Down with Love (2003)

Director:

Peyton Reed

Writers (WGA):

Eve Ahlert (written by) &
Dennis Drake (written by)

Release Date:

16 May 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The ultimate catch has met his match.

Plot:

Aaaah... it's New York City in 1962, and love is blooming between a journalist and a feminist advice author, who's falling head over heels despite her beau's playboy lifestyle.

Plot Keywords:

Author | Chocolate | 1960s | Farce | New York City

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Renée Zellweger	...	Barbara Novak
Ewan McGregor	...	Catcher Block
Sarah Paulson	...	Vikki Hiller
David Hyde Pierce	...	Peter MacMannus
Rachel Dratch	...	Gladys
Jack Plotnick	...	Maurice
Tony Randall	...	Theodore Banner
John Aylward	...	E.G.
Warren Munson	...	C.B.
Matt Ross	...	J.B.
Michael Ensign	...	J.R.
Timothy Omundson	...	R.J.
Jeri Ryan	...	Gwendolyn
Ivana Milicevic	...	Yvette
Melissa George	...	Elkie

Also Known As:

Down with Love - Zum Teufel mit der Liebe! (Germany)
Abajo el amor (Argentina) (Mexico) (Spain) (Venezuela) [es]
К черту любовь! (Russia) [ru]
Abaixo o Amor (Brazil) [pt]
Abbasso l'amore (Italy) [it]
Aska veda (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Assez avec l'amour (Canada: French title) (DVD box title) [fr]
Bye Bye Love (France) [fr]
Kato o erotas! (Greece) [el]
L'amour non merci (Canada: French title) (dubbed version) [fr]
Pokolba a szerelemmel (Hungary) [hu]
Vähät rakkaudesta (Finland) [fi]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor and dialogue.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:18SX | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Denmark:A | Finland:K-7 | Germany:o.Al. (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39331)

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Center Studios - 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox 2000 Pictures

Trivia:

There are several pieces of dialogue that mention "Nazi rocket scientists." This is a reference to Operation Paper Clip, the post-World War 2 U.S. Government project that transferred the Nazi scientists who developed the V-2 rockets that bombed London to the U.S. to work on the beginnings of the U.S. Space Program, largely in Huntsville, Alabama. The most famous of these scientists, Wernher Von Braun, had been the technical director of a Nazi rocket factory that was staffed by slave labor from the nearby Mittelbau-Dora Concentration Camp. Von Braun was essential in the creation of the Redstone missile, the basis for the U.S. Missile program, and the Saturn V rocket, the basis of the Apollo program, which sent American astronauts to the moon.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In an early scene a shot is taken of the UN building showing the flags from different countries. The flag for Canada shows the 11-pointed, red maple leaf. This flag was only adopted in 1964 and made its first appearance on February 15, 1965. Since this movie takes place in 1962 the correct Canadian flag would have been the Red Ensign which had a small version of the British Union Jack in the upper left hand corner and the coat of arms for Canada in the middle right-hand side on a background of red.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: The place: New York City. The time: Now, 1962. And there's no time or place like it. If you've got a dream, this is the place to make that dream come true. That's why the soaring population of hopeful dreamers has just reached eight million people. Oh! Make that eight million and one.

Movie Connections:

Edited from My Man Godfrey (1957)

Soundtrack:

Wedding Tarantella

Up with this movie! It pays great homage to the Doris & Rock films

Barbara (Renee Zellweger) has just written a book called Down With Love. She leaves Maine and lands in New York City, where her book is about to hit the shelves. Unfortunately, the male executives at her publishing house have doubts about the new tome and are not forking over any marketing money. The lone woman at Banner publishing, Vicki, takes Barbara under her wing and they work to get the nonfiction title some fame. First, they decide to ask Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor), a prominent male writer for Know magazine, to do a cover story for the book. He postpones the interview again and again. In the meantime, Vicki and Barbara get the book mentioned on the Ed Sullivan show. Soon, copies of DWL are flying out of the bookstores, mainly because the book empowers women to think more about themselves and less about attracting a man. Catcher spies a picture of Barbara in a bookstore window and knows he has to meet her. However, since he is a notorious ladies man, he assumes the identity of an astronaut named Zip Martin. Naturally, he plays the perfect gentleman when he begins to take Barbara out on the town. How long will it be until Barbara discovers the truth? And, will she have fallen for the guy first? Romantic comedy fans everywhere should love this film. It is a takeoff of the old Doris and Rock movies that are so delightfully fun and full of clean mischief. Zellweger and McGregor are a joy in their roles as the smitten couple. The rest of the cast, including a cameo by Tony Randall, are great, too. The look of the film is nice, as are the costumes and the Big Apple setting. If you love crazy, contrived, comic love tales, get this one tonight. You will bask in its take-me-out-of-my-blues delivery.