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney [ More ]Director:
Cameron CroweWriter:
Cameron CroweProducer:
Polly PlattCinematographer:
Laszlo KovacsEditor:
Richard MarksProduction Designer:
Mark MansbridgeProduction Company:
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
According to production notes in AMPAS library files, Say Anything... was originally conceived by executive producer James L. Brooks, when he observed a young woman and her father walking in New York City. The man attentively guided the girl across the street, and Brooks wondered what might happen if the man was concealing a villainous secret life. Brooks had met writer-director Cameron Crowe in the mid-1980s, and after following the young man’s journalism career, as well as his screenwriting debuts Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982, see entry) and its follow-up, The Wild Life (1984, see entry), he had Crowe write a ninety-page novella before outlining the screenplay, conducting interviews with young people, spending time with his grandmother at a nursing home, and meeting Brooks weekly to develop the character “James Court.” However, Crowe had more difficulty creating a strong female lead, so based “Diane Court” on his own mother, who was an over-achiever in high school and graduated early. Production notes stated that the character “Lloyd Dobler” was also modeled after a real person named Lowell, who lived “down the street” from Crowe and interrupted his writing at night to talk about kickboxing. The young man regaled Crowe with stories about his father, who was reportedly under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, and Crowe was impressed by the boy’s earnest optimism. The character “Corey Flood” and her estranged boyfriend, “Joe,” were also inspired by Crowe’s real-life associates.
8 Mar 1988 HR production charts reported that principal photography began 29 Feb 1988 in Los Angeles, CA, and a 17 Jul 1988 HR ...
According to production notes in AMPAS library files, Say Anything... was originally conceived by executive producer James L. Brooks, when he observed a young woman and her father walking in New York City. The man attentively guided the girl across the street, and Brooks wondered what might happen if the man was concealing a villainous secret life. Brooks had met writer-director Cameron Crowe in the mid-1980s, and after following the young man’s journalism career, as well as his screenwriting debuts Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982, see entry) and its follow-up, The Wild Life (1984, see entry), he had Crowe write a ninety-page novella before outlining the screenplay, conducting interviews with young people, spending time with his grandmother at a nursing home, and meeting Brooks weekly to develop the character “James Court.” However, Crowe had more difficulty creating a strong female lead, so based “Diane Court” on his own mother, who was an over-achiever in high school and graduated early. Production notes stated that the character “Lloyd Dobler” was also modeled after a real person named Lowell, who lived “down the street” from Crowe and interrupted his writing at night to talk about kickboxing. The young man regaled Crowe with stories about his father, who was reportedly under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, and Crowe was impressed by the boy’s earnest optimism. The character “Corey Flood” and her estranged boyfriend, “Joe,” were also inspired by Crowe’s real-life associates.
8 Mar 1988 HR production charts reported that principal photography began 29 Feb 1988 in Los Angeles, CA, and a 17 Jul 1988 HR news item announced that production had “recently” ended. Locations included Seattle, WA.
In a 21 Apr 1989 BAM interview, Crowe stated that the scene in which Lloyd raises a portable stereo “ghettoblaster” over his head to serenade Diane was particularly difficult to film, because actor John Cusak was opposed to the action, deeming it “too passive.” Since Cusak was a fan of the band Fishbone, Crowe determined that the song “Question Of Life” would be a focal point of the scene. After reviewing the footage, however, Crowe realized the music did not match the mood he wished to capture, and determined to use Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” instead. He sent Gabriel a “rough cut” of the incomplete film on videotape, but the musician confused Say Anything... with a biography about actor John Belushi called Wired (1989, see entry), and deemed the picture too depressing for a song that was “incredibly personal.” Crowe corrected Gabriel and won the rights to “In Your Eyes,” even though three other filmmakers were competing for Gabriel’s favor at the time.
As noted in a 30 Apr 1989 LAT brief, the picture’s cast featured several familial connections to the music and film industries. While John Cusak’s sister, Joan Cusak, performed the uncredited role of Lloyd’s sister, “Constance;” while Amy Brooks, the daughter of James L. Brooks, was cast as “D. C.” In addition, Ione Skye, Chynna Phillips, and Jason Gould were all children of celebrity parents.
The film marked Crowe’s feature film directorial debut.
End credits include: “Special thanks to The Carl People for ‘Cigs At The Beach,” and, “Special thanks to David Davis.”
In 1988 Seattle, Washington, Lakewood High School valedictorian Diane Court tells her indifferent classmates that the future is optimistic, but frightening. Diane’s intelligence has alienated her from her peers, and her wealthy, divorced father, James Court, is her only friend. Unknown to Diane, her classmate, Lloyd Dobler, is smitten with her. Lloyd and his sister, a single mother named Constance, live without parents in a modest apartment where Lloyd aspires to be a kickboxer rather than a college student. Lloyd’s confidantes, Corey Flood and D. C., insist that Diane will never be interested in dating him, but Lloyd summons the courage to telephone her, and leaves a message with her father. However, James is distracted by another call reporting that Diane has received an exclusive fellowship to study in England. James rushes to his business, a retirement home called “Golden Seasons,” to share the news with Diane, who works in the kitchen. The girl is pleased, but fearful of flying abroad on an airplane. Sometime later, Diane returns Lloyd’s call and reluctantly agrees to join him for a graduation party that evening. There, Lloyd is elected “keymaster”; he must remain sober and hold on to the partygoers’ car keys until he deems them safe to drive. As Lloyd collects keys and keeps an eye on Diane from afar, his friend Corey sings sixty-five lovesick tunes about the betrayal of her former boyfriend, Joe. At the end of the night, Corey has resolved to rid herself of Joe once and for all, and Lloyd is forced to escort an intoxicated classmate home; however, the boy forgets where he lives, ...
In 1988 Seattle, Washington, Lakewood High School valedictorian Diane Court tells her indifferent classmates that the future is optimistic, but frightening. Diane’s intelligence has alienated her from her peers, and her wealthy, divorced father, James Court, is her only friend. Unknown to Diane, her classmate, Lloyd Dobler, is smitten with her. Lloyd and his sister, a single mother named Constance, live without parents in a modest apartment where Lloyd aspires to be a kickboxer rather than a college student. Lloyd’s confidantes, Corey Flood and D. C., insist that Diane will never be interested in dating him, but Lloyd summons the courage to telephone her, and leaves a message with her father. However, James is distracted by another call reporting that Diane has received an exclusive fellowship to study in England. James rushes to his business, a retirement home called “Golden Seasons,” to share the news with Diane, who works in the kitchen. The girl is pleased, but fearful of flying abroad on an airplane. Sometime later, Diane returns Lloyd’s call and reluctantly agrees to join him for a graduation party that evening. There, Lloyd is elected “keymaster”; he must remain sober and hold on to the partygoers’ car keys until he deems them safe to drive. As Lloyd collects keys and keeps an eye on Diane from afar, his friend Corey sings sixty-five lovesick tunes about the betrayal of her former boyfriend, Joe. At the end of the night, Corey has resolved to rid herself of Joe once and for all, and Lloyd is forced to escort an intoxicated classmate home; however, the boy forgets where he lives, and the friends are on the road past dawn. When Diane finally returns home, Lloyd declares his intention to see her as much as possible before she leaves for England. Their next date is a Court family dinner party. Lloyd is astonished by Diane’s bond with her father, and explains his dream of becoming a kickboxer. During the party, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents arrive at the door unexpectedly and announce that James is under criminal investigation for tax fraud. Diane later asks her estranged mother to defend James. When Lloyd visits Diane at work, he entertains the elderly residents with a presentation of the film Cocoon. Diane makes love with Lloyd, and in turn receives a letter in which he declares his love, but she abruptly ends their relationship, feeling obliged to spend more time with her jealous and troubled father. Following James’s advice, Diane gives Lloyd a pen as a parting gift. Devastated, Lloyd cruises the streets at night and seeks advice from bachelor friends who loiter in a convenience store parking lot. He leaves messages on Diane’s telephone answering machine, and when she overhears him ask her to destroy the love letter, she picks up the receiver. However, Lloyd has already hung up. On another occasion, Lloyd serenades Diane with the song they first made love to, holding a portable stereo above his head. Sometime later, James buys luggage for his daughter and flirts with the saleswoman, only to discover his credit cards have been cancelled. Diane appeals to an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officer, who reports that James has been found guilty of defrauding residents in his retirement home by illicitly appropriating their life savings after they die. Returning to an empty house, Diane pries open a locked box to find stacks of $100 bills. She races to “Golden Harvest” and confronts James, who argues that he took the money to finance Diane’s future. He claims to be providing a service to the aged, taking better care of them than their own families, but Diane is enraged by the betrayal. She reflects that she can “say anything” to her father, and identifies James as a crook and a liar. She then goes to Lloyd’s kickboxing studio. The boy is so surprised to see Diane, he is knocked down by his opponent. As Lloyd nurses a bloody nose, Diane apologizes and admits her father’s deceit. She declares her love for Lloyd and takes up residence at his apartment. Sometime later, James is sent to prison and Lloyd insists that Diane visit her father before they leave together for England. However, Diane refuses to get out of the car, so Lloyd hand-delivers a letter. As visiting time ends and James loses hope of making amends with his daughter, Diane appears. She hesitantly admits that she still loves her father and gives him a pen as a parting gift, inviting him to write letters. On the airplane to England, Diane is petrified, but Lloyd assures her that the pending “ding” of the deactivated “non-smoking” sign will indicate their safety. The couple clutches each other through the turbulence of lift-off as the bell finally chimes.
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