When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

Director:

Luis Mandoki

Writers (WGA):

Ronald Bass (written by) &
Al Franken (written by)

Release Date:

13 May 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Through the good times. Through the bad times. When a Man Loves a Woman it's for all times.

Plot:

An airline pilot and his wife are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter's safety. While the woman enters detox, her husband must face the truth of his enabling behavior. |

Plot Keywords:

Detox | Airline Pilot | Alcoholism | Addiction | Mother Daughter Relationship

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Andy Garcia	...	Michael Green
Meg Ryan	...	Alice Green
Ellen Burstyn	...	Emily
Tina Majorino	...	Jess Green
Mae Whitman	...	Casey Green
Lauren Tom	...	Amy
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Gary
Eugene Roche	...	Walter
Gail Strickland	...	Pam
Steven Brill	...	Madras Tie Guy
Susanna Thompson	...	Janet
Erinn Canavan	...	Shannon
LaTanya Richardson	...	Dr. Gina Mendez (as Latanya Richardson)
Bari K. Willerford	...	Malcolm
James Jude Courtney	...	Earl
Jacques De Groot	...	Guy in the Back (as Jacques de Groot)
Anne Ohliger	...	Jess - 4 Yrs. Old
Tony Montero	...	Bartender
Cynthia Mace	...	De-tox Nurse
Jennie Yee	...	Vu
William Frankfather	...	Al-Anon Leader
Ellen Geer	...	Woman at Al-Anon
Angelina Fiordellisi	...	Joanna
Elizabeth Lang	...	AA Woman (as Liz Lang)
Syd Field	...	Patient #1
Peer Ebbighausen	...	Patient #2
Ronald Bass	...	AA Man #1
Joe Drago	...	AA Man #2
Andrew Magarian	...	AA Man #3
Amy Treese	...	AA Woman #2
Brandis Kemp	...	AA Woman #3
Judith Friend	...	AA Woman #4
Deana Kobrynski	...	AA Woman #5
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rico E. Anderson	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Richard Bradford	...	Angry Man Watching TV (uncredited)
Al Franken	...	Co-Pilot (uncredited)
Holly Lewis	...	AA Person (uncredited)
Reed Rudy	...	Angry guy (uncredited)
Joseph Quinn Simpkins	...	Barfly (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Mandoki

Writing credits (WGA)
Ronald Bass		(written by) &
Al Franken		(written by)

Produced by
Jon Avnet	....	producer
Ronald Bass	....	executive producer
C. Tad Devlin	....	co-producer
Al Franken	....	executive producer
Jordan Kerner	....	producer
Simon Maslow	....	executive producer
Susan Merzbach	....	co-producer
Salli Newman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Zbigniew Preisner

Cinematography by
Lajos Koltai		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Garth Craven

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson		(as Amanda Mackey)
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Stuart Wurtzel

Art Direction by
Steve Saklad		(as Steven A. Saklad)

Set Decoration by
Kara Lindstrom

Costume Design by
Linda M. Bass		(as Linda Bass)

Makeup Department
Colleen Callaghan	....	key hair stylist: Ms. Ryan
Leonard Engelman	....	key makeup artist: Ms. Ryan
K.G. Ramsey	....	hair department head
Rick Sharp	....	key makeup artist: Mr. Garcia

Production Management
C. Tad Devlin	....	production manager
Rosalía Salazar	....	production manager: Mexico (as Rosalia Salazar)
David Hoberman	....	executive in charge of production: Walt Disney Studios (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Enrique Arroyo	....	first assistant director: Mexico
Shery Blanc	....	second second assistant director (as Sheryl Blanc)
Bruce Carter	....	second assistant director
Steve Danton	....	first assistant director
James W. Gavin	....	second unit director: San Francisco
Mickey Gilbert	....	second unit director: Mexico
Luciana Kaplan	....	assistant director: second unit, Mexico
Aimee Morris	....	second second assistant director: San Francisco (as Aimee A. Morris)
Marge Piane	....	second assistant director: Mexico
Lisanne Sartor	....	dga trainee
Annie Spiegelman	....	assistant director: San Francisco

Art Department
Gilbert Badillo	....	labor foreman
Earl Benton	....	stand-by painter (as Earl L. Benton)
Robert A. Blackburn	....	foreman
Kai Blomberg	....	swing gang
Scott E. Bruza	....	swing gang (as Scott Bruza)
Marco A. Campos	....	propmakers foreman (as Marco Campos)
Andrea Mae Fenton	....	set dressing buyer
Joseph Frank Giorgianni	....	cabinet gang boss (as Joseph Giorgianni)
Kirk D. Hansen	....	paint foreman
John Hoskins	....	gang boss
Jonas Kirk	....	foreman (as C. Jonas Kirk)
Gary A. Krakoff	....	construction coordinator
Tim R. Lafferty	....	general foreman
Stephen Lampke	....	swing gang
Jack Laspada	....	labor foreman
Steven M. Levine	....	property master
Ernest Lopez	....	plaster foreman (as Ernest Lopez Jr.)
Steven M. Miller	....	greensman
Robert Misetich	....	paint foreman
David C. Potter	....	lead man
William Powley	....	paint gang boss
Michael Rizzo	....	junior set designer
James Robinson II	....	assistant props (as James W. Robinson II)
Lori Rowbotham	....	junior set designer
Tommy Samona	....	swing gang (as Anthony T. Samona)
Michael P. Sweeney	....	on-set dresser
Stan Tropp	....	set designer
Kathleen Walker	....	art department researcher
Doug E. Williams	....	propmaker: SF crew
J. Michael Davis	....	set dresser: San Francisco (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Beth Bergeron	....	adr editor
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator
Fred Burke	....	foley editor
David E. Campbell	....	pre-dub re-recording mixer (as Dave Campbell)
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer (as Thomas D. Causey)
Midge Costin	....	sound editor
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor (as Teri Dorman)
Juno J. Ellis	....	adr supervisor
John P. Fasal	....	sound effects recordist (as John Fasal)
Marva Fucci	....	sound assistant
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Allen Hurd	....	sound recordist
Richard Kite	....	cableman
James Likowski	....	foley editor
Victoria Martin	....	foley editor
F. Hudson Miller	....	sound editor
James Moriana	....	foley walker
Maggie Ostroff	....	sound assistant
R.J. Palmer	....	sound editor
John T. Reitz	....	pre-dub re-recording mixer (as John Reitz)
Gregg Rudloff	....	pre-dub re-recording mixer
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	sound assistant (as Christopher Schiavo)
Karen Spangenberg	....	sound editor
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley walker
Gary Wright	....	sound editor
Dean A. Zupancic	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Thomas R. Ward	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Michael J. Fowler	....	computer graphics artist
Rebecca Ramsey	....	title producer: RGA/LA

Stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Maria R. Kelly	....	stunts (as Maria Kelly)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dustin Ault	....	grip
Herb Ault	....	key grip (as Herbert L. Ault)
Hans Bjerno	....	photographer: Wescam, San Francisco
John W. Brumshagen	....	electrician (as John Brumshagen)
Colin Crane	....	assistant camera
Michael J. Fowler	....	video playback operator (as Michael Fowler)
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Frank M. Holgate	....	photographer: second unit, San Francisco (as Frank Holgate)
Robert Jason	....	chief lighting technician
Frank R. Jimenez Jr.	....	electrician (as Frank Rene Jimenez Jr.)
R. Scott Judge	....	dolly grip
Kenny King	....	best boy grip
Randy Lewis	....	rigging gaffer
Vincent Mata	....	camera loader
Larry McCarron	....	grip
Steven J. Mikolas	....	video assist operator (as Steven Mikolas)
Fernando Moreno	....	best boy electric: Mexico
David Morrison	....	grip
Ken Nishino	....	first assistant camera (as Kenneth Nishino)
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	electrician (as Jeffrey Peterson)
Marcus Robertson	....	electrician
Rod Robertson	....	best boy electric
Rod Robertson	....	underwater scenes
Pete Romano	....	underwater photographer: Mexico
Jesús Romero	....	best boy grip: Mexico (as Jesus Romero)
Dennis Seawright	....	second assistant camera
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator
Russ St. John	....	key rigging grip
Robert Ulland	....	Steadicam operator: Mexico
Wayne Baker	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Dan Kneece	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Kate Kennedy	....	location background casting
Karen Miller	....	casting associate
Terrence Harris	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Lesa Lotito	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Diane Crooke	....	wardrobe supervisor
Gail Just	....	key costumer
Quirina L. Munoz	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Kathryn Camp	....	assistant editor
Daniel Craven	....	first assistant editor
Samuel Craven	....	additional editor
Laura M. Grody	....	assistant editor (as Laura Grody)
Gloria Kaiser	....	color timer
Chris Masson	....	post-production assistant
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Bruce Dunn	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Don Davis	....	additional orchestrator
Don Davis	....	composer: additional music
Dominic Fidelibus	....	supervising copyist: additional music
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Diane Griffen	....	assistant music editor
Wojciech Michniewski	....	conductor
Rafal Paczkowski	....	music scoring mixer
Roy Prendergast	....	supervising music editor
John Richards	....	additional music recordist
John Richards	....	music mixer
Reggie Wilson	....	contractor: additional music
Michael Fey	....	music executive (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Vernon Dautenhahn	....	transportation co-captain (as Vern Dautenhahn)
Lupe Marin	....	transportation captain: Mexico
Wayne Roberts	....	transportation co-captain
Eddie Lee Voelker	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Jane Alden	....	adr loop group
Steve Alterman	....	adr loop group
Juan Barnard	....	diving coordinator: Mexico
Charles Bartlett	....	adr loop group
Michael R. Battaglia	....	production assistant
Charles Bazaldua	....	adr loop group
Janey Bergam	....	assistant: Ms. Ryan (as Janey L. Bergam)
Kevin Berman	....	consultant
Luciana Cabarga	....	unit publicist: Mexico
Carol Chacamaty	....	administrator: Avent/Kerner
Joseph Chapman	....	adr loop group
Robin Citrin	....	location manager
Almarie Clifford	....	studio teacher
Jon Djanrelian	....	craft service
Joe Drago	....	stand-in: Mr. Garcia
Bruce A. Dunn II	....	assistant: Ms. Newman
Judi M. Durand	....	adr loop group (as Judi Durand)
Paula M. Endara	....	assistant: Mr. Avnet (as Paula Endara)
Dennis Fahey	....	assistant: Mr. Garcia
Greg Finley	....	adr loop group
Robert Florsheim	....	intern
Miranda Garrison	....	choreographer
Robert Gordon	....	assistant accountant
Javier Grajeda	....	adr loop group
Jeremy Green	....	office assistant
Bill Hansard	....	process projectionist (as Billy Hansard)
Doris Hess	....	adr loop group
Art Intemann	....	pilot consultant
Jeff Johnson	....	marine coordinator: Mexico (as Captain Jeff Johnson)
Inés Jácome	....	production coordinator: Mexico (as Ines Jacome)
Bryan A. Kenny	....	additional assistant: Mr. Mandoki
Nickole Kerner	....	production assistant
Nancy Jane King	....	production coordinator
Michael Kolko	....	assistant accountant
Lori Koravos	....	production accountant
Angela Land	....	stand-in: Ms. Ryan
Andrew Magarian	....	acting coach: children
Fred Mandel	....	production assistant
Vincent Mata	....	technical advisor
Connie McAloney	....	assistant accountant
Llory J. McDonald	....	production assistant
Kathy Menzies	....	assistant: Mr. Kerner (as Kathy L. Menzies)
Arlin Miller	....	adr loop group
Jeffrey Monett	....	assistant production coordinator
Cecilia Monterrubio	....	auditor: Mexico
Jeffrey Moznett	....	assistant production coordinator
Bob Neill	....	adr loop group
Stefanie Pleet	....	assistant location manager: San Francisco (as Stefanie Lee Pleet)
Juan Pope	....	adr loop group (as J. Lamont Pope)
David Randolph	....	adr loop group (as David Rudolph)
Errol Reichow	....	location manager: re-shoots
Bryan Scott	....	adr loop group
Susan Halli Shaffer	....	unit publicist
Kerry Stanwyck	....	assistant production coordinator: San Francisco
Henry Steinberg	....	production assistant
Suzanne Stone	....	adr loop group
Cynthia Upstill	....	script supervisor (as Cynthia Hyde Upstill)
Leslie Weisberg	....	assistant: Mr. Mandoki
Rebekah Williams	....	assistant location manager
Michael A. Willis	....	craft service
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer (uncredited)
Curran G. Engel	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Errol Reichow	....	location manager (uncredited)
Randolph R. Rhodes	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Alvaro López-Watermann	....	the producers wish to thank (as Álvaro López-Watermann Ph.D.)

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (Sweden) (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Gativideo (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)

Other Companies

• Aviation Warehouse  airline cockpit by
• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Buena Vista Imaging  titles and opticals
• Buena Vista Sound  sound re-recording
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies (as Chapman)
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Panavision  Panavision cameras and lenses by (as Panavision®)
• R/Greenberg Associates (West)  main and end titles designed and supervised by
• Reeltime Creative  trailer music
• Tyler Camera Systems  Tyler Mounts supplied by (as Tyler Systems)
• Variety Cinema Catering  caterer (as Variety Cinema Caterers)
• Walt Disney Pictures and Television  for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom this picture was created by (as Touchstone Pictures and Television)
• Wescam USA  Wescam supplied by (as Wescam)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Thai

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating) | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Cancún, Benito Juárez, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

When Meg Ryan first hits the booze in the opening scenes, she does so in San Francisco's famous Buena Vista Café in Fisherman's Wharf. It was here that America's first Irish Coffee was first created in 1952.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Michael approaches Amy and her family in the Asian restaurant, the caption says they are speaking Chinese. They are actually speaking Vietnamese.

Quotes:

Michael Green:My wife is an alcoholic. Best person I ever met. She has 600 different smiles. They can light up your life. They can make you laugh out loud, just like that. They can even make you cry, just like that. That's just with her smiles. You'd have to see her with her kids. You'd have to see how they look at her, when she's not looking. To think of all the things she lives through, and I couldn't help her.
Alice Green:Maybe helping wasn't your job.
Michael Green:Well, it wasn't. See I love her. And I tried everything, except really listening, really listening, and that's how I left her alone. I was so ashamed of that, and I couldn't even tell her. Maybe if I tell her she'd love me anyway.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Getaway: Episode #10.28" (2001)

Soundtrack:

When a Man Loves a Woman

A Great Movie that is Hard to Watch

I first saw this movie in the theater when it came out. I remember feeling frustrated. I watched it again last night on satellite and decided this really is a great movie, but it is hard to watch. It is a very real love story, but don't confuse that as meaning it is a typical romantic story.

Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia play a couple definitely in love, but struggling with their relationship after Meg Ryan's character comes back from detox. Instead of being cured, she is confused and they realize there is a wedge that comes from an experience they can't share. She has AA friends that her husband can't relate to, but she needs someone who can understand and her husband isn't it.

One mark of great writing is when the characters are not saintly or demonic, but shades of grey. Andy Garcia's character is a really nice guy, but he's not saintly. He resorts to sarcasm out of his frustration in not being able to help his wife. Of course, she doesn't want his help, she wants his understanding. She is basically a good person, but she can't sort through her feelings and ends up being unknowingly cruel to her husband.

After one scene, my wife stated, "Now HE frustrated me". I said, "I was frustrated too, but BY HER". This movie really pegs male and female relationships.

Superbly written, superbly acted. It hurts to watch it, but a movie that can evoke real emotion and not pander to the audience with contrived plot lines is a great movie. THIS is a great movie.