The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Short description
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button centres on a man born in New Orleans at the end of the First World War who enters the world with the body of an old man. As the years pass, he grows younger while everyone around him ages normally. Abandoned by his father after his mother dies in childbirth, he is raised by Queenie in a nursing home, where he first meets Daisy, a girl who will remain central to his life. Their paths cross again and again as she becomes a dancer and he travels and works, and the two are never quite the same age at the same time. The film is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
David Fincher directed, working from a screenplay by Eric Roth. It was the seventh of the thirteen films he has directed, arriving between Zodiac and The Social Network. Brad Pitt plays Benjamin, with Cate Blanchett as Daisy, and Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng and Tilda Swinton in supporting roles. The production, from Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount and The Kennedy/Marshall Company, had a budget of 150 million US dollars and took 336 million worldwide, a solid return on a large outlay rather than a runaway hit.
On IMDb the film holds 7.8 out of 10 from roughly 742,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.6 out of 10 from about 14,000 votes. A critics' rating of 7.5 out of 10 from 254 reviews puts professional opinion close to the broad audience response. Running 166 minutes, it blends drama, fantasy and romance.
What's left behind the scenes
- During the scene in the "Winter Palace" hotel, a Russian officer with the shoulder boards of a junior lieutenant can be seen. The scene takes place shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor, as Captain Mike will say, namely at the end of 1941. At that time, and until the army reform of 1943, ranks were determined by insignia on the sleeves and epaulettes.
- Rachel Weisz declined the offer to play Daisy due to being busy with other projects.
- Six out of the seven stories about being struck by lightning are presented in black and white.
- The film is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
- Benjamin's motorcycle is a "650cc Triumph T110".
- Originally, the film was supposed to take place in Baltimore. David Fincher and Eric Roth changed the setting to New Orleans because the studio received significant tax breaks for filming there.
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was the second film after Déjà Vu (2006) to be filmed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
- In 1998, Ron Howard was planning to direct the film, and John Travolta was supposed to play the lead role.
- Benjamin's sailboat is called "Button Up".
- In addition to Brad Pitt, the role of Benjamin Button was also played by: Peter Badalamenti (1928–1931), Robert Towers (1932–1934), Tom Everett (1935–1937), Spencer Daniels (12-year-old Benjamin), Chandler Canterbury (8-year-old Benjamin), and Charles Henry Wyson (6-year-old Benjamin).
- Tarsem Singh filmed scenes set in India and Cambodia.
- The appearance of Benjamin Button in childhood (in the first third of the film) resembles Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, in which patients look much older than their age.
- This is David Fincher's first film to receive a PG-13 rating.
- The film is partially set in Murmansk, a city near the front lines that was subjected to heavy air raids and severely damaged during the war. However, the film features no explosions, destruction, or smoke from fires, and no air raid sirens are sounded. There is no blackout in the city – street lighting even works.
- The head of old Benjamin Button was entirely computer-generated.
- According to Brad Pitt, he spent up to five hours in the makeup chair to transform into his character.
- Danny Boyle postponed filming of 'Solomon Grundy' because, according to him, the plots of both films are very similar.
- Filming took 150 days, not including the time spent creating the visual effects for 'rejuvenating' Brad Pitt.
- In the 1990s, Steven Spielberg was supposed to direct the film, and Tom Cruise was to play the main role.
- Development of the project began as early as 1994.
- At different times, Ron Howard, Spike Jonze, and Steven Spielberg worked on the script in turn.
- The film is banned from screening in Bhutan. The ban is related to the Buddhist faith of the country's inhabitants.
- Initially, the film was scheduled for release in May 2008.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
