The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)

The lives of two struggling musicians, who happen to be brothers, inevitably change when they team up with a beautiful, up-and-coming singer.

Director:

Steve Kloves

Writer:

Steve Kloves

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, Beau Bridges

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Jack Baker
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Susie Diamond
Beau Bridges	...	Frank Baker
Ellie Raab	...	Nina
Xander Berkeley	...	Lloyd
Dakin Matthews	...	Charlie
Ken Lerner	...	Ray
Albert Hall	...	Henry
Terri Treas	...	Girl in Bed
Gregory Itzin	...	Vince Nancy
Bradford English	...	Earl
David Coburn	...	Kid at Vet
Todd Jeffries	...	Theo
Jeff Nowinski	...	Hotel Masseuse (as Jeffrey J. Nowinski)
Nancy Fish	...	Laughing Bar Patron

Storyline

The Fabulous Baker Boys, a Seattle-based duo piano lounge act performing cheesy jazz renditions of pop standards, is comprised of thirty-something brothers Frank and Jack Baker. Older Frank, married with two children, is the controlling business manager, front man and sole programmer of the playlist. Younger Jack is the carefree one without commitments to anything or anyone, including women, he who has had a long string of one night stands, most specifically with cocktail waitresses. Jack's strongest commitments are to his aging dog, Eddie, and to Nina, the lonely adolescent who lives in the apartment above his with her single, constantly dating mother. Jack's commitment to Nina is because of her unwavering commitment to him. The Baker Boys' act is becoming stale and outdated, and as such their ability to hold onto what gigs they are able to get is getting more difficult. So Frank comes up with the idea of hiring a singer to beef up the act. After thirty-seven failed auditions, they ...

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Plot Keywords:

piano | piano player | audition | singing | hotel | 

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Taglines:

For 31 years it's been just the Fabulous Baker Boys... but times change.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die fabelhaften Baker Boys

Filming Locations:

172 S Washington St, Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,313,815, 15 October 1989

Gross USA:

$18,428,904

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,428,904

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gladden Entertainment, Mirage, Tobis

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The majority of the film was shot at night which was why Writer/Director Steve Kloves hired Production Designer Jeffery Townsend because loved his work on Martin Scosesse's work on the black comedy "After Hours", which was shot almost entirely at night and also hiring Director of Photography Michael Ballhaus to add to Townsend's stellar production design.

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Goofs

When Jack goes to Frank's house, he is dropped off by a cab from the "Bay City Cab Co." However, the movie takes place in Seattle, not San Francisco (the Bay City).

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Quotes

Frank Baker: I'm sorry. I'm a bit wound up.
Jack Baker: Frank, you're a fucking alarm clock.

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Connections

Referenced in Fresh Off the Boat: The Day After Thanksgiving (2017)

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Soundtracks

The Candy Man
Performed by Jennifer Tilly
Written by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley

User Reviews

Deserves some more appreciation

This movie is one of my favourites, probably because I'm a true Jeff Bridges-fan. I think most people are familiar with the story. It's about 2 brothers playing piano in hotel lounges and bars etc. Beside the Bridges-brothers, Michelle Pfeiffer is also in this movie. She is the star of the show and gives one hell of a performance too. The story isn't unique. There are probably more movies made like this, trying to tell the same thing, but for me it really worked. I love every scene of this movie. I love piano's, beautiful women, Jeff Bridges' acting and great performances in general. "The Fabulous Baker Boys" has it all.

It think it truly deserves a better rating. 6.6 is way too low. I should at least reach the level of 7/10. I personally would give this movie an 8 or 8,5, but to compensate the underrating a little I will give it a 9. I can't think of any reason not the see this movie. It isn't a psychological drama. It's a drama with a fine story, great performances and a wonderful cast. Michelle Pfeiffer deserved the awards she won for her performance. To me, it became kind of a classic. See this movie! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

9/10