Brazil - actors, characters and roles

All actors and their roles in the film "Brazil"
Brazil (1985)
Timing: 2:23 (143 min)
Brazil - TMDB rating
7.668/10
3661
Brazil - Kinopoisk rating
7.738/10
40934
Brazil - IMDB rating
7.8/10
222000

Actors and characters

Photo Jonathan Pryce #17734Photo Jonathan Pryce #17735Photo Jonathan Pryce #17736Photo Jonathan Pryce #17737

Jonathan Pryce

Jonathan Pryce
Character Sam Lowry
Photo Robert De Niro #9588Photo Robert De Niro #9589Photo Robert De Niro #9590Photo Robert De Niro #9591

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro
Character Harry Tuttle
Photo Katherine Helmond #18772Photo Katherine Helmond #18773

Katherine Helmond

Katherine Helmond
Character Mrs. Ida Lowry
Photo Ian Holm #10185Photo Ian Holm #10186Photo Ian Holm #10187Photo Ian Holm #10188

Ian Holm

Ian Holm
Character Mr. Kurtzmann
Photo Bob Hoskins #42935Photo Bob Hoskins #42936Photo Bob Hoskins #42937Photo Bob Hoskins #42938

Bob Hoskins

Bob Hoskins
Character Spoor
Photo Michael Palin #56270Photo Michael Palin #56271

Michael Palin

Michael Palin
Character Jack Lint
Photo Ian Richardson #92540Photo Ian Richardson #92541

Ian Richardson

Ian Richardson
Character Mr. Warrenn
Photo Peter Vaughan #107949Photo Peter Vaughan #107950

Peter Vaughan

Peter Vaughan
Character Mr. Helpmann
Photo Kim Greist #115444

Kim Greist

Kim Greist
Character Jill Layton
Photo Jim Broadbent #12112Photo Jim Broadbent #12113Photo Jim Broadbent #12114Photo Jim Broadbent #12115

Jim Broadbent

Jim Broadbent
Character Dr. Jaffe
Photo Barbara Hicks #101134
Barbara Hicks
Character Mrs. Alma Terrain
Charles McKeown
Character Lime
Photo Kathryn Pogson #141436

Kathryn Pogson

Kathryn Pogson
Character Shirley
Photo Bryan Pringle #90019Photo Bryan Pringle #90020
Bryan Pringle
Character Spiro
Photo Sheila Reid #141439Photo Sheila Reid #141440Photo Sheila Reid #141441

Sheila Reid

Sheila Reid
Character Mrs. Buttle
Photo John Flanagan #141438
John Flanagan
Character T.V. Interviewer / Salesman

John Pierce Jones

John Pierce Jones
Character Basement Guard
Photo Nigel Planer #139221Photo Nigel Planer #139222

Nigel Planer

Nigel Planer
Character Charlie--Dept. of Works
Photo Terence Bayler #10059
Terence Bayler
Character T.V. Commercial Presenter
Photo Gorden Kaye #141437

Gorden Kaye

Gorden Kaye
Character M.O.I. Lobby Porter
Photo Jack Purvis #1815

Jack Purvis

Jack Purvis
Character Dr. Chapman
Photo Howard Lew Lewis #84796

Howard Lew Lewis

Howard Lew Lewis
Character Black Maria Guard
Photo Ray Cooper #92787

Ray Cooper

Ray Cooper
Character Technician
Photo Brian Miller #141442

Brian Miller

Brian Miller
Character Mr. Buttle
Photo Simon Jones #29469Photo Simon Jones #29470Photo Simon Jones #29471Photo Simon Jones #29472

Simon Jones

Simon Jones
Character Arrest Official
Photo Derek Deadman #10066

Derek Deadman

Derek Deadman
Character Bill - Dept. of Works
Photo Bill Wallis #106622
Bill Wallis
Character Bespectacled Lurker
Myrtle Devenish
Character Typist in Jack's Office
Ann Way
Character Old Lady with Dog
Photo Don Henderson #1828Photo Don Henderson #1829

Don Henderson

Don Henderson
Character First 'Black Maria' Guard
Photo Oscar Quitak #141443
Oscar Quitak
Character Interview Official
Photo Harold Innocent #84790Photo Harold Innocent #84791

Harold Innocent

Harold Innocent
Character Interview Official
Photo John Grillo #121855

John Grillo

John Grillo
Character Interview Official
Photo Ralph Nossek #141444
Ralph Nossek
Character Interview Official
Photo David Gant #49495

David Gant

David Gant
Character Interview Official
James Coyle
Character Interview Official
Patrick Connor
Character Cell Guard
Elizabeth Spender
Character Alison / 'Barbara' Lint

Russell Keith Grant

Russell Keith Grant
Character Young Gallant at Funeral
Photo Terry Gilliam #70219Photo Terry Gilliam #70220Photo Terry Gilliam #70221Photo Terry Gilliam #70222

Terry Gilliam

Terry Gilliam
Character Smoking Man (uncredited)

What's left behind the scenes

  • The film's creation year – 1984 – coincides with the title of George Orwell's famous dystopian novel. Initially, the film was to be called “1984 ½” and the musical theme was to be the song Malia Elena, however, midway through filming, the director changed the theme and title to be more suitable to the content. Furthermore, the Minister of Information's office in the film is located on the 84th floor of the building.
  • The film parodies a famous scene from Sergei Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin".
  • With this film, Terry Gilliam traveled to 80 countries, and in each one, he was told the same phrase: “You know, there’s a piece of our country in your film too.”
  • In 2004, the film "Brazil" was included by Total Film magazine in the twenty greatest English-language films of all time. In 2005, film critics Richard Corliss and Richard Schickel of Time magazine named "Brazil" among the 100 best films of all time. In 2006, Channel 4, shortly before a showing on BBC Four, recognized "Brazil" as one of "50 Films to See Before You Die".
  • The leitmotif of the film is the 1939 song "Aquarela do Brazil" by Ary Barroso, performed in various variations – from sublime and inspiring to menacingly ominous.
  • Actresses such as Kelly McGillis, Ellen Barkin, Kathleen Turner, and Jamie Lee Curtis auditioned for the role that Kim Greist ultimately received.
  • Terry Gilliam regretted after filming that he had rejected Ellen Barkin's candidacy for the lead female role.
  • Arnon Milchan recommended Robert De Niro for one of the roles in the film.
  • The sky views used in Sam Lowry’s dream sequences were created for Wolfgang Petersen’s *The NeverEnding Story*, but were not included in the final cut.
  • The distribution of *Brazil* in the United States was controlled by Universal Pictures. Universal’s management considered the film’s ending to be clearly unsuccessful, and company chairman Sid Sheinberg subjected Terry Gilliam’s work to significant editorial revisions, giving it a so-called “happy ending”; this approach met with strong objections from the director. As with *Blade Runner*, released three years earlier, this version of *Brazil* was created by the studio with an ending more acceptable from a consumer perspective. After a prolonged delay, Gilliam placed a full-page advertisement in the trade magazine *Variety*, pushing Sheinberg to release *Brazil* in its cut version. Ultimately, after Gilliam held a series of private screenings (without the company’s approval), the film won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for “Best Picture,” which prompted Universal to release a modified 131-minute version under Gilliam’s control in 1985.
  • The scene of the battle with the samurai covered in electronic components parodies Luke Skywalker’s dreamlike battle with his father in the fifth episode and simultaneously symbolizes Terry Gilliam’s love for the films of Akira Kurosawa.
  • Kelly McGillis, Ellen Barkin, Kathleen Turner, and Jamie Lee Curtis were among the actresses who auditioned for the role that Kim Greist eventually landed.
  • The year the film was made – 1984 – coincides with the title of George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel. The film was originally to be called “1984 ½” and the musical theme was to be the song Malia Elena, but midway through filming, the director changed the theme and title to something more suitable to the content. Furthermore, the office of the Minister of Information in the film is located on the 84th floor of the building.
  • In 2004, the film “Brazil” was included by Total Film magazine in its list of the twenty greatest English films of all time. In 2005, Time magazine film critics Richard Corliss and Richard Schickel named “Brazil” among the 100 best films of all time. In 2006, Channel 4, shortly before showing it on BBC Four, recognized “Brazil” as one of “50 Films to See Before You Die.”
  • The dream sequences in Sam Lowry feature sky vistas created for Wolfgang Petersen's 'The NeverEnding Story,' but were not included in the final cut.
  • The distribution of 'Brazil' in the United States was controlled by Universal Pictures. Universal executives found the film's ending overtly pessimistic, and company chairman Sid Sheinberg subjected Terry Gilliam's work to significant editorial revisions, giving it a so-called 'happy ending'; this approach met with strong objections from the director. As with 'Blade Runner,' released three years earlier, this version of 'Brazil' was created by the studio with an ending more palatable from a consumer perspective. After a prolonged delay, Gilliam placed a full-page advertisement in the trade journal Variety, prompting Sheinberg to release 'Brazil' in its cut version. Ultimately, after Gilliam held a series of private screenings (without the company's approval), the film won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Picture, which prompted Universal to release a 131-minute altered version under Gilliam's control in 1985.
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