1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Barfly
"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead."
1987 1h 40m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 404
ComedyDramaRomance
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Downtrodden writer Henry and distressed goddess Wanda aren't exactly husband and wife: they're wedded to their bar stools. But, they like each other's company—and Barfly captures their giddy, gin-soaked attempts to make a go of life on the skids.
“Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Mickey Rourke
Henry Chinaski
Faye Dunaway
Wanda Wilcox
Alice Krige
Tully Sorenson
Jack Nance
Detective
J.C. Quinn
Jim
Frank Stallone Jr.
Eddie
Sandy Martin
Janice
Roberta Bassin
Lilly
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Barbet Schroeder
- Writers
- Charles Bukowski
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
39 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Barbet Schroeder, shot by Robby Müller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Jack Baran. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Éva Gárdos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway and Alice Krige carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0092618 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Barbet Schroeder directs. Robby Müller behind the camera. Jack Baran scores. Éva Gárdos cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $3.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 239 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by Barbet Schroeder, shot by Robby Müller. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Jack Baran. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Éva Gárdos shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway and Alice Krige carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0092618 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 17 themes, including "career", "prostitute", "fight", "bartender".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Robby Müller
- Original score
- Jack Baran
- Editing
- Éva Gárdos
- Production design
- Bob Ziembicki
- Costume design
- Milena Canonero
- Stunt coordinator
- Webster Whinery
- Runtime
- 100 min · 1h 40m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $3,000,000
- Box office
- $3,221,568
- Return
- 107% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Barfly (1987)
Also by
Barbet Schroeder
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- Nutshell★ 8/10
Mickey Rourke shines in this offbeat comedy about a dropout drunk poet. A bit too over the top in some scenes but an ultimately satisfying and funny film. Faye Dunaway's performance stands out as well.
Production companies
Who made it
- GO
Golan-Globus Productions
US
The Cannon Group
US
American Zoetrope
US
Key crew
- Executive ProducerYoram Globus
- ProducerFred Roos
- ProducerTom Luddy
- Executive ProducerMenahem Golan
- EditorÉva Gárdos
- ProducerBarbet Schroeder
- PresenterFrancis Ford Coppola
- Executive ProducerFrancis Ford Coppola
- Costume DesignMilena Canonero
- Associate ProducerJack Baran
- Production DesignBob Ziembicki
- Executive In Charge Of ProductionRony Yacov
- Editorial ConsultantDenise de Casabianca
- CastingRobert MacDonald
- CastingPat Orseth
- CastingNancy Lara-Hansch
- StuntsDebbie Lynn Ross
- Second Assistant CameraRob Sweeney
- Steadicam OperatorPeter Jensen
- Stunt CoordinatorWebster Whinery
- StuntsBuddy Van Horn
- StuntsGeorge Marshall Ruge
- StuntsDiane Peterson
- StuntsSteven Lambert
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- career
- prostitute
- fight
- bartender
- poet
- alcoholism
- money
- los angeles, california
- alcohol abuse
- paramedic
- boyfriend girlfriend relationship
- street fight
- barflies
- unemployed
- brawler
- brawlers
- barfly
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere1987-09-30· New York Film Festival
- Theatrical1987-10-16R
Also known as
International titles
- Barfly - Amor MarginalPT
