Any Given Sunday
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| Any Given Sunday | |
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 Theatrical Release Poster |
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| Directed by | Oliver Stone |
| Produced by | Richard Donner, Oliver Stone |
| Written by | Oliver Stone, Daniel Pyne, John Logan |
| Starring | Al Pacino Dennis Quaid Cameron Diaz James Woods Jamie Foxx LL Cool J |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | December 22, 1999 (USA) |
| Running time | 150 min / 156 min (director's cut) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $55,000,000 |
| IMDb profile | |
Any Given Sunday is a 1999 film directed by Oliver Stone starring Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Dennis Quaid, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, LL Cool J, Matthew Modine, John C. McGinley, Charlton Heston, Ann-Margret, Lauren Holly, Bill Bellamy, Lela Rochon, Aaron Eckhart, Jim Brown, Elizabeth Berkley and Marty Wright.
The film also featured archive footage of many football players including Jim Brown, Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Y.A. Tittle, Pat Toomay, Warren Moon, Johnny Unitas, Ricky Watters, Barry Switzer, Emmitt Smith and Terrell Owens.
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[edit] Cast
Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino) - The head coach and general manager of the Miami Sharks. Having held his position for decades and given much autonomy by the elder Pagniacci, he is widely respected for leading his men to great successes; he gave most of his time to the team, and it led him to lose his wife and daughters. However, despite his legacy, D'Amato's traditional and old-fashioned methods have come under fire for poor results during the last seasons, including missing the playoffs several times. During the last few years, he also resents the hands-on-approach or "interference" of Christina Pagniacci, who succeeded her father as team owner. Tony D'Amato is based on longtime Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry.
Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz) - The new owner of the Miami Sharks who inherited that role from her father. Given the team's poor results in the last few years, which she attributes to Coach D'Amato's "old-school methods", she attempts to take a more hands-on approach to the team, including bringing in modern offensive coordinator Nick Crozier. She has hinted several times that D'Amato will not return after his contract expires, adding to his distractions. She also begins political maneuvers that cause confrontation with the AFFA Commissioner and the Mayor of Miami. It is also speculated that she is a lesbian, as, she gives a glance to another woman at a stadium's VIP box. Christina Pagniacci is also based of current Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
Jack 'Cap' Rooney (Dennis Quaid) - The starting quarterback of the Miami Sharks. A favourite of Coach D'Amato, the two have been credited with the team's greatest on-field successes. However, Rooney is now an aging veteran who is losing motivation and faces conflicts with team personnel and his own family. Relations have soured between himself and his wife Cindy (Lauren Holly) who consistently goads him on without sympathy to his physical or mental situation (it is implied that Cindy married Jack only because he was a well-paid athlete). He eventually is injured in a game and is replaced but tries to make a comeback later on. The character appears to be a composite of contemporary late career QBs Dan Marino (whose house is seen as Rooney's in the film) and John Elway (Rooney's mid-air spin while scoring is nearly identical to Elway's famous dive for a first down during the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXII.)
Dr. Harvey Mandrake (James Woods) - The team physician for the Miami Sharks. He is a crooked doctor who risks the injury of players to enable the team to have a better shot at winning. He is later fired after his practices are discovered by the team internist. The character is largely based on the late Dr. Robert Rosenfeld, who was the longtime team physician for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders.
'Steamin' Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx) - The third-string quarterback for the Miami Sharks who takes over as starter after an injury to Rooney. Though surprisingly successful, Beamen causes tension among staff and teammates, as he frequently changes the plays the coach calls or calls his own. He begins a singing career and even asks the team owner for a date. He later begins to listen to his coaches and teammates, and is greatly inspired by Cap Rooney's gusty performance in the Sharks' first playoff game. Although the movie was released before Michael Vick's career, Beamen's playing style is very similar to the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback. Beamen is based on former NFL quarterback Jeff Blake.
Julian 'J-Man' Washington (LL Cool J) - The starting running back for the Miami Sharks. He is a very good back but becomes increasingly angry at Beamen for his cockiness and tendencies to call plays away from him. He is alternately motivated by incentive clauses in his contract, and Coach D'Amato refers to him as a 'merc' (mercenary).
Luther 'Shark' Lavay (Lawrence Taylor) - The captain of the Miami Sharks' defense. Harvey has hidden that Shark is suffering from a previous injury. If he suffers a serious hit again, he may be killed or permanently disabled. The team's intern doctor informs him of the condition and Shark faces losing money from not making his incentive pay if he takes the doctor's advice. He also has a confrontation with Willie Beamen over the role of offense vs. defense in football, and later gives the younger player a quiet but impassioned speech about playing with 100% emotion.
Montezuma Monroe (Jim Brown) - The Defensive Coordinator of the Miami Sharks. He's vocal and brings high intensity to the defense and to the rest of the team in general. Tony D'Amato personally confides in Montezuma several times. He states at one point he would like to return to high school coaching where the game is "pure".
Nick Crozier (Aaron Eckhart) - The Offensive Coordinator of the Miami Sharks. Nick is an offensive guru brought in from Minnesota by Christina Pagniacci. Highly tech-savvy (making use of a laptop computer while calling plays), he is highly critical of Tony's offensive play calling, Willie's changing the plays in the huddle, and Julian's playing for contract incentives. Despite the tension between himself and head coach D'Amato, the latter recognizes Crozier's abilities and he is named the new head coach after D'Amato departs to lead an expansion franchise in New Mexico.
Dr. Ollie Powers (Matthew Modine) - The intern doctor for the team and Harvey's nephew. He discovers Harvey covering for players who are suffering from near-career-ending injuries but are dosing on painkillers, steroids, and hormones to cover the pain. He faces his own dilemma in the need to relieve the players' pain vs. prescribing too much medication for the addicted players. He is largely based on Dr. Robert Huizenga, who was an internist under Dr. Rosenfeld with the Raiders and later wrote a book detailing substandard and dangerous medical treatment of players.
Jack Rose (John C. McGinley) - A prominent sports reporter with his own cable show; a thinly disguised impression of Jim Rome. He shows an incredible distaste for all things D'Amato.
[edit] Plot
The film features an ensemble cast. However, Pacino and Diaz's characters, Tony D'Amato and Christina Pagniacci, respectively, are more prominent and given top billing.
It is about the Miami Sharks, a once-great team now in turmoil and struggling to make the playoffs. It takes a look at the different aspects of American football, including the players, staff, front office, politicians, and press, and the pressures that they face.
In the final game shown on screen, Miami manages a come-from-behind win in the dying seconds against the Dallas Knights, winning the first round of the playoffs. Off-screen, Miami beats Minnesota to go to the Panthean Cup, but loses to San Francisco in the final game.
At D'Amato's final press conference as head coach, all feuds have been resolved or at least put on hold and he leaves on a high, being thanked by owner Christina and the media for his contributions to the team. D'Amato then drops a bombshell and announces that he been hired as head coach and general manager of the expansion Albuquerque Aztecs, and signed Willie Beamen as his starting quarterback and franchise player. Despite the initial hysteria among the media and owners, they come to the consensus that this is the best solution because D'Amato and Crozier (backed by Christina) cannot co-exist.
[edit] Fictitious teams
It was filmed in Miami, Florida and Dallas, Texas. Miami's Orange Bowl stadium represents the home of the fictitious American football team, the Miami Sharks, while Texas Stadium is used for the home of the fictitious Dallas Knights. These and the other made-up teams, as well as their league Associated Football Franchises of America (AFFA), are based on the NFL.
At the end of the film, D'Amato laments to gathered media about his team's loss to San Francisco but does not reference their mascot. On the team schedule, the San Francisco Knights are mentioned, but this is likely a mistake, since the Dallas team has that nickname. A team called the Pharaohs is mentioned during the Minnesota game without any city, so it is possible they are the San Francisco Pharaohs.
- Miami Sharks
- Minnesota Americans
- Chicago Rhinos
- California Crusaders
- New York Emperors
- Dallas Knights
- Seattle Prospects
- Oregon Pioneers
- Colorado Blizzard
- Washington Lumbermen
- Los Angeles Breakers
- Kansas Twisters
- Orlando Crushers
- Texas Rattlers
- Houston Cattlemen
- Wisconsin Icemen
[edit] Production
Oliver Stone developed a script called Monday Night written by Jamie Williams, a former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers, and Richard Weiner, a sports journalist. Stone separately acquired the spec script On Any Given Sunday, by John Logan. Stone later amalgamated a third screenplay, Playing Hurt by Daniel Pyne, into the project.
As of May 1, 1999, the screenplay's cover page listed the following writers: original draft by Jamie Williams & Richard Weiner, John Logan, Daniel Pyne; subsequent revisions by Gary Ross; revisions by Raynold Gideon & Bruce A. Evans; revisions by John Logan; revisions by Lisa Amsterdam & Robert Huizenga; latest revisions by Oliver Stone.
The Writers Guild of America ultimately awarded screenplay credit to Logan and Stone, with "story" credit to Pyne and Logan. Williams and Weiner went uncredited for their original screenplay, but were credited for their work on the film as technical consultants.
The screenplay was also based in part on the book You're Okay, It's Just a Bruise: A Doctor's Sideline Secrets by Robert Huizenga. Huizenga was the intern doctor for the L.A. Raiders in their 1980s heyday, working under Dr. Rosenfield, who dismissed many players' injuries with the phrase, "You’re okay, it's just a bruise." James Woods' character was based on Rosenfield, and his first diagnosis of "Cap" Rooney's career-threatening injury at the beginning of the film is "you're okay, it's just a bruise." Huizenga left the Raiders in the early 1990's, disgusted at the way the medical advice was kept from players and Rosenfield being allowed to continue treating them after several mishaps, one of which is closely mirrored in the film - Shark's neck injury and risk of sudden death, based on the real-life Mike Harden case.
[edit] Speech
Pacino's inspirational speech in the film has become legendary. It is given to the players before their game against the Dallas Knights.
I don't know what to say really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives all comes down to today. Either we heal as a team or we are going to crumble. Inch by inch play by play till we're finished. We are in hell right now, gentlemen believe me and we can stay here and get the shit kicked out of us or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell. One inch, at a time. Now I can't do it for you. I'm too old. I look around and I see these young faces and I think I mean I made every wrong choice a middle age man could make. I uh.... I pissed away all my money believe it or not. I chased off anyone who has ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know when you get old in life things get taken from you. That's, that's part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game life or football the margin for error is so small. I mean one half step too late or to early you don't quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in ever break of the game every minute, every second. On this team, we fight for that inch On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch. Cause we know when we add up all those inches that's going to make the fucking difference between WINNING and LOSING between LIVING and DYING. I'll tell you this in any fight it is the guy who is willing to die who is going to win that inch. And I know if I am going to have any life anymore it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch because that is what LIVING is. The six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You gotta look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes. Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you are gonna do the same thing for him. That's a team, gentlemen and either we heal now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys. That's all it is. Now, whattaya gonna do?
[edit] Music
Two soundtracks were released for Any Given Sunday by Atlantic Records. The first soundtrack is filled with contemporary hip hop and hard rock songs. The track listing of the first is:
- "Who Ya Going to Call" - Missy Elliott
- "Reunion - Capone-N-Noreaga
- "Never Goin' Back" - Mobb Deep
- "Sole Sunday" - Goodie Mob featuring Outkast
- "Shut 'Em Down" - LL Cool J
- "Sittin' on D's" - Trick Daddy featuring Trina, Deuce Poppi & Co
- "Any Given Sunday" - Jamie Foxx featuring Guru & Common
- "Whatever It Takes" - P.O.D.
- "Fuck That" - Kid Rock
- "Be a Man" - Hole
- "My Niggas" - DMX
- "Jump" - Mystikal
- "Move Right Now" - Swizz Beats featuring Eve & Drag-On
- "Why" - Godsmack
- "Stompbox" - Overseer
- "Any Given Sunday Outro" - Jamie Foxx
The second soundtrack contains clips from the movie as well as R&B, jazz and techno music. Its track listing is:
- "Amazing Grace" - Robbie Robertson
- "Out of the Blue" - Robbie Robertson
- "Peace with 'Inches' Speech" - Al Pacino/Paul Kelly
- "Graciosa" - Moby
- "Cruisin'" - Smokey Robinson
- "Carry Me" - Robbie Robertson
- "Ghost Dance (Saber Remix)" - Robbie Robertson
- "Don't Explain" - Nina Simone
- "Como Ves" - Ozomatli
- "Cheek to Cheek" - Ella Fitzgerald
- "My Name Is Willie" - Jamie Foxx
- "So Ruff, So Tuff" - Roger
- "Without a Daddy (Black Girl/White Girl)" - 2She
- "Fierce #2" - Richard Horowitz
- "Drive" - Paul Kelly
- "Any Given Sunday Outro" - Jamie Foxx
Trivia
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- Three NFL stadiums were used for filming. The Sharks home stadium is the Orange Bowl. When they travled to California, the stadium used was actually Pro Player Stadium, which is located in Miami. The final game was played in Dallas at Texas Stadium.
- Dennis Quaid's character's house is really Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino's house.
- When Willie Beamen enters Tony D'Amato's house, the movie that is on TV is Ben-Hur, starring Charlton Heston, who also appears in Any Given Sunday as the Commissioner.
- Five NFL Hall of Fame Players made cameo appearances as opposing head coaches. Bob St. Clair, with Minnesota, the first game. Y.A. Tittle, for Chicago, the second game.Dick Butkus, with California, the road game. Warren Moon, with New York in the rain soaked game. And finally, Johnny Unitas with Dallas, in the finale.
- Cameron Diaz plays the daughter of a sports team owner, just as she did in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997). Her character was originally suppose to be married.
- When Barry Switzer is the broadcaster for the playoff game in Dallas, a player bumps an official and Barry yells out, "He hit an official." When Barry Switzer was coaching the Dallas Cowboys against the San Francisco 49ers in the 1994 NFC Championship game, he was penalized 15 yards for bumping an official.
- As Oliver Stone is a San Francisco 49ers fan, there are a number of references to San Francisco winning the championship game against the Sharks.
- Director Oliver Stone, who makes a cameo as an announcer, tried and failed to get the National Football League's permission to use real NFL team logos and stadiums for the film. The Miami Dolphins are referenced in the film's fictional universe, indicating the Sharks play in a more successful version of the real-life United States Football League, which launched an ambitious, ultimately failed effort to compete with the NFL in the 1980's.
- When Tony D'Amato is in the bar, the pictures on the wall are all of people in the movie. On the bottom row are "Cap" Rooney (Dennis Quaid) and Jim Brown. Featured in the top row are Oliver Stone, Al Pacino, and Cameron Diaz.
- Jamie Foxx actually played high school football.
- Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs was cast as Willie Beaman, but dropped out because of scheduling conflicts with his recording career. Other notable actors that turned were rumored for roles: Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, Ving Rhames, David Duchovny, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Chris Tucker, and Tom Arnold.
- Director Oliver Stone's first two choices to play Tony D'Amato were Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. Although De Niro declined the role, Pacino had already accepted.
- According to Cuba Gooding Jr., he met with Oliver Stone about playing the role of Willie Beamen but Stone turned Gooding down because he had already played a football player in Jerry Maguire (1996).
- Many real life football players appear in the film as additional players. Including Terrell Owens, who wears number 82 rather than his playing number, 81.
- James Caviezel played Tony D'Amato's estranged son, but his scenes were cut. They can be seen in the extras of the Oliver Stone Collection DVD. Tom Sizemore also had a role in the film, but it too was cut.
- For the scenes during a football game, production asked local schools to participate as extras for the movie, including Lake Stevens Middle School in Miami, Florida. For each shot the crowd was asked to move around so that each section looked filled, in empty seats cardboard cutouts we placed in seats with balloons attached to them so that they would seem in motion.
- According to Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J took the scripted rivalry between their characters too seriously and punched Foxx in the face while filming the scene in which their characters fight. They then had an altercation in which Foxx received a cut on his head before the two were separated.
- Oliver Stone wanted to use the music of the Canadian band Godspeed You! Black Emperor and actually filmed a scene using their music, when he later asked for permission, the band said no, so Stone was forced to redo the scene without the music.
- Cameo: Barry Switzer former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys as a television commentator for the game between the Miami Sharks and the Dallas Knights (filmed in Texas Stadium, where Switzer once coached).
- The character Jack Rose is loosely based on sports radio talk show host Jim Rome, who was attacked by quarterback Jim Everett and "talks smack".
- NFL running back Darnell Autry auditioned for the film, but was told that he did not look enough like a football player. Several well-known actors who auditioned for roles were turned down by Stone because their football ability was insufficient.
Charlton Heston plays a small role as the commisioner of the league. Earlier in the movie before he appears, it is shown that at Tony's house Tony is watching Ben-Hur which also stars Charlton Heston.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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