Sliding Doors (1998)

Country of Origin: UK / USA
Year of Production: 1998
Running Times: 99 mins
Format: Technicolor 35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby Digital

(Full Credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Intermedia Films / Mirage Enterprises / Miramax Films / Paramount Pictures
Executive Producers: Guy East, Nigel Sinclair
Producers: Philippa Braithwaite, William Horberg, Sydney Pollack
Co-Producer: David Wisnievitz
Line Producer: Helen Booth
Associate Producer: Sandy Poustie

SCRIPT
Script: Peter Howitt

DIRECTION
Director: Peter Howitt

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Remi Adefarasin

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: John Smith

MUSIC
Music: David Hirschfelder
Music Performed By: Film Harmonix
Songs Performed By: René Dif, Claus Norreen, Lene Nystrřm, Sřren Rasted (Turn Back Time); Dido (Thank You); Dodgy (Good Enough)

SOUND
Sound Mixer: John Midgley
Boom Operator: June Prinz

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Key Make Up Designer: Tina Earnshaw
Make Up: Rebecca Lafford, Lisa McDevitt
Key Hair: Simon Thompson
Hair: Graham Pownall, Zoe Tahir
Costume Designer: Jill Taylor

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Cinesite (Europe) Ltd
Special Effects Supervisor: Bob Hollow

VISUAL EFFECTS
Titles and Opticals: Cine Image

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Maria Djurkovic
Art Director: Martyn John

LOCATIONS
Locations: Waterloo and City Line, London Underground, London, England, UK; Albert Bridge, Battersea, London, England, UK; Bertorelli's Restaurant, Charlotte Street, London, England, UK; Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Rd, London, England, UK; Fulham Broadway, London, England, UK; Hammersmith Bridge, London, England, UK; Mas Cafe, All Saints Road, London, England, UK
Studio: Shepperton Studios, England, UK

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Helen Caldwell
Stunt: Roy Alon, Helen Caldwell, Adrian O'Neil, Seon Rogers

CASTING
Casting: Michelle Guish

CAST
Gwyneth Paltrow (Helen Quilley)
John Hannah (James Hammerton)
John Lynch (Gerry)
Jeanne Tripplehorn (Lydia)
Zara Turner (Anna)
Douglas McFerran (Russell)
Paul Brightwell (Clive)
Nina Young (Claudia)
Virginia McKenna (James' mother)
Kevin McNally (David)
Terry English (kind cabbie)
Paul Stacey (man on tube)
Peter Howitt (cheeky bloke)
Joanna Roth (suspicious girl)
Neil Stuke (defensive bloke)
Theresa Kartell (Rachael)
Evelyn Duah (receptionist)
Linda Broughton (theatre nurse)
Charlotte Fryer (doctor)
Pip Miller (consultant)
Christopher Villiers (Steve)
Merryn Jones (mother)
Ella Jones (child)
Julie McDowell (concerned diner)

When Helen is sacked from her PR job, it sets in motion a chain of events that will change her life. On the way to catching the tube home, a second version of herself is created - one of the Helen's catches the tube home and catches her lover Gerry in bed with another woman while the other misses the tube, gets mugged and returns home to find Gerry alone. The film follows the fortunes of the two Helen's whose lives exist side-by-side.

A cleverly written and likeable romantic comedy with a strange and unexpected quantum twist. The script is witty and original, the acting uniformly excellent and Hewitt's direction assured. It's vision of London will be unfamiliar to anyone who lives there, but that's a minor gripe in an ambitious and original film.

Argentina
Theatrical Distributor: Lider Films
Video Distributor: Transeuropa Video Entertainment

Canada
Theatrical Distributor: Alliance Atlantis Communications

Finland
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros. Finland

France
Theatrical Distributor: AMLF

Germany
Theatrical Distributor: Jugendfilm-Verleih GmbH

Italy
Theatrical Distributor: Medusa Distribuzione

Japan
Theatrical Distributor: Kuzui Enterprises

Portugal
Theatrical Distributor: Lusomundo

Switzerland
Theatrical Distributor: Ascot Elite Entertainment Group

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Paramount Pictures / United International Pictures

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Miramax Films
Laserdisc Distributor: Paramount (LD 335763-WS)
DVD Distributor: Paramount (335767)

Argentina
Rating: 13

Australia
Rating: M

Chile
Rating: 14

Finland
Rating: K-12

France
Rating: U

Germany
Rating: 6

Hong Kong
Rating: IIA

Hungary
Rating: 14

Italy
Rating: T

Mexico
Rating: B

Netherlands
Rating: AL

Norway
Rating: 7

Portugal
Rating: M/12

Singapore
Rating: PG

Spain
Rating: T

Sweden
Rating: 7

Switzerland
Rating: 12

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R (for some sexuality and language); PG-13 (re-edited version)

1998
European Film Awards
Best Screenwriter (Peter Howitt) - winner

San Diego Film Critics Society Awards, USA
Best Original Screenplay (Peter Howitt) - winner
Special Award (Gwyneth Paltrow) - winner (also for Shakespeare in Love (1998), for consistent acting excellence)

San Sebastián International Film Festival
Golden Seashell (Peter Howitt) - nominated

1999
BAFTA Awards, UK
Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film: Philippa Braithwaite (William Horberg, Peter Howitt, Sydney Pollack) - nominated

Empire Awards, UK
Best British Director (Peter Howitt) - winner

Florida Film Critics Circle Awards, USA
Best Actress (Gwyneth Paltrow) - winner (also for Shakespeare in Love (1998))

1998
February
21: Germany - shown at the Berlinale Festival

April
24: USA - theatrical release

May
1: UK - theatrical release
15: Switzerland - theatrical release (in German speaking region)

June
25: Singapore - theatrical release

July
2: Hong Kong - theatrical release
10: Denmark, Sweden - theatrical release
30: Australia - theatrical release

August
7: Iceland - theatrical release
20: New Zealand - theatrical release

September
4: Brazil, Italy - theatrical release
5: South Korea - theatrical release
12: Japan - theatrical release
18: Portugal - theatrical release
24: Slovenia - theatrical release
25: Mexico - theatrical release

October
9: Finland - theatrical release
14: Belgium, France - theatrical release
30: Spain - theatrical release

November
19: Germany - theatrical release
20: Austria 20 - theatrical release

December
1: USA - laserdisc release (Paramount (LD 335763-WS)); DVD release (Paramount (335767))
11: Estonia - theatrical release
31: Slovakia - theatrical release

1999
March
25: Hungary - theatrical release

May
6: Argentina - theatrical release

July
22: Netherlands - theatrical release

December
10: Thailand - theatrical release

There are two sides to every story. Helen is about to live both of them ...at the same time. Romance was never this much fun.

What if one split second sent your life in two completely different directions?.

Helen is about to find that romance was never this much fun.

Sie liebt ihn - sie liebt ihn nicht - German title
Dos vidas en un instante - Spanish title
Sliding doors: Dos vidas en un instante - Spanish title
Si yo hubiera - Mexican title
Sliding Doors - yksi hetki, kaksi tarinaa - Finnish title
Pile et face - French title
A nö kétszer - Hungarian title
Instantes Decisivos - Portugese title

MAGAZINES

Ciné Live October 1998 p.39 (France)
review (by Anne Michel)

Film Review June 1998 p.18 (UK)
review (by Neil Corry)

Total Film June 1998 p.87 (UK)
review (by Emma Cochrane)

Total Film July 1999 p.106 (UK)
review (by Tom Whitaker)

NEWSPAPERS

A Capital 18 September 1998 (Portugal)
review (by Rui Brazuna)

A Capital, Guia TV 14 May 1999 (Portugal)
review (by Rui Brazuna)

Correio da Manhă 18 September 1998 (Portugal)
review (by Vitoriano Rosa)

Diário de Notícias 18 September 1998 (Portugal)
review (by Eurico De Barros)

Diário de Notícias, DNmais 19 September 1998 (Portugal)
review (by José De Matos-Cruz)

Expresso, Cartaz 19 September 1998 (Portugal)
review (by Manuel Cintra Ferreira)

Svenska Dagbladet 9 July 1998 (Sweden)
interview (Välj ett öde pĺ öppet köp by Jeanette Gentele)

Svenska Dagbladet 10 July 1998 (Sweden)
review (Älskvärt men utan skärpa by Elisabeth Sörenson)

alternate realities; london; waitresses; writers; infidelity; muggings; tube trains