Kindergarten Cop
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| Kindergarten Cop | |
 Kindergarten Cop film poster |
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| Directed by | Ivan Reitman |
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| Produced by | Brian Grazer Ivan Reitman |
| Written by | Murray Salem Hershel Weingrod Timothy Harris |
| Starring | Arnold Schwarzenegger Penelope Ann Miller Pamela Reed |
| Music by | Randy Edelman |
| Cinematography | Michael Chapman |
| Editing by | Wendy Greene Bricmont Sheldon Kahn |
| Studio | Imagine Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures (USA) United International Pictures (foreign) |
| Release date(s) | 21 December 1990 |
| Running time | 112 mins |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English Spanish |
| Budget | $15,000,000 |
| Gross revenue | $201,957,688 |
Kindergarten Cop is a 1990 comedy thriller film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough loner police detective, who goes after drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson), before he can get to his ex-wife and son. Pamela Reed plays his partner Phoebe O'Hara, a teacher-turned-cop and Penelope Ann Miller plays Joyce, the teacher who becomes Kimble's love interest. The original music score was composed by Randy Edelman. Schwarzenegger received a salary of $12 million for his role in the film.[1]
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[edit] Plot
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The plot summary in this article is too long or detailed compared to the rest of the content. Please edit the article to focus on discussing the work rather than merely reiterating the plot. (July 2009) |
The taciturn, stubborn, autocratic, violent Police Detective John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has pursued drug dealer Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson) for years. He finally arrests Crisp for murder, but is unable to convict him due to the refusal of a witness named Cindy (whose boyfriend Danny was shot and killed by Crisp) to identify the killer. After Kimble psychologically humbles Cindy, Crisp is identified in a police line-up. Kimble, accompanied by Detective Phoebe O'Hara (Pamela Reed), is then ordered to go undercover in Astoria, Oregon, to find Crisp's ex-wife Rachel and their son, who are hiding from him, and offer her a deal to testify against Cullen. Since their appearance is not known to them, O'Hara is to act as the substitute teacher of the son's kindergarten class at Astoria Elementary School while Kimble has to track down the identity of the mother, who is believed to have stolen money from Crisp.
Unfortunately, O'Hara, who is hypoglycemic, gets a terrible case of the stomach flu and falls ill at the last moment. Kimble therefore takes the teacher's job, much to the suspicion of the school principal, Miss Schlowski (Linda Hunt). Despite having no teaching experience — and thus initially collapsing beneath the stress—Kimble soon adapts progressively to his new status. Using his tame ferret as a class pet, his police training as a model for structure of the classes, fun games such as "Who Is Your Daddy And What Does He Do?", and positive reinforcement, he becomes a much-admired and cherished figure to the children despite the aggravation they bring him. In turn, Kimble begins to love his cover job and his young charges, even to the point of manhandling an abusive father whose son Zach attends Kimble's class.
Kimble becomes passionately fond of his student Dominic's mother Joyce (Penelope Ann Miller), who also works at the school. Joyce, like many other of the students' mothers, is on terms of estrangement from her husband, so that she will not speak of him. This excites the suspicions of Kimble. In a conversation with the gradually more trusting Joyce, Kimble learns that Joyce and his quarry Rachel are one and the same, and conveys this to O'Hara.
Crisp is released from jail when his attorney arranges for his mother Eleanor (Carroll Baker) to poison Cindy, who is the only witness. When they receive the news of Cindy's death and Crisp's release, Kimble and O'Hara tell Joyce the truth of their mission. She tells them that she never stole any money, but that Crisp wishes to control Dominic. She then leaves in a rush. Kimble attempts to track them down, to find that Dominic has gone without the knowledge of his mother to plant toy lasers in a radio-transmitter tower. Dominic has been raised believing that his mother has enemies, identified only as the "bad people"; to quell his own feelings of helplessness, he has made these toys and now wishes to put them into action. Kimble, remembering this, is able to retrieve Dominic. Joyce and Kimble share a kiss, as a sign of her gratitude and his protection.
During the next day, at the school, a newly arrived Crisp deliberately causes a fire in the library, which triggers the school fire alarm and initiates an evacuation as a diversion for the rest of the school children, and thus abducts his son; the other children, who have been put on the alert by O'Hara, see him and he flees. While Kimble searches for them, a frightened Dominic attempts to escape his kidnapper. Outside, O'Hara attempts to get in the building, but is kept outside by the firefighters. She takes her revolver out of her purse and runs around to the back of the school to get in, but is struck by Eleanor's 1989 Buick Century, after which Eleanor steals her gun. In the school's locker room, Kimble and Crisp fight over Dominic. When Kimble has the upper hand, Crisp threatens to kill his son. Just as Crisp is about to shoot Kimble, Kimble's tame ferret emerges from Dominic's shirt, where he had been concealed, and bites Crisp on the neck (earlier, Kimble told the children that ferret doesn't bite), causing Crisp to shoot Kimble in the leg. Kimble grabs his gun and kills Crisp by shooting him three times in the chest. Dominic, Joyce, and the ferret escape.
Eleanor enters and threatens the wounded Kimble. As she is about to kill him, an apparently intact but injured O'Hara enters and knocks her unconscious with a baseball bat. Eleanor is arrested, while the unconscious Kimble (much to the sadness of the children) is hospitalized. During his recovery, O'Hara and her chef fiancée announce their marriage, inviting him to it.
While Kimble recovers, he comes back to the school to visit his kindergarten classroom. While he is visiting, Joyce sees him and kisses him in front of all the kids. / Other Reviewers have said the Kimble returns as a full time teacher of his Kindergarten class, and leaves the police force. This is due to the fact that O'Hara needs to ask where to send the wedding invitation (California or Astoria), even though his assignment in Astoria has finished. And also, when the school principal (Linda Hunt) says to Kimble as he re-enters the classroom "They're all yours", and hands him his teaching whistle, whereupon Kimble is given a hearty welcome back by Phoebe and his pupils.
[edit] Filming locations
Exterior scenes at "Astoria Elementary School" were filmed at John Jacob Astor Elementary School, located at 3550 Franklin Ave. in Astoria, Oregon.[2]
At Astor, Universal Studios hired local artists to paint murals on the walls, provided new playground equipment, fenced the playground, and laid a new lawn and hedges around the school building. Most of the filming was completed after school was out in June 1989; therefore many of the students and staff were able to be in the movie as extras. Students' artwork was also used. Teachers and neighbors, as well as students, were used in filming; viewers see Astor School's custodian, "Mr. John" raising the flag for an early morning scene.[citation needed]
Also filmed in or near Astoria:
- John and Phoebe stayed at the Bayview Motel, 783 W. Marine Drive, Astoria. The vintage lodging facility "played itself" in the film.
- Scenes involving John and Phoebe walking to dinner, and Crisp and his mother shopping, were filmed on Commercial Street in downtown Astoria.
- The exterior portions of the restaurant scene were filmed outside the Seafare Restaurant at the Red Lion Inn, 400 Industry St., in Astoria.
- Scenes at Joyce and Dominic's house (interior and exterior) were filmed at a private residence located at 414 Exchange St., Astoria.
- Highway scenes were filmed on U.S. 26 east of Seaside, Oregon, 20 miles from Astoria.
- The school picnic was filmed at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon, 25 miles south of Astoria.
Information on Astoria-area locations are courtesy of the Astoria & Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Interior school scenes were shot at Universal Studios in Hollywood, California.[2] The film's opening scene was filmed at the Westfield MainPlace in Santa Ana, California.[2]
[edit] Reception
Kindergarten Cop received generally mixed reviews and currently holds a 47% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 61 out of 100 on Metacritic.
[edit] Cast
- Arnold Schwarzenegger - Detective John Kimble, an Austrian-American police detective undercover as a kindergarten teacher.
- Penelope Ann Miller - Joyce Palmieri / Rachel Myatt Crisp, ex-wife of criminal Cullen Crisp
- Pamela Reed - Detective Phoebe O'Hara, Kimble's partner who is a former teacher
- Linda Hunt - Miss Schlowski, school principal
- Richard Tyson - Cullen Crisp Sr., a dangerous criminal looking for his ex-wife and child
- Carroll Baker - Eleanor Crisp, Cullen Crisp Sr.'s mother
- Christian and Joseph Cousins - Dominic Palmieri / Cullen Crisp Jr., son of Cullen Sr. and Rachel
- Jayne Brook - Mrs. Sullivan, wife of an abusive husband and mother of Kimble's student Zach Sullivan
- Cathy Moriarty - Jillian, mother of Kimble's student Sylvester
- Miko Hughes - Child's father is an Ob-gyn
- Sarah Rose Karr - Emma, one of Kimble's students
- Richard Portnow - Captain Salazar, Kimble and O'Hara's superior
- Tom Kurlander - Danny, one of Cullen's victims
- Alix Koromzay - Cindy, Danny's girlfriend who witnesses his murder
- Bob Nelson - Henry Shoop, Phoebe O'Hara's fiance
- Tom Dugan - Crisp's Lawyer
- Odette Yustman - Rosa
- Angela Bassett - Flight Attendant
[edit] Miscellaneous
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (September 2007) |
- In this movie, Schwarzenegger gets a reference to his Austrian roots by playing an immigrant Austrian cop. Also, he utters two discernible but short German sentences as he carries O'Hara into the motel: "Das macht mich stocksauer. Jetzt bin ich sauer." ('This makes me stinking mad. Now I'm mad.')
- A ferret features prominently in this movie. Campaigners in California — the state of which Schwarzenegger is governor — are currently fighting for a law to legalize the animals as pets in their state, where they are currently considered wild animals.[citation needed]
- Bill Murray and Danny DeVito were considered for the role of John Kimble.[citation needed]
- A remake of the film was made in the Philippines called Ang Titser Kong Pogi (My Handsome Teacher), which stars Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. in the Schwarzenegger role as the teacher. Many scenes were imitated, including the scene where John Kimble was shot from the window of his classroom.[citation needed]
- The film features a scene with the then-unknown Angela Bassett as a stewardess. This was Bassett's second film role.[citation needed]
- The killing of Cindy's boyfriend and of Cullen Sr. were both filmed as bloodier. Additionally, Kimble was to suffer a near-fatal gunshot wound. It was decided by director Ivan Reitman to tone down the scenes and have Kimble be injured more than nearly killed, allowing for his more comical moments at the hospital.[citation needed]
- In the end, when Kimble comes back to the class, he states "I'm back!" which may be a slight nudge to Schwarzenegger's most popular catchphrase "I'll be back" from his role in The Terminator.
- Linda Hunt and Pamela Reed, who each star in this film despite sharing screen time, were both born on April 2.
- Schwarzenegger and Reed would reunite in the film Junior released four years later, which was also directed by Reitman.
- Current New York Yankees pitcher Brian Bruney appears as an extra in the film.
- The film features real-life Astor teacher, Kritin Dunst and Chrisitne Clarke in a number of scenes.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Arnold Schwarzenegger". The Numbers. http://www.the-numbers.com/people/ASCHW.php. Retrieved on February 19, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Filming locations for Kindergarten Cop". Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099938/locations. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.
[edit] External links
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