Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Timing: 1:53 (113 min)

7.416/10
4745

7.252/10
53777

7.7/10
369000

All about film

Video 6

Photo 74

Actors and characters

Release date

1999-10-29

Country

United States

Production

Universal Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Propaganda Films, Single Cell Pictures, Gramercy Pictures, USA Films

Genre

Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Budget

$13 000 000

Revenue

$22 863 596

Website

Director

Spike Jonze

Actors

John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, John Malkovich, Catherine Keener, Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, W. Earl Brown, Carlos Jacott, Willie Garson, Byrne Piven
All actors and roles (10)

Scenario

Charlie Kaufman

Producer

Steve Golin, Vincent Landay, Sandy Stern, Michael Stipe, Charlie Kaufman, Michael Kuhn

Operator

Lance Acord

Composer

Carter Burwell

Artist

Audition

Justine Arteta, Kim Davis-Wagner

Editing

Eric Zumbrunnen
All team (49)

• In the film, John Malkovich's full name is John Horatio Malkovich. In reality, his name is John Gavin Malkovich.
• Charlie Kaufman's screenplay could not find a producer willing to finance such a risky project since 1994. Kaufman was offered to rewrite the script into something more commercial, like 'Being Tom Cruise,' based on Malkovich's lack of popularity. However, the screenwriter was attracted precisely by Malkovich's figure as one of the most enigmatic actors in America; moreover, Kaufman even dared to play on the very fact of Malkovich's unpopularity.
• The director's father-in-law, Francis Ford Coppola, helped with the creation of the film; he personally convinced Malkovich to participate in the filming.
• John Malkovich was repeatedly asked about participating in the project, but the actor refused each time. Malkovich stated that he would be better off as a producer of the film and would assist director Spike Jonze in every way. A couple of years later, he finally agreed to act for Jonze.
• According to John Malkovich, he approached his character 'John Malkovich' as he would any fictional hero, and the only authentic element of the image he created on screen was the actor's wardrobe.
• John Cusack asked his agent to find him the 'most outrageous' script. Having read the script, he instructed his agent to sign him up for the casting, after which he was cast as Craig Schwartz.
• Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman sent the script to Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola liked the script and showed it to his nephew – Spike Jonze. Jonze was so delighted that he directly contacted Kaufman with an offer to direct a film based on the script.
• Spike Jonze initially didn't want to film the scene where John Malkovich is hit in the head by a half-empty beer can thrown from a passing car, but he gave his approval, and the scene was filmed on the first take, hitting the actor directly in the head.
• Kevin Bacon was originally cast as John Malkovich's friend in the initial script, but Malkovich recommended replacing him with Charlie Sheen.
• Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman later recounted that when he presented the script to John Malkovich's representatives, they mistook him for a stalker – based on an incorrect address they provided him with – perceiving his inquiries as obsessive attention and harassment (stalking is understood as intrusive attention and pursuit, potentially violating personal boundaries and even posing a threat to the pursued person's life).
• To prepare for his role, John Cusack took several lessons from professional puppeteers.
• Charlie Sheen was in rehab when he learned that up-and-coming director Spike Jonze wanted to cast him in his debut film. Sheen agreed to the role without even reading the script.
• In the first version of the script, Dr. Lester, played by Orson Bean, and his friends did not use the portal in Malkovich's head to prolong their own lives, but with the aim of seizing power over the whole world.
• Charlie Kaufman's screenplay couldn't find a producer willing to finance such a risky project since 1994. Kaufman was offered to rewrite the screenplay into something more commercial, like "Being John Malkovich," due to Malkovich's lack of popularity. However, Kaufman was drawn to Malkovich's figure as one of America's most enigmatic actors, and he wasn't even afraid to play on the fact of Malkovich's relative obscurity.
• John Cusack asked his agent to find him the "most outrageous" screenplay, read the one found, and told his agent to sign him up for a casting, after which he was cast as Craig Schwartz.