Lorenzo's Oil (1992)

Director:

George Miller

Writers:

George Miller (written by) &
Nick Enright (written by)

Release Date:

15 January 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Some people make their own miracles.

Plot:

A boy develops a disease so rare that nobody is working on a cure, so his father decides to learn all about it and tackle the problem himself.

Plot Keywords:

Disease | Erucic | Oleic Acid | Medical | Alternative Medicine

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Nick Nolte	...	Augusto Odone
Susan Sarandon	...	Michaela Odone
Peter Ustinov	...	Professor Nikolais
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Deirdre Murphy
Gerry Bamman	...	Doctor Judalon
Margo Martindale	...	Wendy Gimble
James Rebhorn	...	Ellard Muscatine
Ann Hearn	...	Loretta Muscatine
Maduka Steady	...	Omuori
Mary Wakio	...	Comorian Teacher
Don Suddaby	...	Don Suddaby
Colin Ward	...	Jake Gimble
LaTanya Richardson	...	Nurse Ruth (as La Tanya Richardson)
Jennifer Dundas	...	Nurse Nancy Jo
William Cameron	...	Pellerman
Becky Ann Baker	...	Pellerman's Secretary
Mary Pat Gleason	...	The Librarian
David Shiner	...	Clown
Ann Dowd	...	Pediatrician
Peter Mackenzie	...	Immunosuppression Doctor
Paul Lazar	...	Professor Duncan
Laura Linney	...	Young Teacher
Helena Ruoti	...	Judalon's Nurse
Luis Ruiz	...	Judalon's Resident
Joyce Reehling	...	Columnist
Barbara Poitier	...	Nikolais Secretary
Mary Schmidt Campbell	...	Principal
Michael O'Neill	...	School Psychologist
William Thunhurst Jr.	...	Ear Specialist
Ann McDonough	...	Dietician
Lianne Kressin	...	Smiling Nurse
Nicolas Petrov	...	World Bank Executive
Richard Cordery	...	Suddaby's Senior Manager
Angus Barnett	...	Suddaby's Junior Manager
Keiko McDonald	...	Japanese Translator
Vladimir Padunov	...	Russian Translator
David McFadden	...	Father Killian
Carmen Piccini	...	Cristina Odone
Aaron Jackson	...	Francesco Odone
Neri Kyle Tannenbaum	...	Female Lab Voice (voice)
Brad Einhorn	...	Male Lab Voice (voice)
Noah Banks	...	Lorenzo Played
Elizabeth Daily	...	Lorenzo Played (voice) (as E.G. Daily)
Michael Haider	...	Lorenzo Played
Billy Amman	...	Lorenzo Played
Cristin Woodworth	...	Lorenzo Played
Zack O'Malley Greenburg	...	Lorenzo Played
Sandy Gore	...	Murphy Family Played
Nora Dunfee	...	Murphy Family Played
Rocco Sisto	...	Murphy Family Played
Amelia Campbell	...	Murphy Family Played
April Merscher	...	Murphy Family Played
Keith Reddin	...	Murphy Family Played
Eliot Brinton	...	Symposium Doctor
James Merrill	...	Symposium Doctor
Ayub Ommaya	...	Symposium Doctor
Marie Nugent-Head	...	Symposium Doctor
Ryonosuke Shiono	...	Symposium Doctor
Zahra Ilkanipour	...	Symposium Doctor
Nancy Chesney	...	Conference Parent
Nora Gerard	...	Conference Parent
John Mowod	...	Conference Parent
David Doepken	...	Conference Parent
Susan Chapek	...	Conference Parent
Kathryn Aronson	...	Conference Parent
Shirley Tannenbaum	...	Conference Parent
Lamont Arnold	...	Conference Parent
Charles R. Altman	...	Conference Parent
Julie Marie Remele	...	Conference Parent
Anthony Dileo Jr.	...	Conference Parent (as Anthony Dileo)
Annie Loeffler	...	Conference Parent
Berta Van Zuiden	...	Conference Parent
Lisa Montgomery	...	Conference Parent
Raina Clifford	...	Special Child
Nicholas Wiese	...	Special Child
Todd Bella	...	Special Child
Tia Delaney	...	Special Child
Rachel Jones	...	Special Child
Lamar Olivis	...	Special Child
Matthew Pyeritz	...	Special Child
Ryan Thomas	...	Special Child
Daniel W. D'Arcy	...	Special Child
Connie Cranden	...	Special Child
Justin Isfeld	...	Special Child
C. Alex Roberts	...	Special Child
Jeremy Beyer	...	Special Child
Mack Hegyes	...	Special Child
Christine Merriman	...	Special Child
Eric Kunkle	...	Special Child
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kiran Rao	...	Symposium Doctor (uncredited)

Directed by
George Miller

Writing credits
George Miller		(written by) &
Nick Enright		(written by)

Produced by
Arnold Burk	....	executive producer
Johnny Friedkin	....	associate producer
George Miller	....	producer
Doug Mitchell	....	producer
Lynn O'Hare	....	associate producer
Daphne Paris	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
John Seale

Film Editing by
Marcus D'Arcy
Richard Francis-Bruce

Casting by
Canice Kennedy
John S. Lyons

Production Design by
Kristi Zea

Art Direction by
Dennis Bradford
Jamie Leonard

Set Decoration by
Karen O'Hara

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Suzanne Belcher	....	makeup department head: Kenya
Fabrizio Sforza	....	key makeup artist
Linda Williams	....	additional hair stylist

Production Management
Chris Brigham	....	unit production manager
Marcus D'Arcy	....	post-production supervisor
Tova Laiter	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve E. Andrews	....	first assistant director
Philip A. Patterson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Norman Beck	....	carpenter
Vincent Borrelli	....	scenic artist
Francine Byrne	....	art department
Brad Einhorn	....	property master
Gordon Fitzgerald	....	property master
Eileen Garrigan	....	charge scenic
Megan Graham	....	on-set dresser
Gary Kosko	....	assistant art director
Ed Lohrer III	....	on-set dresser
Mary O'Brien	....	scenic artist
Gregory Puchalski	....	scenic artist
Andrew M. Siegel	....	assistant property master
Diana Stoughton	....	assistant set decorator
S. Bruce Wineinger	....	construction coordinator
John Wingrove	....	additional art director

Sound Department
Julius Chan	....	sound effects editor
Ian McLoughlin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ben Osmo	....	production sound mixer
Wayne Pashley	....	dialogue editor
Livia Ruzic	....	dialogue editor
Fabian Sanjurjo	....	additional adr editor
Roger Savage	....	post-production sound mixer
Annabelle Sheehan	....	adr editor
Jerome R. Vitucci	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Steve Fink	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	visual effects supervisor: Matte World Digital
Krystyna Demkowicz	....	executive in charge of production: visual effects
Randy Jonsson	....	matte photographer

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian W. Armstrong	....	camera operator
Gregory L. Edwards	....	grip
Stefano Falivene	....	focus puller: Rome
Reg Garside	....	gaffer
Laurie Kirkwood	....	assistant camera: Australia
Robin P. Knight	....	key grip
Frederick E. Kowalo	....	grip
Jon D. Morrison	....	rigging electrician
Jean-Pierre Nutini	....	electrian
Keith Seymour	....	grip
Joey Wrubleski	....	grip

Casting Department
Linda Carola	....	local casting assistant
Scott Alan Small	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Davenport	....	wardrobe supervisor
Linda Matthews	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Lee Smith	....	additional picture editor

Music Department
Nora Dunfee	....	vocal consultant: Susan Sarandon
Christine Woodruff	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
George Bolton	....	transportation captain
Mario Simon	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Catherine Barber	....	financial controller
Denise Blasor	....	voice-over artist
Susan Gee	....	production financing
Brian Hartman	....	location manager
Tom Hester	....	prosthetics designer
Ellen M. Hillers	....	production coordinator
Robin Hollister	....	location manager
Amy Hughes	....	production assistant
Frederick E. Kowalo	....	production assistant
Solomon J. LeFlore	....	production financing
Julie Matthews	....	production assistant
Daphne Paris	....	script supervisor
Bob Pomeroy	....	production assistant
Dawn Murphy Riley	....	assistant to director
Neri Kyle Tannenbaum	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1995) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)
• Universal Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Matte World Digital (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:12 (video re-release) | UK:12 | UK:15 (video) | Australia:PG | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Carnegie Mellon University - 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Lorenzo Odone, who doctors had predicted would die in childhood, died Friday May 30, 2008 - one day after his 30th birthday.

Quotes:

Ellard Muscatine: When Michael, our first boy, got sick, we searched around looking for anything that might help him. You know what was the best thing that happened? He was taken quickly. Now Tommy... he has lasted three years, for two of them, he's been without his sight, his mind, everything that makes him a human being, he's a vegetable. Y'know if you would just stop all this denial, you wouldn't do a thing to prolong your boy's suffering and indignity one minute longer.
Loretta Muscatine: Has it occurred to you that maybe he doesn't want to be around anymore?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Critic: Dr. Jay (#1.10)" (1994)

This highly emotional story features peerless acting

A family returns to the U.S. from Africa only to discover that their son has acquired a very rare disease called A.L.D. While told to give up and let their son die because there is no cure in sight, the father goes to the library everyday after work to research into a possible cure. The greatest opposition he receives comes from the doctors who tell him to "let the professionals handle it" and from other parents whose children have the same illness who condemn him for "spreading false hopes". While scientists around the world are competing over each other to find a cure, Lorenzo's parents bring them together to consult. My all-time favourite film, this highly emotional true story features peerless acting, especially from Sarandon.