The 26 May 1990 Screen International announced plans by Alan Parker to direct The Commitments. Based on the 1987 novel by Roddy Doyle, The Commitments was the first installment of “The Barrytown Trilogy,” which chronicled the exploits of the fictional “Rabbitte” family. A “Casting Call” appeared in the Jul-Aug 1990 Irish American Press, seeking an Irish-born trumpet player, thirty-eight to fifty years old. Other instrumental skills would be considered as well. The 13 Aug 1990 DV reported that casting was completed following four months of auditioning 3,000 musicians and singers from Dublin, Ireland. Parker told the Aug/Sep 1991 Tower Video Collector that he also auditioned sixty-four bands, each of which was assigned two songs. The “Commitments” Parker chose had little or no acting experience, with the exception of Johnny Murphy, a veteran actor who was taught to play the trumpet for his role. Parker rehearsed the group, as actors and as a band, for a month before filming began. Principal photography began 27 Aug 1990, as reported in the 17 Jul 1990 HR. A news item in the 3 Sep 1991 HR stated that the band performed live on set, rather than miming to prerecorded music. However, Tower Video Collector noted that, on at least one occasion, the singers were accompanied by an instrumental track. Filming was completed ten weeks later on 3 Nov 1990, as noted in the 10 Nov 1990 Screen International. Production costs were estimated at slightly less than $12 million.
       The 31 Jul 1991 DV announced the West Coast debut of The Commitments at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, CA, on 6 Aug 1991. According to the 14 Aug 1991 HR, the picture was screened numerous times in New York City; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; and Toronto, Canada, beginning in Apr 1991, for audiences comprised of “opinion makers, the press, record company executives, club owners, disc jockeys.” Distributor Twentieth Century Fox also organized a press junket in Dublin, inviting representatives from news organizations, broadcasting, and entertainment publications. Posters were issued to exhibitors in Feb 1991 announcing an Aug 1991 release followed by two film clips. In addition, postcards were sent to the news media as release dates approached. Alan Parker explained the intensive approach to marketing as necessary to reach the film’s intended audience. Although Fox executives targeted a young adult audience, test screenings demonstrated the picture’s appeal to older viewers, due in part to its musical content. The Commitments opened 14 Aug 1991 in Los Angeles, New York City, and Ireland, and 16 Aug 1991 in Chicago, San Francisco and Toronto. As reported in the 23 Aug 1991 LA Weekly, “counterculture consultant” J. V. McAuley hosted a bus tour of Los Angeles-area nightclubs on 6 Aug 1991, during which journalists could drink and socialize with cast members. An official premiere was held the next night at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, CA, which included a performance by the Commitments, with guest vocalist Wilson Pickett. The film opened to positive reviews. Although audience members received a “Tosser’s Glossary” of Dublin slang to better understand the dialogue, Parker told the 2 Aug 1991 HR that “the language is like music,” and could easily be understood by laypersons.
       The 23 Sep 1991 Var reported earnings of $7.09 million within the first five weekends of release, with grosses as high as $52,852 per screen. Fox commended Parker, who previously worked in advertising, for his assistance with the successful marketing campaign. The 23 Jan 1992 HR noted that The Commitments was “the highest grossing film of all time in the Irish Republic.”
       On 28 Jan 1992, DV announced that FoxVideo was sending retailers 90,000 free promotional videocassettes to herald the film’s 9 Apr 1992 release on home video. The “making-of featurette” was intended as a free rental to customers, as well as for in-store exhibition. The studio assigned four cassettes for each retailer, along with a display unit and brochure. The estimated cost to the studio was $300,000. Another $200,000 was allocated for print and broadcast advertising for the featurette, “with tentative plans for cable, syndication and radio exposure.” Additional promotion was expected through Fox Broadcasting stations, and possibly through the VH-1 network.
       According to the 12 Jun 1992 DV, singer James Brown filed a $3 million lawsuit against Fox, claiming footage of his performance from The T.A.M.I. Show (1964, see entry) appeared in the film without his consent. Studio attorneys argued that Brown sold all rights to the performance in 1964, and that production company Beacon Films was meticulous in licensing the footage. However, Brown contended that the 1964 agreement was “an informal, ambiguous document,” which still allowed him some control over the footage. The singer also took offense over the studio’s failure to notify him that it was licensing the sequence. Although Fox apologized for the error and offered $10,000 compensation, Brown’s attorney declined, noting that his client was paid $50,000 the previous year for use of the clip in a music video. Nearly two months later, the 6 Aug 1992 HR reported that a U.S. District Court dismissed the lawsuit, confirming that Brown had relinquished all rights to the footage. However, Brown intended to appeal the decision, as stated in the 10 Aug 1992 HR. The final outcome of the case could not be determined.
       On 22 Dec 1998, HR reported that Alan Parker filed a $3 million suit against Beacon Communications, claiming the company did not fulfill its contractual obligation, which guaranteed him fifty percent of “all revenue from distribution and ancillary rights.” An audit determined that Parker was owed nearly $2.45 million in profits, and nearly $3 million in soundtrack album royalties. Eighteen months later, the 30 Jun 2000 HR stated that Beacon was sued by First Film Company, which sold the motion picture rights to the defendant in 1989. According to the agreement, the plaintiff was to receive $200,000, plus 17.5% of net profits. At the time of the lawsuit, First Film had received no profits participation from the film, and claimed Beacon was secretly diverting profits from the two soundtrack albums to a fictitious company. No further information on either suit was available as of Feb 2016.
       On 4 Jan 2000, DV reported that Beacon planned a sequel, to be produced by Cathy Konrad and scripted by Warren Leight. Previous plans for a sequel had been abandoned until Harvey Weinstein of Miramax Films acquired the rights. The tentative story involved former members of the Commitments reorganizing the band with new characters and touring the U.S. At the time of the article, several cast members were performing in a band called “The Committed,” and singer Andrew Strong, who appeared in the film as “Deco Cuffe,” was a moderately successful recording artist. As of Feb 2016, the sequel had not been completed. As for the remaining “Barrytown Trilogy” novels, The Snapper was filmed as a 1993 television episode, and The Van was a 1996 theatrical release.
       End credits include the following statements: “Maria Doyle is a member of The Black Velvet Band and she appears courtesy of Elektra Entertainment”; “Glen Hansard appears by kind permission of Island Records”; “Thanks to: Mavis Ascot, Tom Bliss, Lisa Clarkson, The Factory, Liz Gordon, Frances Kappelle, Paul McGuinness, Sona Partayan, Bonnie Pearce, Rob Strong, The Waterfront Café, Violet Williams”; and, "Filmed entirely on location in Ireland."
       Songwriter Bert Kalmar’s name was misspelled as “Kalmer” in end credits. James Brown’s backing group, the Famous Flames, appeared in end credits as “the Fabulous Flames.” More Less