Trivia for
Running on Empty (1988) More at IMDbPro »

• Director Sidney Lumet writes in his book "Making Movies" about an argument between River Phoenix and writer Naomi Foner. A scene in the movie concerns the character played by Phoenix being interrupted while practicing a classical piano solo. In the script, when he is caught, he breaks into a jazz riff to cover his "embarrassment" at being caught doing something serious. Phoenix fought hard against this, feeling that his character would never be embarrassed about working at the piano. Lumet was so impressed by the point Phoenix made, he shot the scene the way Phoenix wanted it.
  
  
• Arthur meets the contact in front of the Eldridge Street Synagogue, which was built on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1887 by immigrants from Eastern Europe.
  
  
• One of only a handful of films to successfully have its MPAA rating changed through the formal appeals process. Originally given an "R" due to more than one use of the "F" word, it was revised to "PG13". Usually, only high-quality films of historic or social import are successfully appealed (e.g., "All the President's Men", "The Front").
  
  
• Although River Phoenix learned all the hand motions to the piano pieces his character performs in the movie, the audio was dubbed by a professional pianist.
  
  

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