''Sweet and Lowdown'' is a 1999 American comedy-drama mockumentary film written and directed by

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

. Loosely based on Federico Fellini's film ''

La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

'', the film tells the fictional story, set in the 1930s, of self-confident

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

ist Emmet Ray (played by

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

) who falls in love with a

mute Muteness is a speech disorder in which a person lacks the ability to speak. Mute or the Mute may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Mute'' (2005 film), a short film by Melissa Joan Hart * ''Mute'' (2018 film), a scien ...

woman ( Samantha Morton). The film also stars Uma Thurman and

Anthony LaPaglia Anthony LaPaglia (, ; born 31 January 1959) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Jack Malone in the television drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009), for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 2004. LaPaglia won a Prim ...

. Like several of Allen's other films (e.g., '' Zelig''), the film is occasionally interrupted by interviews with critics and biographers like Allen, Nat Hentoff, Daniel Okrent,and Douglas McGrath, who comment on the film's plot as if the characters were real-life people. The film received generally positive reviews upon release, with Penn and Morton receiving Oscar nominations for

Best Actor Best Actor is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actors in a film, television series, television film or play. The term most often refers to the ...

and Best Supporting Actress, respectively.

Plot summary

Emmet Ray is a jazz guitarist who achieved some acclaim in the 1930s with a handful of recordings for RCA Victor, but who faded from public view under mysterious circumstances. Although he is a talented musician, Ray's personal life is a shambles. He is a spendthrift, womanizer and pimp who believes that falling in love will ruin his musical career. Due to his heavy drinking, he's often late or even absent for performances with his quintet. After music, his favorite hobbies are shooting rats at garbage dumps and watching passing trains. Ray idolizes famed guitarist Django Reinhardt, and is said to have fainted in his presence and to have fled a nightclub performance with severe stage fright upon hearing a false rumor that Reinhardt was in the audience. On a double date with his drummer, Ray meets Hattie, a shy, mute laundress. After overcoming some initial frustration due to the difficulties of communication, Ray and Hattie form an affectionate and close relationship. She accompanies him on a cross-country trip to Hollywood, where he plays in a short film; Hattie is spotted by a director and enjoys a brief screen career. However Ray is convinced that a musician of his stature should never settle down with one woman. On a whim, Ray marries socialite Blanche Williams. However, Blanche sees Ray mainly as a colorful example of lower-class life and a source of inspiration for her literary writings. She reports that Ray is tormented by nightmares and shouts out Hattie's name in his sleep. When Blanche cheats with mobster Al Torrio, Ray leaves her and locates Hattie. He assumes that she will take him back, but discovers that she is happily married and raising a family. Afterwards, on a date with a new woman, a despondent Ray plays a melody that Hattie adored and then smashes his guitar and forlornly repeats the phrase "I made a mistake!" as his date leaves him. Woody Allen and the rest of the documentary experts remarked that Ray's final compositions were legendary, finally reaching the quality of Reinhardt's.

Cast

Production

Development

Hot off his 1969 directing debut ''

Take the Money and Run ''Take the Money and Run'' is a 1969 American mockumentary comedy film directed by Woody Allen. Allen co-wrote the screenplay with Mickey Rose and stars alongside Janet Margolin. The film chronicles the life of Virgil Starkwell, an inept bank ...

'', Allen signed a contract to direct a series of films with

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

. Told to "write what you want to write," Allen (a clarinetist and avid jazz enthusiast) wrote ''The Jazz Baby'', a dramatic screenplay about a jazz musician set in the 1930s. Allen said later that the United Artists executives were "stunned ... because they had expected a comedy.

hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title ...

were very worried and told me, 'We realize that we signed a contract with you and you can do anything you want. But we want to tell you that we really don't like this.'" Allen went along with United Artists, writing and directing '' Bananas'' instead. In 1995, he dismissed ''The Jazz Baby'' as having been "probably too ambitious." In 1998, Allen returned to the project, rewriting the script and dubbing it ''Sweet and Lowdown''. In the role of Emmet Ray, a jazz guitarist whom Allen had originally planned to play himself, the director cast

; Allen also considered Johnny Depp, but the actor was busy at the time. In regard to working with Sean Penn, who had a reputation for being difficult to work with, Allen later said, "I had no problem with him whatsoever ... He gave it his all and took direction and made contributions himself ... a tremendous actor." Allen has said that he told Samantha Morton to "play erpart like Harpo Marx. And she said, 'Who is Harpo Marx?' and I realized how young she was. Then I told her about him ndshe went back and saw the films."

Filming

''Sweet and Lowdown'' was filmed entirely in New York and

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

but is set in the Chicago area and California. The film was the first of Allen's that was edited by Alisa Lepselter, who has edited all of Allen's films since. Lepselter succeeded Susan E. Morse, who edited Allen's films for the previous twenty years. It was also the first of three films where Allen collaborated with Chinese cinematographer Zhao Fei. Allen had first noticed Zhao with his award-winning work on ''

Raise the Red Lantern ''Raise the Red Lantern'' is a 1991 film directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaptation by of the 1990 novella '' Raise the Red Lantern'' (originally ''Wives and Concubines'') by Su Tong. The film was later adapted into an ...

'', some years earlier.

Music

The music for the film was arranged and conducted by Dick Hyman. All of the guitar solos are played by guitarist Howard Alden. Alden also coached

on playing the guitar for his role in the film. Additional rhythm guitarists were Bucky Pizzarelli and James Chirillo. Chirillo played rhythm guitar on the ''Sweet Georgia Brown'' track where the crescent moon cable breaks while

is riding it. Pizzarelli did all other rhythm tracks.

Soundtrack

*When Day Is Done (1926)- Written by Robert Katscher – Performed by Django Reinhardt *Clarinet Marmalade (1918) – Written by Larry Shields and Henry Ragas – Performed by Ted Lewis and His Orchestra *Parlez-moi d'Amour (1930) – Written by Jean Lenoir – Performed by Howard Alden *Mystery Pacific (1936–7) – Written by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli – Performed by Howard Alden, Bucky Pizzarelli and elly Friesen *Limehouse Blues (1922) – Lyrics by Philip Braham – Written by Douglas Furber – Arranged by Dick Hyman *It Don't Mean a Thing (1931) – Lyrics by Irving Mills – Written by Duke Ellington *Out of Nowhere (1931) – Lyrics by Edward Heyman – Written by Johnny Green *I'll See You in My Dreams (1924) – Lyrics by Gus Kahn – Written by Isham Jones *Sweet Georgia Brown (1925) – Music by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard – Lyrics by Kenneth Casey *Unfaithful Woman (1999) – Written by Dick Hyman *Shine (1910) – Lyrics by

Cecil Mack Cecil Mack (November 6, 1873 – August 1, 1944) was an American composer, lyricist and music publisher. Biography Born as Richard Cecil McPherson in Portsmouth, Virginia, he attended the Norfolk Mission College and Lincoln University in Pennsyl ...

, Lew Brown – Music by Ford Dabney *After You've Gone (1918) – Lyrics by Henry Creamer – Written by

Turner Layton Turner Layton (July 2, 1894 – February 6, 1978), born John Turner Layton, Jr., was an African American songwriter, singer and pianist. He frequently worked with Henry Creamer. Life Born in Washington, D.C., United States, in 1894, he was the s ...

*I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles (1919) – Lyrics by James Brockman, Nat Vincent, James Kendis – Music by John W. Kellette *There'll Be Some Changes Made (1921) – Lyrics by

Billy Higgins Billy Higgins (October 11, 1936 – May 3, 2001) was an American jazz drummer. He played mainly free jazz and hard bop. Biography Higgins was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Higgins played on Ornette Coleman's first records, ...

– Music by W. Benton Overstreet *Viper Mad (1937) – Written by

Clarence Williams (musician) Clarence Williams (October 6, 1898 or October 8, 1893 – November 6, 1965) was an American jazz pianist, composer, promoter, vocalist, theatrical producer, and publisher. Biography Williams was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to Dennis, a bassis ...

and Sidney Bechet – Performed by Sidney Bechet *Indiana (1917) – Written by Ballard MacDonald and James F. Hanley – Performed by Red Nichols *Aloha Oe (1908) – Written by

Queen Liliuokalani Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mo ...

– Performed by Dick Monday *Abide with Me (1847) – Lyrics by Henry F. Lyte – Music by William H. Monk *12th Street Rag (1919) – Written by

Euday L. Bowman Euday Louis Bowman (November 9, 1886 – May 26, 1949) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime and blues who represented the style of ''Texas Ragtime''. He is chiefly remembered as the composer of the highly popular "Twelfth Street R ...

– Performed by Howard Alden *The Peanut Vendor (1927) – Written by Moïse Simons – English Lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert and Marion Sunshine *All of Me (1931) – Written by Gerald Marks and

Seymour Simons Seymour Simons (January 14, 1896 – February 12, 1949) was an American pianist, composer, orchestra leader, and radio producer. Biography Simons born in Detroit, Michigan, was originally trained in engineering and went to work as a researc ...

*Caravan (1936) – Written by Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol and Irving Mills – Performed by Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra *Old Fashioned Love (1923) – Music by James P. Johnson – Lyrics by Cecil Mack *Just A Gigolo (1929) – Written by Irving Caesar – Written by

Leonello Casucci Leonello Casucci (1885–1975) was an Italian composer. Casucci was born in Pistoia, Tuscany in 1885 and he's best known for having composed the music of the famous 1929 hit song Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo in 1928, with lyrics in German by Ju ...

and

Julius Brammer Julius Brammer (9 March 1877 – 18 April 1943) was an Austrian librettist and lyricist. Some of his better-known works were written in conjunction with the composers Emmerich Kálmán, Oscar Straus, Leo Ascher, Edmund Eysler and Robert Stolz ...

*Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You) (1931) – Lyrics by Bert Kalmar – Music by Harry Ruby *3:00 AM Blues (1999) – Written by Dick Hyman *Liebestraum No. 3 (1850) – Written by Franz Liszt – Performed by Django Reinhardt *Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down (1927) – Written by Ray Ludwig and Howdy Quicksell – Performed by Bix Beiderbecke *Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (1931) – Lyrics by Ted Koehler, Billy Moll – Music by Harry Barris *Hot Lips (1922) – Written by Henry Busse,

Henry Lange Karl Julius Heinrich Lange (13 April 1821 – 30 April 1893) was a German cartographer. Biography He was born at Stettin. He worked with Berghaus, and then labored three years in Edinburgh on Alexander Keith Johnston's ''Physical Atlas''. Begi ...

and

Lou Davis Lou Davis (May 14, 1881 – October 18, 1961) was an American songwriter, and author associated with Tin Pan Alley. He was also a businessman in the wholesale meat business. His primary musical collaborators were Abel Baer, Henry Busse, Harold ...

– Performed by Henry Busse and His Orchestra *You Were Meant for Me (1929) – Lyrics by Arthur Freed – Music by Nacio Herb Brown *Avalon (1920) – Written by Buddy G. DeSylva, Al Jolson and Vincent Rose – Performed by Django Reinhardt *Lulu's Back in Town (1935) – Music by Harry Warren – Lyrics by

Al Dubin Alexander Dubin (June 10, 1891 – February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren. Life Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family that emigrated to the United States from Swit ...

*Sweet Sue, Just You (1928) – Lyrics by Will J. Harris – Music by Victor Young – Performed by Howard Alden

Reception

''Sweet and Lowdown'' received generally positive reviews; it currently holds a 77% 'fresh' rating on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

from 61 reviews, with the consensus, "Critics praise Woody Allen's ''Sweet and Lowdown'' for its charming, light-hearted comedy and quality acting." The film carries a 70 on

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

indicating generally favorable reviews. Morton's performance was met with critical acclaim, with Salon.com critic Stephanie Zacharek saying that she "quietly explodes he film..Her performance is like nothing I've seen in recent years."

Awards and nominations

''Sweet and Lowdown'' was nominated for the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

Best Actor in a Leading Role Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation ...

(Penn) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Morton). The pair were also nominated for Golden Globe Awards in the acting categories for Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. The film received three nominations from the

Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films The Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films is a nonprofit organization that honors outstanding achievement in independent and world cinema. The organization gives out the Chlotrudis Awards. Membership in the Society includes "the Boston film comm ...

for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Screenplay. In addition, Morton was nominated for Best Supporting Actress from the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, the

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards The Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) is an American film critic organization founded in 1975. Background Its membership comprises film critics from Los Angeles-based print and electronic media. In December of each year, the organiza ...

, the

National Society of Film Critics Awards The National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) is an American film critic organization. The organization is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the most prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In January 2014, ...

, and an Empire Award for Best British Actress. At the

London Film Critics Circle Awards The London Film Critics' Circle is the name by which the Film Section of The Critics' Circle is known internationally. The word London was added because it was thought the term Critics' Circle Film Awards did not convey the full context of the ...

, Morton won for British Supporting Actress of the Year. Morton's nominations were especially notable given that she does not utter a single word of dialogue in the film.

References

Bibliography

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet And Lowdown 1999 films 1999 comedy-drama films 1999 independent films 1990s American films 1990s English-language films American comedy-drama films American mockumentary films Fictional mute characters Films about guitars and guitarists Films directed by Woody Allen Films produced by Jean Doumanian Films set in the 1920s Films set in the 1930s Films shot in New Jersey Films shot in New York (state) Films with screenplays by Woody Allen Jazz films Sony Pictures Classics films