Sliding Doors
Short description
Helen Quilley, a London public relations executive, loses her job and hurries to catch a train home. What happens next depends on whether she makes it through the closing doors. The film follows two versions of Helen's life from that single moment, one in which she boards the train and one in which she does not, with each path leading her toward different discoveries about her boyfriend and toward a different set of people.
Peter Howitt wrote and directed the film, his first time in the director's chair. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Helen, with John Hannah as James Hamilton, John Lynch as Gerry, and Jeanne Tripplehorn as Lydia among the cast.
Made for about 6 million US dollars, the film took roughly 59 million US dollars worldwide, a strong return on its budget. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.7 from more than 70,000 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.6 from a much smaller base of about 1,450 votes. A film critics' rating of 6.4 from 55 reviews places it close to the audience scores, so viewers and critics landed in similar territory. Howitt went on to direct Antitrust, Johnny English and several later features, but this remains the film that introduced him as a director.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film owes its existence to actor John Hannah. At a time when project funding was cut, Hannah happened to meet Sydney Pollack and mentioned the lack of sponsors during their conversation. Pollack became interested, read the script, and resolved all the project's financial issues.
- The scenes in the subway were filmed at the "Waterloo" and "Fulham Broadway" stations of the London Underground.
- The rowers are played by members of the Cygnet Rowing Club, a London amateur rowing club.
- Helen’s first order as a waitress came from a long-haired patron with a Liverpool accent. Director Peter Howitt played this role.
- Having met on the subway, James and Helen talk about The Beatles. Later, in one of the episodes, they get into a taxi and give the driver the address: 251 on 9th Menlo Avenue. John Lennon (1940-1980) spent his childhood and youth at 251 Menlo Avenue in Liverpool.
- The book that Helen accidentally spills tea on and then reads is the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1960) by American writer Harper Lee (1926-2016).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
