The Best Man (1999/I)

Director:

Malcolm D. Lee

Writer (WGA):

Malcolm D. Lee (written by)

Release Date:

22 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Harper's autobiographical novel is almost out, his girlfriend Robin desires commitment, and he's best man at the wedding of Lance...

Plot Keywords:

Family Relationships | Bachelor Party | Friendship Between Men | Friendship | Black Male Schoolteacher

Awards:

6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Taye Diggs	...	Harper Stewart
Nia Long	...	Jordan Armstrong
Morris Chestnut	...	Lance Sullivan
Harold Perrineau	...	Julian Murch
Terrence Howard	...	Quentin
Sanaa Lathan	...	Robin
Monica Calhoun	...	Mia Morgan
Melissa De Sousa	...	Shelby
Victoria Dillard	...	Anita
Regina Hall	...	Candy
Jim Moody	...	Uncle Skeeter
Jarrod Bunch	...	Wayne
Stu 'Large' Riley	...	Fandango
Liris Crosse	...	Stripper
Lady Madonna	...	Stripper
Linda Powell	...	Wedding Coordinator
Willie C. Carpenter	...	Pastor (as Willie Carpenter)
Malcolm D. Lee	...	Emcee
Dede McGuire	...	Herself
Renton Kirk	...	Groomsman
Patrick Malcolm	...	Groomsman
Nikki Tillman	...	Bridesmaid
Lena Moore	...	Bridesmaid
Rebecca Brody	...	Bridesmaid
Gena Lue Song	...	Bridesmaid
Linda Murrell	...	Lance's Mother
William K. Gaskins	...	Lance's Father (as Willie Gaskins)
Emilie Gaskins	...	Mia's Mother
Don Clark Williams	...	Mia's Father
Charltina 'Chasha' Banks	...	Flower Girl
Aleisha Allen	...	Flower Girl
Vance Allen	...	Broom Bearer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Angela Ali	...	BET employee (uncredited)
Brian Canberg	...	Reception Server (uncredited)
Jeff Marchelletta	...	Fraternity Brother (uncredited)
Brian J. White	...	Bachelor party & wedding guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Malcolm D. Lee

Writing credits (WGA)
Malcolm D. Lee		(written by)

Produced by
Bill Carraro	....	producer
Sam Kitt	....	producer
Spike Lee	....	producer

Original Music by
Stanley Clarke

Cinematography by
Frank Prinzi

Film Editing by
Cara Silverman

Casting by
Robi Reed-Humes

Production Design by
Kalina Ivanov

Art Direction by
Wing Lee

Set Decoration by
Christina K. Tonkin
Paul Weathered

Costume Design by
Danielle Hollowell

Makeup Department
Mary Aaron	....	makeup artist
Gloria Grant	....	assistant makeup artist
Quentin Harris	....	key hair stylist
Ellin La Var	....	key hair stylist
Toy Van Lierop	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Debra D. Jeffreys	....	unit production manager (as Debra Jeffreys)
Pamela Reis	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
H.H. Cooper	....	first assistant director
Laurie Jackson	....	assistant director
Dale M. Nielsen	....	assistant director
Michael A. Pinckney	....	assistant director

Art Department
Peter J. Babington	....	shop production assistant
Julia Barraclough	....	charge scenic
Thomas Costabile	....	construction coordinator (as Tom Costabile)
Natalie N. Dorset	....	set dresser
Gerard V. Engrassia	....	set dresser (as Gerard Engrassia)
Kathy Fundis	....	on-set dresser
Steven Gamiello	....	assistant property master (as Steve Gamiello)
Michael Greenblatt	....	art department production assistant
E.J. Grover	....	stand-by scenic (as Jane Grover)
Michael Herlihy	....	carpenter (as Mike Herlihy)
Michael Herlihy	....	construction foreman
Teddy Janicki	....	scenic
Heather Danielle Kane	....	assistant property master
Michael Leather	....	leadman
Mark Mann	....	carpenter foreman
Jeff Mazzola	....	property master
Bruce McNally	....	scenic
John Nyomarkay	....	painter
Ed Parra	....	art department intern
Shelley Rich	....	art department coordinator
Rob Schmitt	....	key construction grip (as Robert W. Schmitt)
Joe Taglairino	....	set dresser (as Joe Tagliariano)
Bryan Tonkin	....	construction grip (as Bryan J. Tonkin)
Joe Vilchock Jr.	....	set dresser
Frank White III	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Gina Alfano	....	adr editor
John H. Bolz	....	boom operator (as John Bolz)
Bill Daly	....	sound mixer
Kate Eales	....	assistant sound editor
Matthew Haasch	....	foley engineer (as Matt Haasch)
Sean Huff	....	assistant sound editor
Lisa J. Levine	....	adr editor
Douglas Martines	....	cable person (as Doug Martines)
Bill Orrico	....	apprentice sound editor
Tim O'Shea	....	foley supervisor
Richard Partlow	....	foley artist (as Rick Partlow)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Mary Ellen Porto	....	dialog editor
Jac Rubenstein	....	dialog editor
Paul Urmson	....	supervising sound editor
Peter Waggoner	....	sound re-recording mixer

Stunts
David S. Lomax	....	stunt coordinator
Derrick Simmons	....	stunt double: Taye Diggs

Camera and Electrical Department
Rod Calarco	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Fred Cohen	....	rigging gaffer
James Domorski	....	24 frame video operator
Jeffrey A. Eplett	....	electrician (as Jeff Eplett)
Brant S. Fagan	....	Steadicam operator
Shaun Gilbert	....	electrician
Jonathan Herron	....	camera operator (as Jon Herron)
Jerry Holway	....	Steadicam operator
Stan Keitt	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
David Lee	....	still photographer
Dave Levine	....	electrician (as David Levine)
Keith Matthis	....	camera loader
John Mazzola	....	dolly grip
Ron Mazzola	....	best boy grip
Ron Mazzola	....	rigging grip
Richard Porta	....	generator operator
Andrew Priestley	....	first assistant camera
Carl Prinzi	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Gay E. Riedel	....	electrician (as Gay Riedel)
Marc Rogers	....	gaffer
Steve Rooney	....	grip
Kelly Rutkowski	....	electrician
Douglas W. Shannon	....	additional gaffer (as Doug Shannon)
Charles Sherron	....	key grip
Chad Strohmayer	....	electrician
Arthur Szefer	....	second assistant camera
David S. Tuttman	....	camera operator
Robert Vuolo	....	best boy electric (as Rob Vuolo)
David Wasserman	....	grip (as Dave Wasserman)
Franz Yeich	....	grip

Casting Department
Jeff Block	....	casting: New York
Jennifer Edwards	....	extras casting associate
Cherisse Gardner	....	extras casting associate
Yolanda D. Hunt	....	casting associate
Sondra James	....	voice casting
Joanna Rodriguez	....	extras casting associate
Winsome Sinclair	....	extras casting
Theron Smith	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jordanna Fineberg	....	wardrobe supervisor
Frank L. Fleming	....	assistant costume designer (as Frank Fleming)
Careen Fowles	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Monica Barraza	....	post-production coordinator (as Monica D. Barraza)
Julie Carr	....	first assistant editor
Gershon Hinkson	....	first assistant editor
Chris Hinton	....	color timer
Chris Patterson	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	orchestra recordist
Lisa Brown	....	music supervisor
Stanley Clarke	....	conductor
Stanley Clarke	....	musician: bass
Bonnie Greenberg	....	music supervisor
Ira Hearshen	....	orchestrator (as Ira Hershem)
Richie Kotzen	....	musician: guitar
Cliff Lee	....	musician: trumpet
E. Gedney Webb	....	music editor
Lenny White	....	musician: drums
Rachel Z.	....	musician: piano

Transportation Department
Richard B. Brinkman	....	driver
Mike Easter	....	transportation co-captain (as Michael Easter)
Kenny Gaskins	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Alan Aguilar	....	chef
Alexis Arnold	....	production coordinator
Monica Barraza	....	assistant: Bill Carraro (as Monica D. Barraza)
Gail Barringer	....	production accountant
Nicholas R. Bell	....	accounting clerk
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Shari L. Carpenter	....	script supervisor (as Shari Carpenter)
Koksong Chia	....	location assistant
Robyn J. Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Ken Halsband	....	location manager (as Kenneth L. Halsband)
Desmond Harvey	....	craft service
André Hereford	....	development executive: 40 Acres & a Mule Filmworks (as Andre Hereford)
Mark C. Hutchinson	....	key set production assistant
Louis Katz	....	production physician (as Louis A. Katz M.D.)
Michael C. Kingsley	....	office production intern (as Michael Kingsley)
Joseph Lombardi	....	assistant accountant (as Joe Lombardi)
Gine Lui	....	location supervisor
Ross Martin	....	development executive: 40 Acres & a Mule Filmworks
Jonathan Rattner	....	office production intern
Michelle Robinson	....	choreographer
Tom Ross	....	assistant location manager
Hope Shaw	....	post-production accountant
Sonia Singleton	....	office production assistant (as Sun Singleton)
Wing Tat	....	location assistant (as Wing T. Yeong)
Rob Walsh	....	assistant accountant
Alexander Wei	....	production secretary (as Alex Wei)
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	creative assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Charles Castaldi	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Paramount Network (UPN) (2004) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• SBS6 (2004) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Argentina) (all media)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Balsmeyer and Everett  titles (as Balsmeyer & Everett Inc.)
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering (as Coast to Coast Catering)
• Columbia Records  soundtrack released by
• Effects House, The  opticals (as The Effects House)
• Noëlle Penraat  negative cutting
• Ocean Cities Entertainment  music production services
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack released by

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:S | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #36703) | Iceland:L (original rating) | Iceland:LH (video rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Goofs:

Continuity: Shelby's arms when she's arguing with Julian in the church after the wedding rehearsal.

Quotes:

Shelby: Ah, Harper Stewart. Richard Wrong. Langston Snooze.
Harper Stewart: Hi, Shelby.
Shelby: I heard about your book, and I don't think it's cute Harper. You know, the next time you want to characterize me in one of your little projects, do me a favor.
Harper Stewart: What would that be, Shelby?
Shelby: Don't.

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Soundtrack:

Wedding Bells

Entertaining, but uneven

It's always a pleasure to see a film with an all-black cast which is well put together and actually "about" something. The story line of this script -- an author's revelations about his good friends in his first novel, and how potentially damaging they can be -- was plausible and enjoyable. The personality of Quentin, arguably the most complex and fascinating character, was a bit of a tease, and like some of the other viewers, I was hungry for more of him! Nia Long always turns in superb performances, and this one doesn't disappoint. The weakest link in the film was Taye Diggs, whose acting is about as animated as a cigar store Indian . . . but judging from the female audience reaction every time he took off his shirt, acting ability may be irrelevant to his career. On the whole, it's a great "date" flick, and you'll leave the theatre with a big grin on your face.