Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Mike Newell

Writers (WGA):

Lawrence Konner (written by) &
Mark Rosenthal (written by)

Release Date:

19 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

In a world that told them how to think, she showed them how to live.

Plot:

A free-thinking art professor teaches conservative 50's Wellesley girls to question their traditional societal roles.

Plot Keywords:

Student | Art | College | School | Art History

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Julia Roberts	...	Katherine Ann Watson
Kirsten Dunst	...	Betty Warren
Julia Stiles	...	Joan Brandwyn
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Giselle Levy
Ginnifer Goodwin	...	Connie Baker
Dominic West	...	Bill Dunbar
Juliet Stevenson	...	Amanda Armstrong
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Nancy Abbey
John Slattery	...	Paul Moore
Marian Seldes	...	President Jocelyn Carr
Donna Mitchell	...	Mrs. Warren
Terence Rigby	...	Dr. Edward Staunton
Jennie Eisenhower	...	Girl at the Station
Leslie Lyles	...	Housing Director
Laura Allen	...	Susan Delacorte
Topher Grace	...	Tommy Donegal
Lily Lodge	...	House Matron
Jordan Bridges	...	Spencer Jones
Ebon Moss-Bachrach	...	Charlie Stewart
Christopher Braden Jones	...	Bartender
Chuck Montgomery	...	Tall Man
Taylor Roberts	...	Louise
John Scurti	...	Stan Sher
Ed Peed	...	Taxi Driver
Rony Clanton	...	Porter
Becky Veduccio	...	Blue Ship Hostess
Paul Vincent Black	...	Joseph O'Neill
Lisa Roberts Gillan	...	Miss Albini
June Miller	...	Cape Cod Hostess
Aleksa Palladino	...	Frances the Girl in Italian Class
Charles Techman	...	Harvard Dorm Monitor
Lauren Adler	...	Art History Student
Daisy Baldwin	...	Art History Student
Janine Barris	...	Art History Student
Emily Bauer	...	Art History Student
Kirstie Bingham	...	Art History Student
Jennifer Bowen	...	Art History Student
Angelique Claire	...	Art History Student
Nikki Coble	...	Art History Student
Kristen Connolly	...	Art History Student
Kristyn Coppola	...	Art History Student
Kimberly Ehly	...	Art History Student
Megan Marie Ford	...	Art History Student
Lauren Fruchter	...	Art History Student
Kate Glass	...	Art History Student
Amanda Gruss	...	Art History Student
Stella Hao	...	Art History Student
Walker Hays	...	Art History Student
Michele Hillen	...	Art History Student
Annika Marks	...	Art History Student
Amy Montminy	...	Art History Student
Lily Rabe	...	Art History Student
Katherine Reilly	...	Art History Student
Krysten Ritter	...	Art History Student
Brandy Tipton	...	Art History Student
Trisha Trokan	...	Art History Student
Megan Tropea	...	Art History Student
Maria Wampuszyc	...	Art History Student (as Maja Walpvszyl)
Mary Pascoe	...	Photographer (as Mary S. Pascoe)
Elise Passamani	...	Phyllis
Laura M. Flahive	...	Wet Girl
Devon Jencks	...	Wet Girl
Erin E. Richardson	...	Wet Girl
Emily R. See	...	Wet Girl
Rob Buntzen	...	Wedding Planner Host
Richard O'Rourke	...	Igor
Chris Bonomo	...	Groomsman
Katherine Argo	...	Dancer
Shelby Bond	...	Dancer
Lou Brock	...	Dancer
Michael Choi	...	Dancer
Melissa Deles	...	Dancer
John D. Fowler	...	Dancer
Nicole Frydman	...	Dancer
Noelle Gibson	...	Dancer
Maria Vicens Girau	...	Dancer
Natalie Gomez	...	Dancer
Sid Grant	...	Dancer
Madeleine Hackney	...	Dancer
Betina Hershey	...	Dancer
Yuval Hod	...	Dancer
Richard Jones	...	Dancer
Jerry Jordan	...	Dancer
Nickolay Khazanov	...	Dancer
Nadia Kravets	...	Dancer
Maria Levinstein	...	Dancer
KellyDawn Malloy	...	Dancer
Annette Nicole	...	Dancer
Lance Olds	...	Dancer
Joe Palmer	...	Dancer
Christian Perry	...	Dancer
Daniel Ponickly	...	Dancer
Tony Scheppler	...	Dancer
Solomon Singer	...	Dancer
Gabriel Vaughan	...	Dancer
Kim Villanueva	...	Dancer
Dan Weltner	...	Dancer
Sarah Billings Wheeler	...	Dancer
Denise Zadroga	...	Dancer
Peter J. Rowan	...	Wedding Photographer
Tori Amos	...	Wedding Singer
Kevin Osborne	...	Band Announcer
Brad Mehldau	...	Pianist
Larry Grenadier	...	Bass Player
Julie Wagner	...	Bartender
Jennifer H. Anderson	...	Projectionist (as Jennifer Anderson)
Lindsey White	...	Projectionist
Chris Burke	...	Custodian
Dorothy Dwyer	...	Faculty
Melanie Angelique Moyer	...	Christmas Student
Canedy Knowles	...	Christmas Student
Kristen Marie Holly	...	Christmas Student
Carrie Ann Kaye	...	Christmas Student
Liliane Thomas	...	Woman on Train
Jackie Sanders	...	Band Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Corey W. Allen	...	Giselle's Wedding Date (uncredited)
Rob Armstrong	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Whitney Avalon	...	Almost-Hit Bike Rider (uncredited)
Eric Bruno Borgman	...	College Janitor (uncredited)
Marylouise Burke	...	President Jocelyn Carr's secretary (uncredited)
Katrina Connor	...	Art History Student (uncredited)
Marcus Allen Cooper	...	Harvard Student (uncredited)
Michael Cuomo	...	Swing Dancer (uncredited)
Erik Davies	...	Robert Flint (uncredited)
Fred DeReau	...	Warren Cousin (uncredited)
Marlo DiCrasto	...	Art History Student (uncredited)
Ashley Dru Douglass	...	Art history student (uncredited)
Liesl Ehardt	...	Joan Brandwyn's Friend (uncredited)
Aprill Fasino	...	Art History Student / Dancer (uncredited)
Lauren Ferrara	...	Little girl (uncredited)
Megan Ferrara	...	Little girl (uncredited)
Anna Fields	...	Eleanor Warren (uncredited)
Jeannette Gould	...	Faculty (uncredited)
Kathryn Gracey	...	Professor (uncredited)
Eric Hersh	...	Harvard Student (uncredited)
Ashley Hillis	...	Student (uncredited)
Jessica Leigh Johnson	...	Art History Student (uncredited)
Dana Lubotsky	...	Student (uncredited)
Josh Mann	...	Harvard Student (uncredited)
Trish McGettrick	...	Governor's Wife (uncredited)
Denis McKeown	...	Wedding guest (uncredited)
Marisa Mickel	...	Student (uncredited)
Mark C. Montague	...	Business Man (uncredited)
Randi Newton	...	Miranda (uncredited)
Marni Penning	...	Art History Student (uncredited)
James Donnell Quinn	...	Student (uncredited)
Dina Rose Rivera	...	Art History Student (uncredited)
Lindsay Roth	...	Student (uncredited)
Maria Rusolo	...	Swing Dancer (uncredited)
Megan Sambataro	...	Student (uncredited)
Cristie Schoen	...	Alto Sax Player (uncredited)
Matthew Shaffer	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Frank Stellato	...	NYC Cabbie (uncredited)
Jill Whitaker	...	Vanessa McEntyre (uncredited)
Gunna Wilson	...	Spencer's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Newell

Writing credits (WGA)
Lawrence Konner		(written by) &
Mark Rosenthal		(written by)

Produced by
Richard Baratta	....	co-producer
Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas	....	producer
Joe Roth	....	executive producer
Paul Schiff	....	producer
Deborah Schindler	....	producer

Original Music by
Rachel Portman

Cinematography by
Anastas N. Michos		(director of photography) (as Anastas Michos)

Film Editing by
Mick Audsley

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth
Susie Farris

Production Design by
Jane Musky

Art Direction by
Patricia Woodbridge

Set Decoration by
Susan Bode		(as Susan Tyson)

Costume Design by
Michael Dennison

Makeup Department
Carla Antonino	....	makeup artist
Margot Boccia	....	makeup department head
John Caglione Jr.	....	co-key makeup artist
Robert Chiu	....	hair stylist
Bonnie Clevering	....	hair stylist: Ms. Roberts
Richard Dean	....	makeup artist: Ms. Roberts
Paula Dion	....	hair stylist
Joseph Farulla	....	makeup artist
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	hair stylist
Rob Fitz	....	additional makeup artist
Lisa Hazell	....	assistant hair stylist
Michelle Johnson	....	key hair stylist
Frances A. Kolar	....	co-key makeup artist
Heidi Kulow	....	makeup artist
Jeri La Shay	....	additional makeup artist
Christine Leiter	....	makeup artist
Brenda McNally	....	hair stylist
Kyra Panchenko	....	additional makeup artist: Kristen Dunst, Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal
Kerrie R. Plant	....	makeup artist
John Quaglia	....	key hair stylist (as John D. Quaglia)
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair department head
Joe Rossi	....	makeup artist
Sherryn Smith	....	additional makeup artist
Mary Anne Spano	....	additional makeup artist
Jeni Zaharian	....	additional makeup assistant: Boston
Nicki Ledermann	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Trish Seeney	....	additional makeup artist: Boston (uncredited)

Production Management
Richard Baratta	....	unit production manager
Tania Blunden	....	post-production supervisor (as Tania Windsor)
Paula McBreen	....	production manager: additional filming, UK
Pamela Thur	....	assistant production manager
Pamela Thur	....	production manager: second unit, Arizona, Oakland

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Eric Chapman	....	assistant director: re-shoots
Nancy Herrmann	....	additional second assistant director
Eddie Micallef	....	second assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director
Paul Schiff	....	second unit director
Noelle Stehman	....	additional second assistant director
Chris Surgent	....	first assistant director: second unit
Chris Surgent	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	construction coordinator
Peter Allburn	....	journeyman scenic
JoAnn Atwood	....	additional props
Toni Barton	....	assistant art director
Mickey Carter	....	props
James Donahue	....	scenic artist
Monica Fedrick	....	graphic designer
Ray Fisher	....	lead man: reshoots
Mark Fitzgibbons	....	assistant art director
Kyra Friedman	....	assistant set decorator
Robert Griffon Jr.	....	property master
Denise Gurkas	....	chargeperson scenic artist
Michael Kall	....	carpenter
Darrell K. Keister	....	assistant art director
Marion Kolsby	....	assistant art director
Barbra Matis	....	assistant art director
John 'Butch' McCarthy	....	on-set greens
John McDonnell	....	assistant property master
Jeff Naparstek	....	set dresser
Garry Pastore	....	set dresser
Addison Pettit	....	lead graphic artist
Gerarda Pizzarello	....	journeyman scenic
Brett Pransky	....	art department coordinator
Jeremy D. Pratt	....	construction accountant
Paul Richards	....	set dresser
Adam Roffman	....	set dresser: Boston
Daniel Rosenfeld	....	scenic shop manager: re-shoot
Michael Scarola	....	key construction grip
Kurt Smith	....	construction coordinator: Boston
Carl Sprague	....	art director: Boston
Theodore Suchecki	....	props
Joseph Michael Tenga	....	assistant art director
Susan Uriarte	....	art department production assistant
Dave Weinman	....	leadman
Alyssa Winter	....	assistant set decorator
Melissa Cooperman	....	set dresser: Boston (uncredited)
Sarah Dennis	....	set decorating production assistant (uncredited)
Molly Page	....	assistant to production designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Mark Auguste	....	supervising sound editor
Sam Auguste	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Burgis	....	foley artist
Tim Cavagin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Colin Cooper	....	adr mixer
Colette Dahanne	....	adr mixer
Andie Derrick	....	foley artist
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Phillip A. Hamilton	....	adr recordist
Lee Kerr	....	adr mixer
Sean Landeros	....	sound recordist
Daniel Laurie	....	adr editor
Daniel Laurie	....	dialogue editor
Kim Maitland	....	sound recordist
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
T.J. O'Mara	....	production sound mixer
Steve Single	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Derek Trigg	....	foley editor
Joe White	....	boom operator
G. John Garrett	....	playback recordist (uncredited)
Suzie Hollander	....	dailies synching (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William 'Billy Jack' Jakielaszek	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Marcus Alexander	....	visual effects editor: Framestore CFC
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor
Timothy Michael Cairns	....	quality control supervisor: Efilm/Panavision
Michael Eaves	....	digital color timer: efilm
Drew Jones	....	visual effects executive producer
Kevin Lin	....	digital cleanup artist
Christian Manz	....	digital compositor
Nicholas Seal	....	digital compositor
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	lamp operator
Tony Arnaud	....	grip
Woody Bell	....	company grip: on-location
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Arnold F. Brown	....	grip
Kenny Burke	....	rigging grip
Ronald Burke	....	dolly grip (as Ronnie Burke)
Paul Candrilli	....	grip
Mel Cannon	....	additional grip
Rick Cardillo	....	rigging electrician
Andrew Cheung	....	grip
Robert Clark	....	rigging grip: Boston
Stephen Consentino	....	Steadicam operator
Ralph G. Crowley	....	best boy electric
Andy Day	....	gaffer
Karen L. Dicey	....	rigging grip: Boston
James Edmiston	....	grip
Rachelle Fankhauser	....	electrician: Boston
Kevin Flynn	....	best boy grip
Daryl Furr	....	rigging electrician
Jamie Gallagher	....	generator operator
Jim Galvin	....	dimmer technician
Christopher F. Graneto	....	grip
Shawn Greene	....	electrician
Michael N. Green	....	additional rigging electrician
Charlie Grubbs	....	rigging gaffer
Michael Guerra	....	gaffer: second unit, Boston
Timothy Healy	....	electrician
William Hines	....	stage rigging gaffer
Michael Hunold	....	lamp operator
Mary Anne Janke	....	second assistant camera
Jessica Jennings	....	electrician
Brendan Keefe	....	electrician: Boston
Chris Kilduff	....	grip
Zach Lazar	....	electrician
Christopher Liscinsky	....	lamp operator
Chris Lombardozzi	....	generator operator
John R. Loyd	....	electrician
Brendon Malone	....	grip
Roger Marbury	....	best boy electric: Boston
Bob Marshak	....	still photographer
Peter Masterson	....	camera operator
Kevin McKenna	....	video assist operator
Tim Metivier	....	first assistant camera
Daniel Moder	....	director of photography: second unit
Ed Nessen	....	additional film loader
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Anna Novick	....	grip
Rocco Palmieri	....	lamp operator
Michael Peterson	....	rigging electric
Balint Pinczehelyi	....	grip
Brian A. Pitts	....	lightboard operator
Tom Prate	....	key grip
Mike Reed	....	rigging best boy electric
Kyle Rudolph	....	Steadicam operator
Lowell Schulman	....	rigging electrician
Tom Shinn	....	electrician
Susan Starr	....	additional camera operator
Craig Striano	....	crane operator: Super Technocrane
Irapaul Turner	....	grip
Tom Vulliez	....	grip
Frans Wetterings III	....	rigging best boy: Boston
Paul Goroff	....	super technocrane operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Peter Dudgeon	....	extras casting assistant
Kevin Fennessy	....	extras casting: Boston
Stephanie Holbrook	....	casting associate
Anna Maniscalco	....	extras casting associate
Cindy Morton	....	extras casting associate: Boston
Jennifer Sabel	....	extras casting assistant
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brian K. Barnes	....	wardrobe production assistant
Stephanie Biear	....	seamstress
Sabrina Calley	....	costumer
Susan Carrano	....	assistant costume designer
Patrick Chevillot	....	assistant costume designer
Charles C. Crutchfield	....	additional costumer
David Davenport	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lara Greene	....	seamstress
Lara Greene	....	tailor
Amy Habacker	....	set costumer
Addie Hall	....	costumer
Mei Lai Hippisley Coxe	....	set costumer
Debbie Holbrook	....	key costumer: Massachusetts
Joni M. Huth	....	costume shop supervisor
Nina Johnston	....	key set costumer
John Kouromihelakis	....	wardrobe production assistant
Lisa Lesniak	....	costumer: Boston
Debbie Lucas	....	seamstress
Fionnuala M. Lynch	....	additional costumer
Estella Marie	....	additional seamstress
Dorothy Masters	....	seamstress
Bryan Mathison	....	costumer
Aimee McCue	....	costumer
Alethea McElroy	....	wardrobe production assistant
Mary Jo McGrath	....	costume coordinator
Winsome G. McKoy	....	additional costumer
Maggie Morgan	....	assistant costume designer
Margaret Palmer	....	costumer
Chris Ann Pappas	....	costume assistant
Jonny Pray	....	costume supervisor
Dana Schaefer	....	additional costumer
Carolyn Schnitzer	....	costumer
Tom Soluri	....	set costumer
Thomas Stokes	....	wardrobe supervisor: Boston
Hartsell Taylor	....	costumer
Fran Vega-Buck	....	costumer: Julia Roberts (as Frances Vega)
Peter White	....	costumer
Susan J. Wright	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Aisha Bicknell	....	post-production coordinator
Steve Calalang	....	dailies colorist
Andrew Haigh	....	assistant editor
Jack Lewars	....	assistant color timer: Efilm
Lea Morement	....	first assistant editor: film
Chris Regan	....	color timer
Dan Roberts	....	first assistant editor
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Zeborah Tidwell	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Sophie Cornet	....	second music editor
Chris Cozens	....	auricle control systems
Chris Dibble	....	scoring mixer
Tony Finno	....	music arranger: source music
Michael Higham	....	music editor
Lewis Jones	....	assistant score mixer
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor
Andy Richards	....	music mixing engineer
Kevin Townend	....	song orchestrator

Transportation Department
Denise Avallon	....	driver
Robert Buckman	....	driver
Robert Buckman	....	transportation co-captain
James Collins	....	driver
Michael Hyde	....	transportation coordinator
Bobby Marsh	....	driver
Robert Martini	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Nathan Adloff	....	production assistant: classroom segment
Joseph Aquino	....	location assistant (as Aquino Joe)
Mira Bailey	....	set production assistant: San Francisco
Claudia Bestor	....	key assistant location manager: second unit, Arizona
Robin Borden	....	stand-in: Marcia Gay Harden
Kelly Britt	....	board operator
Keira Bromberg	....	production assistant: Boston
Patty Carey	....	assistant location manager
Jeff Caron	....	assistant: Mr. Newell
Kerry Carter	....	production assistant
David Catalano	....	set production assistant
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Greg Chiodo	....	location assistant
Christian H. Clark	....	production assistant
Rashad Clinton	....	production assistant
Kelly Cronin	....	script supervisor: second unit, Wellesley, MA
Adam Davenport	....	production assistant
Philip DeRise	....	office production assistant
Ged Dickersin	....	location scout
Jason Farrar	....	location assistant
David John Ferguson	....	set location production assistant
Dan Furst	....	production assistant
Joe Gagnepain	....	location assistant
Jose F. Guerrero	....	location scout
George Herthel	....	location manager: Arizona
Kristen Marie Holly	....	photo double: Kirsten Dunst
Kristen Marie Holly	....	stand-in: Kirsten Dunst
Jule Ann Jappe	....	location scout
Kerry Kane	....	assistant: Ms. Schindler
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Dan Kemp	....	location manager: San Francisco
Ian Kennedy	....	office production assistant
Scott Kordish	....	production coordinator
Laura H. Kreft	....	payroll accountant
Michael Kriaris	....	assistant location manager
Julie Kuehndorf	....	unit publicist
Stephanie Langhoff	....	assistant: Ms. Goldsmith-Thomas
Stephen L'Heureux	....	post-production finance
Kathryn Malone	....	production secretary
Jennifer Marbury	....	art department coordinator: Boston
Yvonne Marceau	....	choreographer
Scott Masterson	....	set production assistant
David M. McGuire	....	location assistant
Bruno Michels	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Margaret R. Montagnino	....	local production secretary
Kip Myers	....	location assistant
Erik Neldner	....	location scout: San Francisco
Taylor Norton	....	production assistant
Anna Novick	....	production assistant
Greg Outcalt	....	assistant production coordinator
Scooter Perrotta	....	production assistant
Danielle Perry	....	photo double: Ms. Dunst, Boston
Lyn Pinezich	....	location manager
Luke Poling	....	production assistant
Elizabeth Puccini	....	researcher
Meredith Rose	....	set production assistant
Henri Sann	....	production assistant
Erin Sarofsky	....	main title designer
Cristie Schoen	....	chef
Ethan Smith	....	location assistant
Ellen Stafford	....	producer: main titles
Constantine P. Stamos	....	craft service assistant
Eugene Stamos	....	additional craft service assistant
Mason Steinberg	....	production assistant
Jillian Stein	....	office production assistant
Kevin Vargus	....	production assistant
Doug Wilson	....	location assistant
Derek Wimble	....	set production assistant
Janice Yang	....	set production assistant: Wellesley
Marisa Yeres	....	assistant: Ms. Goldsmith-Thomas
Shangyu Yin	....	main title designer
Christopher Zatta	....	production assistant
Andrew Zee	....	assistant: Paul Schiff
Randy Manion	....	location scout (uncredited)
Peter Pamela Rose	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Revolution Studios
• Red Om Films

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2003) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)
• Prooptiki Video (2004) (Greece) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)

Special Effects

• Framestore CFC (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Digital Kitchen  titles
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Epic Records  soundtrack
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing  vintage clothing rentals
• L.A. Mad Dogs  loop group
• Lansdown Recording Studios  music mixed at (as Lansdowne Recording Studios)
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  editing equipment
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound post-production

Also Known As:

La sonrisa de Mona Lisa (Argentina) (Spain) (Venezuela) [es]
Le sourire de Mona Lisa (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Mona Lisas Lächeln (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Улыбка Моны Лизы (Russia) [ru]
Mona Lisa Smile (Finland) [fi]
Mona Lisa gülüsü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Mona Lisa naeratus (Estonia) [et]
Mona Lisas leende (Sweden) [sv]
O Sorriso de Mona Lisa (Brazil) [pt]
To hamogelo tis Mona Lisa (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and thematic issues.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Canada:G (British Columbia/Ontario/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Finland:S | South Korea:12 | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Hong Kong:IIA | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7

Filming Locations:

Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

During the scene in the pool, the girls that can be seen synchronized swimming in the background are the members of the Wheaton College Synchronized Swim Team (in Massachusetts) from the 2002-2003 season.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Betty is typing her editorial against the school nurse, she narrates it as: "... has been willingly distributing..." but when we see what is being typed, she types "disb" as the start of "distributing."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Betty Warren: [voiceover] All her life, she had wanted to teach at Wellesley College. So, when a position opened in the Art History department, she pursued it single-mindedly until she was hired. It was whispered that Katherine Watson, a first-year teacher from Oakland State, made up in brains what she lacked in pedigree. Which was why this bohemian from California was on her way to the most conservative college in the nation.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Love Lucy

Bimbo Ensemble Casting Disaster

A film that laughably puts forth Julia Roberts yet again, as 1) art historian, 2) woman with a brain, 3)intellectual leader of young women, should signal to anyone that this film can be easily missed. Marketing, casting directors, and studio big bucks have made a cretin public think this woman can act, much less, earn an Oscar, but Mona Lisa Smile should be the wakeup call for the Academy to ask Ms. Roberts to return her statuette. Like Halle Berry's summer debacle, Catwoman, MLS suggests Roberts can assume any role with credibility, and that audiences will spend money to see her flash her overbite. Not so. In a chick's flick variation on Robin William's boy school foray, Mona Lisa Smile repeats the same premise with the same snobby atmosphere of preppy girls whose boobs are bigger than their brains.

Leading the pack of status conscious bimbos is Kirsten Dunst whose close-minded shrewish presence has not rhyme nor reason for her bad attitude toward all, but justifies why her new groom takes any and all opportunity to desert her at the prom. Why her friends would want to be around her is never explained for she is neither generous nor a friend. Maggie Guillenhall(sp) continues to play the slag, and Julia Stiles, can easily pass for the role of young Martha Stewart.

A silly, unoriginal premise find Ms. Roberts a first year professor of art history with a class of over-achievers, if they only knew they had something to achieve beyond the role of trophy wives in training. Being privileged, country club trained, Mame Eisenhower clones may have been the standard for 1953, but only for a small percent of the female population. Seeing these women ponder liberation is not only uninteresting, but the actors who play the shallow belles provide nothing to their roles that would make them worthy of screen time.

The Mona Lisa Smile reinforces Hollywood film factory pablum with standardized, cookie- cutter blondeness that ultimately turns the film into a bland and unpalatable mush. It insults the modernist paintings that Ms. Roberts character tries to advance before her dull-minded class.