Short Cuts

{{short description|1993 film by Robert Altman}}

{{for|other topics|Short Cuts (disambiguation)}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Short Cuts

| image = Shortcutsfilm.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Robert Altman

| producer = Cary Brokaw

| screenplay = {{Unbulleted list|Robert Altman|Frank Barhydt}}

| based_on = {{Based on|Characters|Raymond Carver}}

| starring = {{plainlist|

}}

| music = Mark Isham

| cinematography = Walt Lloyd

| editing = Geraldine Peroni

| studio = {{plainlist|

}}

| distributor = Fine Line Features

| released = {{Film date|1993|10|03}}

| runtime = 188 minutes{{cite web|title=Short Cuts (18)|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/short-cuts-1970-2|work=British Board of Film Classification|date=October 5, 1993|access-date=January 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305144810/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/short-cuts-1970-2 |archive-date=March 5, 2016}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $12 million{{cite web | url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59658-SHORT-CUTS | title=AFI|Catalog }}

| gross = $6.1 million{{mojo title|shortcuts|Short Cuts}}

}}

Short Cuts is a 1993 American comedy-drama film, directed by Robert Altman. Filmed from a screenplay by Altman and Frank Barhydt, it is inspired by nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver. The film is set in Los Angeles, in contrast to the original Pacific Northwest backdrop of Carver's stories. Short Cuts traces the actions of 22 principal characters, both in parallel and at occasional loose points of connection.

The film features an ensemble cast including Matthew Modine, Julianne Moore, Fred Ward, Anne Archer, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Downey Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Chris Penn, Jack Lemmon, Frances McDormand, Lori Singer, Andie MacDowell, Buck Henry, Lily Tomlin, actress and singer Annie Ross, and musicians Huey Lewis, Lyle Lovett, and Tom Waits.

Plot

The film begins with a fleet of helicopters spraying for medflies, which brings various characters together along the flight path.

Dr. Ralph Wyman and his wife, Marian, meet Stuart Kane, an unemployed salesman, and Claire Kane, a party clown, at a concert Zoe Trainer performs on cello. They impulsively decide to have a Sunday dinner date. Meanwhile, Marian's sister, Sherri, is married to a cheating cop named Gene, who is having an affair with Betty Weathers, while Betty is divorcing one of the helicopter pilots, Stormy.

Among the other characters are Doreen Piggot, a waitress married to an alcoholic limo driver named Earl, and television commentator Howard Finnigan, who lives next door to cabaret singer Tess and her daughter Zoe. Jerry Kaiser, the pool cleaner, is married to Lois, who works from home as a phone sex operator. Jerry and Lois are friends with Honey, Doreen's daughter, and her husband Bill, a makeup artist.

Tragedy strikes when Casey, Howard and Anne's young son, is accidentally hit by Doreen's car. Although he initially seems fine, Casey later falls unconscious at home. The concerned parents rush him to the hospital, where he remains comatose. In the midst of this, the baker Andy Bitkower repeatedly calls the Finnigans to inform them about their ordered cake. However, Howard, wanting to keep the phone line free, abruptly ends the calls, leading to frustration on Andy's part.

Howard's estranged father, Paul, arrives at the hospital and recalls an incident from Howard's childhood, which caused the rift between them. Meanwhile, Stuart and his friends, Gordon and Vern, harass Doreen at the diner before leaving for a fishing trip. During their excursion, they discover the body of a young woman. Contemplating what to do, they decide to tie her to the rocks and continue fishing, only reporting the incident later. Stuart eventually confesses to Claire, who is appalled by their actions and visits the funeral home out of guilt.

Stormy, one of the helicopter pilots, pays a destructive visit to Betty's house while she is away with their son. Gene abandons the family dog due to its barking, but eventually retrieves it after his children express distress. The Wymans have a heated argument before their dinner party with the Kanes, during which Marian admits to having an affair. Both couples resort to heavy drinking, and the party lasts throughout the night.

A glimmer of hope arises when Casey's eyes flutter, but tragically, he suddenly dies, leaving Howard and Anne devastated. Meanwhile, Zoe, overwhelmed by her mother's alcoholism, Casey's death, and her own isolation, commits suicide by starting her car engine inside the garage. Her mother discovers her lifeless body and drinks herself into a stupor.

When Honey picks up pictures from the Fotomat, she finds them mixed up with Gordon's. Honey is shocked to find pictures of the submerged body from Gordon's fishing trip while Gordon equally shocked to find pictures of Honey appearing severely beaten. Disturbed, they part ways but memorize each other's license plates. Later, at a picnic, Jerry and Bill encounter two young women they had met earlier. Bill and one of the girls walk away, only to hear her scream moments before Jerry kills her with a rock. Suddenly, a major earthquake strikes, causing chaos. The aftermath suggests that Jerry's act may be mistakenly attributed to the falling rocks during the earthquake.

Cast

{{cast listing|

Production

According to associate producer Mike Kaplan, the screenplay was first written in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/oct/21/short-cuts-altman-mike-kaplan|title=Bob Altman's big Short Cuts gamble|first=Mike|last=Kaplan|date=21 October 2009|access-date=25 October 2017|website=Theguardian.com}} Filming primarily took place in Los Angeles, California. Principal photography began on July 26, 1992, and ended on October 1, 1992.{{cite web |title=Short Cuts (1993) - Misc Notes |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/18284/short-cuts#notes |access-date=25 October 2017 |website=Turner Classic Movies}}

Release

The film was distributed by Fine Line Features and released in the United States on October 3, 1993.

A special DVD edition was released by the Criterion Collection in 2004 and contains two discs, the collection of Carver's short stories, and an essay booklet on the film.{{cite web |title=Short Cuts |url=https://www.criterion.com/films/376-short-cuts |website=The Criterion Collection }}

Reception

Short Cuts received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 95% approval rating, based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Robert Altman's ensemble drama deftly integrates its disparate characters and episodes into a funny, poignant, emotionally satisfying whole."{{rotten-tomatoes|short_cuts|Short Cuts}} On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 81 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{Metacritic film|title=Short Cuts}}

Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars and wrote: "Los Angeles always seems to be waiting for something. Permanence seems out of reach; some great apocalyptic event is on the horizon, and people view the future tentatively. Robert Altman's 'Short Cuts' captures that uneasiness perfectly in its interlocking stories about people who seem trapped in the present, always juggling."{{cite web |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/short-cuts-1993 |title=Short Cuts |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=October 22, 1993 |website=RogerEbert.com |access-date=December 14, 2018 }} Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, "The lives are often desperate and the characters inarticulate, but the group portrait is as grandly, sometimes as hilariously, realized as anything the director has ever done."{{cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|author-link=Vincent Canby|date=October 1, 1993|title=Review/Film Festival: Short Cuts; Altman's Tumultuous Panorama|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/01/movies/review-film-festival-short-cuts-altman-s-tumultuous-panorama.html|url-status=live|newspaper=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006075053/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/01/movies/review-film-festival-short-cuts-altman-s-tumultuous-panorama.html|archive-date=October 6, 2023|access-date=November 16, 2023|url-access=limited}} Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune gave the film four out of four stars and called it "a brilliant companion piece" to The Player.Siskel, Gene (October 22, 1993). "Altman's surreal 'Short Cuts' turns the everyday into art". Chicago Tribune. Section 7, page C. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film "is not equally involving all the time. Some performances are stronger than others, some situations more entertaining, and some choices Altman has made, like an overreliance on female nudity that borders on the exploitative, difficult to defend. But whenever interest lags, a look, a moment, a frisson of regret will cross the screen and the emotional connection is restored."{{Cite web |last=Turan |first=Kenneth |author-link=Kenneth Turan |date=October 8, 1993 |title=Movie Reviews : Robert Altman Finds His Way to Carverville |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-08-ca-43332-story.html |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=Los Angeles Times |page=F12 |language=en-US}} Rita Kempley of The Washington Post panned the film as "a cynical, sexist and shallow work" populated with "whiny, inert and mostly unlikable characters."Kempley, Rita (October 22, 1993). "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/shortcutsrkempley_a0a3c0.htm 'Short Cuts': Back Road To Hell]". The Washington Post C1.

=Accolades=

Short Cuts was named one of the best films of 1993 by over 50 film critics.{{cite news |date=9 January 1994 |last1=McGilligan |first1=Pat |last2=Rowl |first2=Mark |title=86 Thumbs Up! For Once, The Nation's Critics Agree on the Year's Best Movies |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/style/1994/01/09/86-thumbs-up-for-once-the-nations-critics-agree-on-the-years-best-movies/1bbb0968-690e-4c02-9c8b-0c3b4b5b4a1e/ |newspaper=The Washington Post }} Only The Piano and Schindler's List appeared on more lists.

Altman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director (but lost to Steven Spielberg for Schindler's List) and shared a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay with Barhydt (lost to Steven Zaillian for Schindler's List). The cast won a Special Golden Globe Award for their ensemble acting. The film also won the prestigious Golden Lion and the Volpi Cup for Best Ensemble Cast at the Venice Film Festival.

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Award

! Category

! Nominated work

! Result

! {{Abbr|Ref.|References}}

1993Academy AwardsBest DirectorRobert Altman{{nom}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1994 |title=1994 - Oscars.org |website=Academy Awards |date=4 October 2014 |access-date=July 8, 2022}}
rowspan=2|1993rowspan=2|Golden Globe AwardsBest ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{nom}}rowspan=2|{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/winners-nominees/1994 |title=Winners & Nominees 1994 |website=Golden Globes |access-date=July 8, 2022}}
Special Award for EnsembleShort Cuts{{won}}
rowspan=4|1993rowspan=4|Venice Film FestivalGolden Lionrowspan=3|Robert Altman{{won}}rowspan=4|{{cite web|url=https://www.labiennale.org/en/history-venice-film-festival |title=The 90s |website=La Biennale di Venezia|date=7 December 2017 |access-date=July 8, 2022}}
FIPRESCI Prize{{won}}
Pasinetti Award{{won}}
Special Volpi CupAndie MacDowell
Bruce Davison
Jack Lemmon
Zane Cassidy
Julianne Moore
Matthew Modine
Anne Archer
Fred Ward
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Chris Penn
Joseph C. Hopkins
Josette Maccario
Lili Taylor
Robert Downey Jr.
Madeleine Stowe
Tim Robbins
Cassie Friel
Dustin Friel
Austin Friel
Lily Tomlin
Tom Waits
Frances McDormand
Peter Gallagher
Jarrett Lennon
Annie Ross
Lori Singer
Lyle Lovett
Buck Henry
Huey Lewis
Danny Darst
{{won}}
1995César AwardBest Foreign FilmShort Cuts{{nom}}{{cite web|url=https://www.academie-cinema.org/en/awards/ |title=1995 - Best Foreign Film |website=www.academie-cinema.org |access-date=July 8, 2022}}
rowspan=4|1993rowspan=4|Independent Spirit AwardsBest FeatureShort Cuts{{won}}rowspan=4|{{cite web|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/SA_SubForm_etc/2021_SA_ALLNomineesWinners_063021.pdf |title=1994 Nominees |website=Film Independent Spirit Awards |access-date=July 8, 2022 |page=47}}
Best DirectorRobert Altman{{won}}
Best ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{won}}
Best Supporting FemaleJulianne Moore{{nom}}
1993National Board of ReviewTop Ten Films of 1993Short Cuts{{won}}{{Cite web |title=1993 Archives |url=https://nationalboardofreview.org/award-years/1993/ |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=National Board of Review |language=en-US}}
rowspan=5|1993rowspan=5|National Society of Film CriticsBest FilmShort Cuts{{nom}}rowspan=5| {{cite news|title=Crix crown Spielberg |first=Todd |last=McCarthy |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/crix-crown-spielberg-117103/ |date=January 3, 1994 |access-date=July 8, 2022 |work=Variety}}
Best DirectorRobert Altman{{nom}}
Best ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{nom}}
rowspan=2|Best Supporting ActressMadeline Stowe{{won}}
rowspan=2|Jennifer Jason Leigh{{nom}}
1993New York Film Critics CircleBest Supporting Actress{{nom}}{{Cite news |last=Bernard |first=Jami |date=December 19, 1993 |title=Critics' Choice: 'List,' 'piano' |work=New York Daily News |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1993-12-19/entertainment/9312170773_1_schindler-s-list-piano-year-s-best-film |url-status=dead |access-date=July 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214325/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1993-12-19/entertainment/9312170773_1_schindler-s-list-piano-year-s-best-film |archive-date=March 3, 2016}}
rowspan=2|1993rowspan=2|Los Angeles Film Critics AssociationBest DirectorRobert Altman{{nom}}rowspan=2|{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-13-ca-1521-story.html |title=L.A. Critics Pick 'Schindler's List' as Best Picture |date=December 13, 1993 |access-date=July 8, 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times}}
Best ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{nom}}
rowspan=4|1993rowspan=4|Chicago Film Critics AssociationBest FilmShort Cuts{{nom}}rowspan=4|{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-01-16-9401160280-story.html |title=Some Simple Truths About Critics' Votes |last=Wilmington |first=Michael |date=January 16, 1994 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708075428/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-01-16-9401160280-story.html |archive-date=2022-07-08 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2022-07-08 }}
Best DirectorRobert Altman{{nom}}
Best ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{nom}}
Best Supporting ActressAndie MacDowell{{nom}}
1993Boston Society of Film CriticsBest ScreenplayRobert Altman
Frank Barhydt
{{won}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebsfc.org/PastWin.html#d1993 |website=Boston Society of Film Critics |title=BSFC Winners - 1993 (December 18th) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011145714/http://www.thebsfc.org/PastWin.html#d1993 |archive-date=October 11, 2012 |access-date=July 8, 2022}}

= Year-end lists =

  • Top 10 (listed alphabetically, not ranked) – Mike Mayo, The Roanoke Times{{cite news |last=Mayo |first=Mike |date=December 30, 1994 |title=The Hits and Misses at the Movies in '94 |edition=Metro |page=1 |newspaper=The Roanoke Times |url=https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/ROA-Times/issues/1994/rt9412/941230/12300096.htm |access-date=July 8, 2022}}
  • No. 1. Peter Travers, Rolling Stone{{Cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers |date=December 23, 1993 |title=The 10 Best Movies of 1993 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/the-10-best-movies-of-1993-174616/ |url-access=registration |access-date=July 8, 2022 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
  • No. 1. Armond White, The City Sun{{Cite web |date=January–February 2000 |title=Film Comment's Best of the Nineties Poll: Part Four |url=https://www.filmcomment.com/article/film-comments-best-of-the-90s-poll-part-four/ |access-date=July 8, 2022 |website=Film Comment |publisher=Film at Lincoln Center |language=en}}
  • No. 2. Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune{{Cite news |last=Siskel |first=Gene |date=December 18, 1993 |title=These Are The Best Movies of the Year |work=Chicago Tribune}}

Book

A book was released to accompany the film, which compiled the nine short stories and one poem that inspired it. Altman wrote an introduction to this collection, which featured insights into the making of the film and his own thoughts about Carver's stories.{{cite book |last=Carver |first=Raymond |date=1993-09-14 |title=Short Cuts: Selected Stories |publisher=Vintage |isbn=978-0679748649}}

  1. "Neighbors"
  2. "They're Not Your Husband"
  3. "Vitamins"
  4. "Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?"
  5. "So Much Water So Close to Home"
  6. "A Small, Good Thing"
  7. "Jerry and Molly and Sam"
  8. "Collectors"
  9. "Tell the Women We're Going"
  10. "Lemonade" (poem)

Documentary

Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver County was a behind-the-scenes documentary, featuring interviews with Altman and the cast.{{cite web |author=Oktay Ege Kozak |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2014/10/watch-luck-trust-and-ketchup-a-90-minute-documentary-on-the-making-of-robert-altmans-epic-short-cuts-271142/ |title=Watch: 'Luck, Trust and Ketchup' A 90-Minute Documentary On The Making Of Robert Altman's Epic 'Short Cuts' |publisher=IndieWire |date=2014-10-20 |access-date=2022-02-13}}{{cite web |last=Parkinson |first=David |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-mjwmqr/luck-trust-ketchup/ |title=Luck, Trust & Ketchup (1994) |publisher=Radio Times |date= |access-date=2022-02-13}}

Unfilmed sequel

Anne Rapp, who wrote Cookie's Fortune and Dr. T & The Women for Altman, was commissioned to adapt more Carver stories into a screenplay which he did not film.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/11/style/IHT-the-art-of-making-the-impossible-look-easy.html |title=The Art of Making the Impossible Look Easy |newspaper=The New York Times |date=1998-04-11 |access-date=2022-02-13}}

References

{{Reflist}}