Sliding Doors (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Peter Howitt

Writer:

Peter Howitt (writer)

Release Date:

24 April 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

There are two sides to every story. Helen is about to live both of them ...at the same time. Romance was never this much fun.

Plot:

A London woman's love life and career both hinge, unknown to her, on whether or not she catches a train. We see it both ways, in parallel.

Plot Keywords:

Blind Chance | Mugging | Chance | Twist Of Fate | Underground Railroad

Awards:

6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Helen Quilley
John Hannah	...	James Hammerton
John Lynch	...	Gerry
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Lydia
Zara Turner	...	Anna
Douglas McFerran	...	Russell
Paul Brightwell	...	Clive
Nina Young	...	Claudia
Virginia McKenna	...	James's Mother
Kevin McNally	...	Paul
Terry English	...	Kind Cabbie
Paul Stacey	...	Man on Tube
Peter Howitt	...	Cheeky Bloke
Joanna Roth	...	Suspicious Girl
Neil Stuke	...	Defensive Bloke
Theresa Kartell	...	Rachael
Evelyn Duah	...	Receptionist
Linda Broughton	...	Theatre Nurse
Charlotte Fryer	...	Doctor
Pip Miller	...	Consultant
Christopher Villiers	...	Steve
Merryn Jones	...	Mother
Ella Jones	...	Child
Julie McDowell	...	Concerned Diner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carlton Jarvis	...	Anaesthetist (uncredited)
Barry Lee-Thomas	...	Local MP (uncredited)
Alex Thorne	...	Waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Howitt

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Howitt		writer

Produced by
Helen Booth	....	line producer
Philippa Braithwaite	....	producer
Guy East	....	executive producer
William Horberg	....	producer
Sydney Pollack	....	producer
Sandy Poustie	....	associate producer
Nigel Sinclair	....	executive producer
David Wisnievitz	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Hirschfelder

Cinematography by
Remi Adefarasin

Film Editing by
John Smith

Casting by
Michelle Guish

Production Design by
Maria Djurkovic

Art Direction by
Martyn John

Costume Design by
Jill Taylor

Makeup Department
Tina Earnshaw	....	key makeup designer
Rebecca Lafford	....	makeup artist
Lisa McDevitt	....	makeup artist
Graham Pownall	....	hair stylist
Zoe Tahir	....	hair stylist
Simon Thompson	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Stephen Barker	....	post-production supervisor
Andy Richards	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sara Desmond	....	second assistant director
Emma Griffiths	....	third assistant director
Richard Whelan	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Peter Bigg	....	dressing props
Mick Boleyn	....	construction manager (as Michael Boleyn)
Liliana Cifonelli	....	art department assistant
Alan Clifford	....	stagehand
Laura Dishington	....	art department runner
Judy Ducker	....	property buyer
Jim Dyson	....	stand-by painter
Lee Hosken	....	stand-by carpenter (as Lee Hoskens)
Douglas Ingram	....	storyboard artist
Tatiana Lund	....	stand-by art director
Mitch Niclas	....	stand-by props
Simon Robilliard	....	stagehand
Ray Rose	....	props storeman
Ted Stickley	....	dressing props
Warren Stickley	....	stand-by props
Kevin Woodhouse	....	art department trainee (uncredited)

Sound Department
Craig Burns	....	sound trainee
David B. Cohn	....	sound editor (as David B. Cohen)
Tammy Fearing	....	foley editor
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laura Lovejoy	....	adr editor
Laura Lovejoy	....	dialogue editor
John Midgley	....	sound mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Robert Morrisey	....	assistant sound editor
June Prinz	....	boom operator
Carolyn Sauer	....	foley recordist
Chris Scallan	....	sound engineer
Chris Scallan	....	sound mixer
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer (as Randy K. Singer)
Thomas W. Small	....	supervising foley editor (as Thomas Small)
Beth Sterner	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Bob Hollow	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Roy Alon	....	stunts
Helen Caldwell	....	stunt coordinator
Helen Caldwell	....	stunts
Adrian O'Neil	....	stunts
Seon Rogers	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
John Arnold	....	key grip
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
James Bloom	....	clapper loader
Julian Bucknall	....	focus puller
Matthew Dowler	....	electrician
Ian Franklin	....	electrician
Jeremy Gee	....	camera operator
Camille Griffin	....	second clapper loader
Barrie More	....	best boy
Jay Jay Odedra	....	second focus puller
Mark Richards	....	stand-by rigger
William Richards	....	stand-by rigger (as Bill Richards)
Mitch Spooner	....	best boy
Alf Tramontin	....	Steadicam operator
Jim Wilson	....	gaffer
Adam Dale	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Martyn Welland	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jimmy Wilson	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Julia Gale	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Green	....	costume trainee
Jane Hamnett	....	costume design assistant
Charlotte Sewell	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Adam Barton	....	second assistant film editor
Paul Knight	....	first assistant editor
Joanna Nodwell	....	first assistant film editor

Music Department
Anita Camarata	....	music supervisor
Ricky Edwards	....	orchestrator
John Finklea	....	music editor
Sienna Finklea	....	assistant music editor
Kaylin Frank	....	music coordinator
David Hirschfelder	....	orchestrator
Sam Schwartz	....	music notator
Con Frantzeskos	....	music administrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
David Barry	....	unit driver
Ray Chambers	....	driver: minibus
Terry English	....	unit driver
Gerry Floyd	....	unit driver
Jim Magill	....	driver: Ms. Paltrow
Jay Nicol	....	driver: minibus
Bill Nixon	....	stand-by transport

Other crew
Jordan Archer	....	unit nurse
John Beharrell	....	production accountant
Penelope Beharrell	....	assistant production accountant
Barbara Berkery	....	dialogue coach
Stuart Carter Lambert	....	assistant: Philippa Braithwaite
Stephanie Comer	....	assistant: William Horberg
Ros Davidson	....	production coordinator
Paul Davis	....	Intermedia Films
Tony Denham	....	security officer
Ceri Evans	....	script supervisor (as Ceri Evans Cooper)
Laura Evans	....	assistant production coordinator
Will Evans	....	representative: Intermedia Films
Max Glickman	....	production runner
Kathy Goodman	....	Intermedia Films
Ruth Halliday	....	legal clearances
Tim Haslam	....	Intermedia Films
Douglas McFerran	....	script consultant
Wink Mordaunt	....	assistant location manager
Chas Newens	....	river coordinator
Anya Noakes	....	unit publicist
Alex Oakley	....	floor runner
Donna Ostroff	....	assistant: Sydney Pollack
Claire Parish	....	production secretary
Sophie Shand	....	assistant: Gwyneth Paltrow (as Sophie Loudoun Shand)
Suzie Shearer	....	production secretary
Matt Steinmann	....	location manager
Carlton Jarvis	....	medical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Intermedia Films
• Mirage Enterprises
• Miramax Films
• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• AMLF
• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (Switzerland)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (Germany)
• Kuzui Enterprises
• Líder Films (Argentina)
• Medusa Distribuzione (Italy)
• Miramax Films (USA)
• New Films International
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (UK)
• Warner Bros. Finland (Finland)

Special Effects

• Cinesite

Other Companies

• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• ARRI Media  camera rental
• Adelpha Studios (Melbourne)  original music recording
• Calvin Klein  Gwyneth Paltrow's wardrobe
• Cine Image Film Opticals  titles and opticals
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• Film Harmonix  orchestra-australia
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• International Guarantors I.P.  completion guarantee
• Jersey Records  soundtrack
• London & New York Wig Company  wigs
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• McDonald and Rutter  publicity
• Michael Samuelson Lighting  lighting equipment
• Movie Lot, The  security
• Mr. Youngs  projection
• Near North Entertainment  insurance
• Newmarket Capital Group  production financing
• Paramount Pictures  digital sound editing
• Paramount Pictures  foley facilities
• SJ Berwin  legal services
• Set Meals  catering
• Todd-AO Hollywood  re-recording
• Tru-Cut  negative cutting

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:14 | Italy:T | Mexico:B | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (original rating) (1997)

Filming Locations:

Waterloo & City Line, London Underground, London, England, UK

Company:

Intermedia Films

Trivia:

The book Helen spills tea on and reads later is "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gerry tells Russell that he has ended the relationship with Lydia, he enters the pub and sits down without buying a drink, then finishes a nearly empty pint glass and leaves.

Quotes:

[Helen walks into the room holding a pregnancy test]
Anna: James?
[Helen nods]
Anna: Since last night?
[Helen stares]
Anna: Sorry.
[pause]
Anna: You can't tell from one. They can be inaccurate.
Helen: I bought three packets. Two in a packet - that's six. You can tell from six.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: House Arrest (#2.11)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Good Enough

Good movie

This is a good movie, with an ingenious plot, that is surprisingly easy to follow (that the "two" Gwyneth has different hair styles help a lot in this regard). Paltrow and Hannah are very charming, and without them the movie would not have been nearly as good. Tripplehorn, on the other hand, is far less effective. The ending is somewhat unsatisfactory, but this movie is very much well worth seeing.