The Constant Gardener (2005)

Director:

Fernando Meirelles

Writers:

John le Carré (novel)
Jeffrey Caine (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 August 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Love. At any cost.

Plot:

A widower is determined to get to the bottom of a potentially explosive secret involving his wife's murder, big business, and corporate corruption.

Plot Keywords:

Kenya | Death | Murder | Diplomat | Conspiracy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 20 wins & 42 nominations

Cast

Ralph Fiennes	...	Justin Quayle
Rachel Weisz	...	Tessa Quayle
Hubert Koundé	...	Dr. Arnold Bluhm
Danny Huston	...	Sandy Woodrow
Daniele Harford	...	Miriam
Packson Ngugi	...	Officer in Morgue
Damaris Itenyo Agweyu	...	Jomo's Wife
Bernard Otieno Oduor	...	Jomo
Gerard McSorley	...	Sir Kenneth 'Kenny' Curtiss
Bill Nighy	...	Sir Bernard Pellegrin
Keith Pearson	...	Porter Coleridge
John Sibi-Okumu	...	Dr. Joshua Ngaba
Donald Sumpter	...	Tim Donohue
Archie Panjabi	...	Ghita Pearson
Nick Reding	...	Crick
Juliet Aubrey	...	Gloria Woodrow
Jacqueline Maribe	...	Wanza Kiluhu
Donald Apiyo	...	Kioko Kilulu
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Dr. Lorbeer / Dr. Brandt
Samuel Otage	...	Mustafa
Anneke Kim Sarnau	...	Birgit
Mumbi Kaigwa	...	Grace Makanga
John Moller	...	Athletic Unshaven Man
Andre Leenheer	...	Shaven-Headed Man
Lydia M. Manyasi	...	Kenyan Newsreader
Steenie Njoroge	...	1st Journalist
Stuart Wheeler	...	2nd Journalist
Chris Payne	...	Mike Mildren
Nyajima Jial	...	Esmerelda
Brigid M. Kakenyi	...	Hospital Administrator
Katherine Damaris	...	Nurse
Christopher Okinda	...	Doctor
Ainea Ojiambo	...	Police Driver
Peter King Nzioki	...	Policeman No. 1
Ng'ang'a Kirumburu	...	Policeman No. 2
Ben Parker	...	Det. Inspector Deasey
John Keogh	...	Immigration Official
Jeffrey Caine	...	Club Servant
Richard McCabe	...	Arthur "Ham" Hammond
Rupert Simonian	...	Guido Hammond
Teresa Harder	...	Birgit's Secretary
Thomas Chemnitz	...	Uniformed Policeman
Joe Christopher Rhode	...	Karl
Edgar Nicholas Rhode	...	Karl
Eva Plackner	...	Crossing Guard
Claire Simpson	...	Maude Donohue
Sidede Onyulo	...	Jonah Andika
Chris Lightburn-Jones	...	Aid Worker
Ann Achan	...	Ana
Dang Wuor Dew	...	Sudanese Man
Ben Gardiner	...	Harry Woodrow
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Denis Schnegg	...	Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
Fernando Meirelles

Writing credits
John le Carré		(novel "The Constant Gardener")
Jeffrey Caine		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jeff Abberley	....	executive producer
Julia Blackman	....	executive producer
Simon Channing Williams	....	producer
Gail Egan	....	executive producer
Robert Jones	....	executive producer
Henning Molfenter	....	co-producer
Thierry Potok	....	co-producer
Donald Ranvaud	....	executive producer
Tracey Seaward	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Alberto Iglesias

Cinematography by
César Charlone		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Claire Simpson

Casting by
Leo Davis

Production Design by
Mark Tildesley

Art Direction by
Chris Lowe		(senior art director)
Christian Schaefer
Denis Schnegg

Set Decoration by
Michelle Day
Alexis Labra

Costume Design by
Odile Dicks-Mireaux

Makeup Department
Hannayi Barbara	....	makeup assistant: Kenya
Christine Blundell	....	hair designer
Christine Blundell	....	makeup designer
Kirstin Chalmers	....	hair assistant: London (as Kirsten Chalmers)
Kirstin Chalmers	....	makeup assistant: London (as Kirsten Chalmers)
Julius Goosen	....	hair trainee: London
Julius Goosen	....	makeup trainee: London
Nuria Mbomio	....	hair assistant: London
Nuria Mbomio	....	makeup assistant: London
Gillianne Obaso	....	makeup artist: Kenya (as Gillianne Obasu)
Zara Pasha	....	makeup trainee: Kenya
Petra Schaumann	....	makeup assistant: Germany
Matthew Smith	....	prosthetic makeup artist (as Matt Smith)
Lesa Warrener	....	hair stylist
Lesa Warrener	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Alistair Hopkins	....	post-production supervisor
Nick Laws	....	production manager: Kenya
Mark Nolting	....	unit manager: Germany
Lisa Parker	....	production manager: UK
Hemal Shah	....	production manager: Kenya
Chris Wilding	....	unit manager
Sonja B. Zimmer	....	production manager: Germany

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Antoniuk	....	assistant director: Canada
Megan Basaraba	....	third assistant director: Canada
Charles Crossin	....	second assistant director: Canada
Susan Drennan	....	third assistant director
Carlos Fidel	....	second assistant director
Till Hohenberger	....	third assistant director: Germany
Wambui Kairo	....	second assistant director: Kenya
Candy Marlowe	....	crowd second assistant director: London
Konga Mbandu	....	first assistant director: Kenya
Thorne Mutert	....	second assistant director: Germany
Susanna Nedza	....	crowd assistant director: Germany
Nick Njache	....	third assistant director: Kenya
Emily Perowne	....	trainee assistant director
Ulrike Schaare	....	third assistant director: Germany (as Ulrike Schaare-Kringer)
Sabine Schulmeyer	....	crowd assistant director: Germany
Richard Styles	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Eddie Baker	....	dressing props
Friederike Beckert	....	store manager
Barry Chapman	....	props
Arwel Evans	....	location property master
Carol Kupisz	....	graphic designer
Coralie Lew	....	assistant art director
Chris Lightburn-Jones	....	supervising props
Brian Lofthouse	....	property master
Dale Manning	....	art department assistant
Matthias Prange	....	stand-by carpenter
Kathryn Pyle	....	assistant production buyer
Christian Schaefer	....	art director: Germany
Laura Souter	....	art director: Canada
Nick Thomas	....	prop master
Joey Weber	....	property master Germany
Christian Ehlert	....	lead set dresser: Germany (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nick Adams	....	sound effects editor
Cristina Aragon	....	translator
Don Baker	....	sound assistant: Canada
Orin Beaton	....	main boom operator
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Alexander Beddow	....	adr recordist
Colette Dahanne	....	adr mixer
Jennie Evans	....	additional sound effects editor
Anthony Faust	....	adr mixer
Anthony Faust	....	foley mixer
Nick Foley	....	adr recordist
Phillip Mark Freudenfeld	....	sound studio technician
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Philip Jenkins	....	studio assistant
Leon Johnson	....	production sound mixer: Canada
Rob Killick	....	sound re-recordist
Richard Kondal	....	assistant dialogue editor
Richard Kondal	....	assistant sound editor
Mitch Low	....	sound maintenance
Khama Matiti	....	adr mixer
Paul Morrow	....	boom operator: Canada
Mike Prestwood Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael Prestwood Smith)
Matthias Richter	....	second boom operator
Sam Southwick	....	foley editor
Joakim Sundström	....	supervising sound editor
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Sven Taits	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stuart Wilson	....	production sound mixer
Paul Wrightson	....	adr editor

Special Effects by
Kevin Adcock	....	special effects assistant
Alexis Haggar	....	special effects makeup
Tyrell Kemlo	....	special effects assistant
Mickey Kirsten	....	special effects foreman
Jason Leinster	....	wireman
Paul McGuinness	....	special effects makeup
Cordell McQueen	....	special effects supervisor
Patrick Obero	....	special effects assistant
Randy Selwano	....	special effects assistant
Athanasius Silva	....	special effects assistant
Robert Yeager	....	special effects coordinator: Canada

Visual Effects by
Rodrigo Bernardo	....	systems engineer
Sule Bryan	....	digital compositor: Framestore-CFC (as Sule Bryan-Hurst)
Andy Burrow	....	scanning and recording manager: Framestore CFC
James Clarke	....	visual effects
Michael Davis	....	visual effects producer
Adrian De Wet	....	digital effects supervisor
Paul Doogan	....	scanning and recording & digital cleanup
Alec East	....	video graphics designer
Andrew Francis	....	telecine operator
Simon French	....	camera technical director: Framestore CFC
Ben Gillingham-Sutton	....	digital cleanup artist
Adam Glasman	....	colourist
Joe Godfrey	....	scanning and recording & digital cleanup
Dianne Gordon	....	data operations: Framestore CFC
Alistair Hamer	....	film mastering engineer
Jan Hogevold	....	production executive: Framestore CFC
Charles Howell	....	visual effects producer
Jack James	....	digital cleanup artist
Drew Jones	....	visual effects executive producer
Gareth Jones	....	digital cleanup artist
Kevin Lowery	....	scanning and recording & digital cleanup
Dan McRae	....	digital lab quality control paint artist
Adrian Metzelaar	....	compositor
Maria Michalopoulou	....	data operator: Framestore CFC
Stuart Nippard	....	data operator
Tom Partridge	....	visual effects avid editor
Howard Protheroe	....	digital paint & roto artist: Framestore CFC
Dave Robinson	....	systems engineer
Aatesh Shah	....	systems engineer: Framestore CFC
Asa Shoul	....	colourist: Framestore CFC
Matina Skouteri	....	scanning and recording operator
Maria Stroka	....	DI producer
Paola Varvaro	....	digital cleanup artist
Steve Wagendorp	....	assistant colorist
Stephen Willey	....	systems engineer
Corrina Wilson	....	compositor
Annabel Wright	....	digital cleanup supervisor
Tim Young	....	digital paint & roto artist: Framestore CFC
Anthony Smith	....	digital paint artist: Framestore CFC (uncredited)

Stunts
Daryl Andrews	....	stunt double
Roly Jansen	....	stunt coordinator: Kenya
Charles K. Kembero	....	assistant stunt coordinator: Kenya (as Charles Kembero)
Anthony Mo Marais	....	assistant stunt coordinator: Kenya (as Mo Marais)
Jacob Mervine	....	stunts
Jason Oettle	....	stunt double
Danie Sandenbergh	....	stunt driver: Kenya (as David Sandenbergh)
Armin Sauer	....	stunt coordinator: Germany
Rene Schobes	....	stunts
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Skene	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Antoni	....	grip
Telfer Barnes	....	focus puller: second unit
Harry Bowers	....	clapper loader: "b" camera
Jaap Buitendijk	....	still photographer
Rocky Burnes	....	rigging electrician
Peter Byrne	....	clapper loader
Ergun Cankaya	....	additional camera operator: Berlin
Harmon Cusack	....	aerial camera operator
Steve Cussell	....	rigging electrician
Birgit Dierken	....	camera assistant: Berlin
Jason Dully	....	camera trainee
Warren Ewen	....	rigging electrician
Paul Hatchman	....	key grip
Peter Kioko	....	grip
Jason Leinster	....	camera wireman: Kenya
Andy Long	....	gaffer
Gary McKerr	....	rigging electrician
William Mills	....	key grip: Canada
Mark Milsome	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Paul Molloy	....	electrician
Steve Obunde	....	best boy grip
Diego Quemada-Diez	....	camera operator (as Diego Quemada)
Robert Rabson	....	electrician
Alastair Rae	....	Steadicam operator
Alastair Rae	....	camera operator
Brian Sanders	....	first assistant camera: Canada (as Bryan Sanders)
Chris Summers	....	assistant camera
Olly Tellett	....	focus puller
Terry Thiessen	....	grip
Shauna Townley	....	assistant camera
William Tracey	....	rigging gaffer
Tony Turner	....	second company grip
David Wall	....	generator operator
Robert Wedemeyer	....	dolly grip: germany
Christian Wehrle	....	video operator: Germany

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Annette Borgmann	....	casting: Germany
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Marcel Dykiert	....	extras casting
Eleanor Erum	....	extras casting assistant: Canada
Lissy Holm	....	casting assistant
Iris Müller	....	extras casting
Kari Rieger	....	extras casting director: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle Boulet	....	costume assistant
Kate Chilcott	....	stand-by costumes
Anne T. Delaney	....	key costumer
John Denison	....	stand-by costumes
Lou Durkin	....	assistant costumer
Katy Hackney	....	assistant costumer
Sparka Lee Hall	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sharon Long	....	assistant costumer
Colin May	....	assistant costumer
Caroline McCall	....	stand-by costumes
Jane Petrie	....	assistant costume designer
Christy Watson	....	assistant costumer
Cristy Watson	....	assistant costumer (as Christy Watson)
Charlotte Wiseman	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
Kerri Aungle	....	negative cutter
Ravi Desai	....	editor trainee: FT2
Adam Glasman	....	colorist: Framestore CFC
Lorraine Lydon	....	colorist: rushes
Veronica Marcano	....	negative cutter
Keith Mason	....	first assistant editor
Asa Shoul	....	colorist: Framestore CFC
Mick Vincent	....	supervising colourist
Lawrence Howard Williams	....	post digital media operator
Joseph Stabb	....	avid support (uncredited)

Music Department
Javier Casado	....	musician: accordion solos
Simon Chamberlain	....	musician: piano solos
Javier Crespo	....	musician: ronroco solos
David Daniels	....	musician: cello solos
Karen Elliott	....	music supervisor
Vic Fraser	....	music copyist
Rebecca Gatrell	....	music supervisor (as Becca Gatrell)
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Robert Houston	....	assistant scoring engineer
Alberto Iglesias	....	conductor
Skaila Kanga	....	musician: harp solos
Christopher Laurence	....	musician: double bass solos (as Chris Laurence)
Tony Lewis	....	music editor
Julia Malkova	....	musician: viola solos (as Yulia Malkova)
Sam Okell	....	assistant scoring engineer
John Parricelli	....	musician: guitar solos
Javier Paxariño	....	musician: Turkish clarinet, nawala and mizmar solos
Frank Ricotti	....	musician: marimba solos
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader

Transportation Department
Jarad Angima	....	driver
Eddie Aniere	....	transport supervisor: Kenya
Waseem Barlas	....	transportation coordinator
John Bekavac	....	driver: Canada
Jamie Burden	....	driver
John Burden	....	driver
Ian Colmar	....	driver
Martin Colmar	....	driver
Jens Enderling	....	transportation coordinator
Stephen Gichoi	....	driver
Rueben Gitau	....	driver
Ben Harrington	....	driver
Katja Heissig	....	artist driver
Axel Hübner	....	artist driver
Daniel Huhn	....	driver: cast
Dickson Kariuki	....	driver
George Keegan	....	driver
George Kimani	....	driver
David Kipling	....	costume truck driver
Oliver Kueper	....	transportation office assistant: Germany
Marlow	....	driver: Mr. Fiennes, Canada
Grit Menzzer	....	personal driver: Fernando Meirelles, Berlin
Peti Misaila	....	production driver: Germany
Francis Mulwa	....	driver
Johnny Ott	....	driver: camera car
Dave Perich	....	driver: cast, Canada
Joe Saving	....	driver
George Waiyaki	....	driver
Jimmy Walters	....	driver
Chris Wateman	....	costume truck driver
Silke Werner	....	production driver

Other crew
Janine Abery	....	coordinator: London
Shanna Baynard	....	assistant production coordinator
Markus Bensch	....	location production executive: Germany
Natalie Borlaug	....	assistant: Rachel Weisz
Joe Cottrell Boyce	....	director: "Toll Boys"
Claire Broughton	....	assistant: Simon Channing Williams
Abbie Browne	....	assistant: Gail Egan
Sandra Butterworth	....	dialogue coach
Nicole Carmen-Davis	....	production executive
Dom Channing-Williams	....	production runner
Shane Clements	....	assistant location manager
Andrew Cliff	....	pilot: Buffalo aircraft
Jonah Coombes	....	location manager
Guy Cowan	....	caterer
Lara Davis	....	production assistant
Clifford De Spenser	....	dialogue coach (as Clifford De Spencer)
Christopher Doll	....	location manager: Germany
Michelle Dunton	....	clearance
Martin Ellis	....	set production assistant
Simon Everett	....	pilot: aerial unit
Darcy Fehr	....	lead stand-in
Blake Few	....	co-pilot: Buffalo aircraft
Jay Floyd	....	clearance administrator
Sandra Frieze	....	dialogue coach
Alex Gladstone	....	location manager
Flax Glor	....	publicist
Sarah Golding	....	script executive
Steffi Hiller	....	key accountant: Germany
Katja Hoerstmann	....	co-production coordinator
Robin Hollister	....	supervising location manager
Andrea Hutchison	....	production coordinator
Scott Jacobson	....	assistant production coordinator
Scott Jacobson	....	assistant to director
James Keaton	....	daily production runner
Victoria King	....	legal services
Manuel Kreuzpaintner	....	assistant location manager: Germany
Susanna Lenton	....	script supervisor
Eduardo Lyon	....	assistant: Fernando Meirelles, 02 Filmes
Andrew MacLean	....	assistant accountant
Shiv Mandavia	....	production assistant
Ally Mee	....	title designer
Kelly Messias	....	assistant: Ralph Fiennes
Jon Miller	....	location accountant
Justin Miller	....	assistant accountant
Liz Miller	....	unit publicist
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Peter Mudemba	....	production assistant
Laurence Mugambi	....	set medic: Kenya
Michael S. Murphey	....	film finances representative
Lupita Nyong'o	....	production assistant: first team
Leonora Penglase	....	assistant: Simon Channing Williams, Germany
Kate Penlington	....	production coordinator
Ben Pont	....	armorer
Asha Sharma	....	location assistant: London
Justin C. Smith	....	production assistant
Will Tyler	....	supervising production accountant
Dean Wares	....	title typography
Mirjam Weber	....	assistant: Henning Molfenter, Germany

Thanks
Yvette Pierpaoli	....	dedicatee
Ellen Rutter	....	thanks
Kim Todd	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Potboiler Productions
• Epsilon Motion Pictures
• Scion Films
• UK Film Council
• Vierte Babelsberg Film

Distributors

• Focus Features (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005-2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Bioscop (2006) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Mars Distribution (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2005) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB (2005) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paradise Group (2005) (Russia) (all media)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Verenigde Arbeiders Radio Amateurs (VARA) (2008) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Animated Extras (prosthetics)
• Framestore CFC (digital visual effects)
• Creative Agency (computer graphics)
• Tomorrow London (computer graphics)

Other Companies

• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment supplied by
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at (as Abbey Road Studios, London)
• Atlantic Post Production  foley recorded at (as Atlantic Post)
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound re-recorded at (as De Lane Lea, London)
• Donna Daniels Public Relations  publicity
• Everett Aviation  helicopter
• Fig Productions  title design
• Film Finance  completion bond
• Framestore CFC  digital intermediate
• Hothouse Music  music supervision
• Hyperactive  editing equipment (as Hyperactive Broadcast Ltd.)
• Isobel Griffiths Limited  musician contractor
• Kodak  film stock
• Manitoba Film & Sound  thanks
• Media Services  stationery supplier
• Now Clear This!  clearances (as Now Clear This Research)
• One Post Production  post-production facilities
• Original Pictures  thanks
• Sapex Scripts  post-production scripts
• Sky Relief (Kenya)  Buffalo aircraft provided by
• Soho Images  laboratory services
• Sphere Studios  music mixed at
• Studio Babelsberg  production services: Germany
• StudioCanal Image  world sales
• The Machine Room  rushes
• The Machine Room  telecine
• True Media  video conforming
• UK Computamatch  negative cutting (as Computamatch)
• Wavevend Communications  walkie talkies

Also Known As:

Der ewige Gärtner (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violent images and sexual content/nudity.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English | Italian | Swahili | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:M | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Taiwan:R-12 | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:12 | France:U | Malaysia:U | Hungary:16 | Iceland:16 | Norway:11 | South Korea:15 | USA:R (certificate #41450) | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Potboiler Productions

Trivia:

Ralph Fiennes held and operated the camera for Justin's point-of-view shots in the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Tessa is videochatting (under Windows XP) the FFWD/REW controls are clearly visible in the interface. Above the video a text can be read "Buffering 500 mbps", a speed which is impossible to achieve on most lines, especially the consumer-grade connection that the German activist is using.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Justin Quayle: Oh, thank you Arnold. I... I can manage that. But I still don't see why you couldn't wait a couple of weeks. Why go all the way up to Loki?
Tessa Quayle: Well, we want to hear Grace Makanga speak, and she won't be coming to Nairobi.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Se eida...: O epimonos kipouros (#1.2)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Dicholo

Political thriller viewed through the lens of a romance

Films that are written as thrillers, suspense stories and romances all feature certain story elements that define the genre. How the elements are combined to tell a specific story is the measure of a story's success at convincing an audience of its worth. "The Constant Gardener" is a well-crafted story with many fine performances, starting with Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, and including the many character actors who make this film feel viscerally real and true. In the tradition of films like "Silkwood", "Z" and" The Insider", the director of "City of God" takes the audience on a tense, suspenseful ride with characters who dare tell truth to power. The film viewing experience feels dangerous and worth-while.

No doubt, "The Constant Gardener", like "City of God" will fuel discussion about the politics which is the basis of this film, and will also send more people to read John Le Carre's book, which is the basis of the film.