Lonely Hearts (2006)

Director:

Todd Robinson

Writer (WGA):

Todd Robinson (written by)

Release Date:

21 October 2006 (Taiwan)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Love can be murder.

Plot:

Based on the true story, two homicide detectives track Martha Beck and Raymond Martinez Fernandez, a murderous pair known as the "Lonely Hearts Killers" who lured their victims through the personals.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Death | Murder | Femme Fatale | Beautiful Woman

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Travolta	...	Det. Elmer Robinson
James Gandolfini	...	Det. Charles Hilderbrandt
Jared Leto	...	Ray Fernandez
Salma Hayek	...	Martha Beck
Scott Caan	...	Det. Reilly
Laura Dern	...	Rene Fodie
Michael Gaston	...	D.A. Hunt
Bruce MacVittie	...	Det. Eastman
Dan Byrd	...	Eddie Robinson
Andrew Wheeler	...	Det. Tooley
Alice Krige	...	Janet Long
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Delphine Downing
John Doman	...	Chief MacSwain
Bailee Madison	...	Rainelle Downing
Ellen Travolta	...	Ida
Jason Gray-Stanford	...	Officer Chetnick
Sam Travolta	...	Foreman
James Martin Roberts	...	Young Black Man
Kristian Truelsen	...	Bank Manager
Christa Campbell	...	Sara Long
Marc Macaulay	...	Warden Broady (as Marc MacAulay)
Todd Terry	...	Thief
Steve Maye	...	Michigan Cop
Shannon Murphy	...	Patty Forsythe
Michael Rispoli	...	Coroner
Nick Loren	...	Detective January
Jonathan Rau	...	Uniformed Cop
Karl Anthony	...	Hotel Clerk
Valerie Grant	...	Mrs. Clayman
Matt Huffman	...	Mrs. Clayman's Son
Arian Waring Ash	...	Marian Duff (as Arian Ash)
Gerald Owens	...	Postmaster
Petrus Antonius	...	Landlord
Jeff Farley	...	Minister
Lauren Leech	...	Teenage Girl
Allison McKay	...	Mrs. Paterson
Jack Swanson	...	Fruit Stand Attendant
Bill Kelley	...	Rene's Father
Heather Dawn	...	MacSwain's Secretary
Margaret Travolta	...	Mineola Female Dispatcher
Rachel Reynolds	...	Female Airplane Passenger
Rachel Specter	...	Janice
Jimmy Leeward	...	Pilot
Caroline Ross	...	Prison Matron
Traci Robinson	...	Prison Matron
Tom Chapman	...	Framer
Allen Walls	...	Featured Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles M. Creel	...	Kent County Detective (uncredited)
Khris Gibston	...	Assault Witness (uncredited)
Walter Medina	...	Perpetrator (uncredited)
Russell D. Mercier	...	New York Police Officer (uncredited)
Randy Robinson	...	Kent County detective (uncredited)

Directed by
Todd Robinson

Writing credits (WGA)
Todd Robinson		(written by)

Produced by
Boaz Davidson	....	producer
Danny Dimbort	....	executive producer
Anson Downes	....	associate producer
Randall Emmett	....	executive producer
Linda Favila	....	associate producer
George Furla	....	executive producer
Manfred D. Heid	....	executive producer (as Manfred Heid)
Kathryn Himoff	....	co-producer
Gerd Koechlin	....	executive producer
Jon Kuyper	....	line producer
Josef Lautenschlager	....	executive producer
Avi Lerner	....	executive producer
Juan A. Mas	....	line producer: second unit, Spokane (as Juan Mas)
Traci Robinson	....	producer: second unit, Sag Harbor/Westhampton (as Traci D. Robinson)
Edward Rosenstein	....	producer: second unit, Ossining/Manhattan
Sidney Sherman	....	co-producer
Trevor Short	....	executive producer
Laura D. Smith	....	associate producer
Andreas Thiesmeyer	....	executive producer
John Thompson	....	executive producer
Holly Wiersma	....	producer

Original Music by
Mychael Danna

Cinematography by
Peter Levy

Film Editing by
Kathryn Himoff

Casting by
Phyllis Huffman

Production Design by
Jon Gary Steele

Art Direction by
Vincent DeFelice
David Eckert
Vera Mills

Set Decoration by
Traci Kirshbaum

Costume Design by
Jacqueline West

Makeup Department
Sonna Brado	....	hair stylist: Spokane
Michelle Bühler	....	key makeup artist: Ocala (as Michelle Buhler)
Michelle Bühler	....	makeup artist: Mr. Travolta (as Michelle Buhler)
Diane Calfee	....	assistant makeup artist
Beatrice De Alba	....	hair stylist: Ms. Hayek
Donelle	....	hair assistant: Spokane
Lee Grimes	....	assistant makeup artist (as Lee A. Grimes)
Trista Jordan	....	key hair stylist: Spokane
Trista Jordan	....	key makeup artist: Spokane
Renate Leuschner	....	key hair stylist: Ocala
Diane Maurno	....	makeup department head
Mike Meyers	....	hair stylist: Spokane
Tanya Nguyen	....	makeup artist: Spokane
Stephanie Plaut	....	makeup assistant: Spokane
Scott H. Reeder	....	assistant hair stylist
Ronnie Specter	....	makeup artist: Ms. Hayek
Randa Squillacote	....	hair department head
Sheri Staudinger	....	hair assistant: Spokane
Sheri Staudinger	....	makeup assistant: Spokane
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist: Mr. Travolta
Taci Van Leuven	....	makeup assistant: Spokane (as Taci Vanleuven)

Production Management
Ann Dunsford	....	unit production manager: Ocala
Frankie Errico	....	unit production manager (as Frank E. Errico)
George Gale	....	post-production supervisor
Susannah Lowber	....	unit production manager
Bob Misiorowski	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff Austin	....	first assistant director
Rachel Cates	....	second second assistant director: Spokane
Jill Hoppy	....	second second assistant director
Dane Konshuk-Mas	....	first assistant director: Spokane
Wayne Scott Miller	....	assistant director: additional photography
Wayne Miller	....	assistant director: New York
Gretchen Oyster	....	second assistant director
Marten W. Piccinini	....	first assistant director: Ocala (as Marten Piccinini)
Idahella Therp	....	assistant director: New York
Idahella Therp	....	second unit director
Aaron Walters	....	second assistant director

Art Department
John Balling	....	scenic
Larry Bates	....	propmaker
Dwight Benjamin-Creel	....	property master
Dan Beyer	....	carpenter: Spokane
Craig Binkley	....	property master: Spokane (as Walter Craig Binkley)
Craig Binkley	....	visual consultant: Spokane
Bruce Bisbey	....	graphic designer: reshoots
Ed Bowen	....	carpenter: Spokane
Lewis Bowen	....	scenic foreman
James Brothers	....	assistant property master (as James B. Brothers)
David R. Case	....	propmaker
Mike Cassell	....	carpenter: Spokane
Rex Christensen	....	on-set dresser
Donna Cline	....	additional storyboard artist
Henry Dando	....	head greensman
Daniel Dietrich	....	general foreman
César Díez Álava	....	assistant property master (as Cesar Diez Alava)
Kristen Donaldson	....	art department coordinator
Norman C. Dulaney	....	co-leadman
Nicklas Farrantello	....	painter (as Nick Farrantello)
Vince 'Flea' Feliciano	....	propmaker
Michael D. Fitzgerald	....	set dresser
Forrest Gillespie Jr.	....	scenic
Stephanie Girard	....	set designer
Batia Grafka	....	property master
Dustin Lee Hotson	....	painter
Dean F. Janik	....	scenic/signwriter
Steven Kerlagon	....	key scenic (as Steven L. Kerlagon)
Matthew Krueger	....	utility (as Matt Krueger)
Don Lamont	....	set dresser
John Lamont	....	set dresser
Ellen Lampl	....	graphic designer
Steven Leach	....	propmaker (as Steven G. Leach)
Morgan H. Lee	....	propmaker
David T. Legue	....	propmaker
Ben Lowe	....	propmaker
Everett McClellan	....	propmaker gang boss (as Evert 'Jack' McClellan)
Jody McFarland	....	propmaker: Ocala
John P. McMinamen	....	painter
Jonathan S. Morgan	....	scenic
Thomas A. Morris Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Shannon Mullins	....	propmaker gang boss (as Shannon C. Mullins)
Scot Noonan	....	toolman
Andrew Nowak	....	art department production assistant (as Andrew E. Nowak)
Bozydar Orszula	....	general foreman (as Bozydar Henry Orszula)
Jimmie Perdue	....	painter
Thomas Pilgrim III	....	propmaker (as Thomas J. Pilgrim III)
Linda Pilgrim	....	painter
Jack Reeves	....	stand-by scenic
David Reynolds	....	propmaker
Karen Rigsby	....	buyer
William E. Ruetemann	....	propmaker
John R. Salemi	....	propmaker
Casey Sargent	....	graphic art director: Spokane
Alex Saviuk	....	storyboard artist
Nicholas Scott	....	set designer
David R. Scurlock	....	painter
Senor J. Shaughnessy	....	co-leadman
James Taylor	....	propmaker
John E. Thombleson II	....	painter
Wesley Bryan Walker	....	on-set dresser: Spokane
Lucy Weber	....	utility
Thomas Wilson	....	propmaker
Jerry Wise	....	propmaker
Douglas Womack	....	construction coordinator: Spokane (as Douglas A. Womack)

Sound Department
Randy Babajtis	....	sound designer
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Spencer Blair	....	post-sound assistant
Scott Cannizzaro	....	narration recordist
Tanner Carroll	....	assistant sound editor
Juan Dieguez	....	assistant adr recordist
Elizabeth Enck	....	assistant sound editor
Brent Findley	....	assistant sound editor
Jerry Gilbert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott G.G. Haller	....	adr supervisor
Rob Hill	....	adr artist
Scott Hinkley	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Jacob Kemp	....	sound utility
Cody King	....	assistant dialogue editor
Ken King	....	production sound mixer
Richard Kitting	....	foley editor
Robbie Mandraccia	....	assistant sound editor
Al McGuire	....	sound mixer: Ocala
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound designer
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
Andrew Morgado	....	foley mixer
Mark O'Russa	....	boom operator
Lenny Rabinowitz	....	adr recordist
Alex Raspa	....	adr mixer
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Tom Taylor	....	sound mixer
Jon Michael Udell	....	boom operator
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jacob Weinstein	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Giuliano Fiumani	....	special effects coordinator: Spokane
Ken Gorrell	....	special effects technician
Stephen Howfield	....	special effects assistant
Richard Lee Jones	....	special effects technician
James L. Roberts	....	special effects technician
Patrick Tantalo	....	special effects foreman
Kathleen Tonkin	....	special effects technician
Tim Tonkin	....	special effects technician (as Timothy Tonkin)
Barbara Vazquez	....	special effects assistant
Robert Vazquez	....	special effects supervisor (as Bob Vazquez)

Visual Effects by
Ivaylo Andonov	....	digital artist
Javor Asenov	....	digital compositor
Scott Coulter	....	visual effects producer
Dobromir Hristov	....	digital compositor
Velichko Ivanov	....	lead artist
Peter Keranov	....	digital compositor
Delyan Ketipov	....	digital effects artist
Dimitar Kovachev	....	technical support staff
Danail Lazarov	....	visual effects editor
Dawn Llewellyn	....	visual effects editor
Jordan Markov	....	visual effects supervisor: Worldwide FX
Maria Mavrova	....	lead artist
Brian Nogle	....	imaging supervisor: Pacific Title & Art Studio
Krasimir Paskalev	....	visual effects coordinator
Marin Petrov	....	visual effects artist
Shero Rauf	....	digital effects artist
Greg Rodin	....	visual effects lead camera: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Stefan Tchakarov	....	visual effects production supervisor
Peter Tomov	....	digital artist
Adriana Valcheva	....	digital effects artist
Margarita Valkova	....	visual effects coordinator: Bulgaria
Vladimir Zdravkov	....	visual effects technical support staff
Antonio Torres	....	digital artist: Digital Intermediate, Pacific Title (uncredited)

Stunts
Jay Amor	....	stunts
Dale Frye	....	stunts
Thirl Haston	....	stunts
Nick Loren	....	stunt double: Mr. Travolta
Kiana Politis	....	stunts
Christina Ritzi	....	stunts
Steve Ritzi	....	stunt coordinator (as Steven Ritzi)
Lonnie R. Smith	....	stunts (as Lonnie Smith)
Trace Wenzel	....	stunts
Todd Rogers Terry	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Andy Barden	....	electrician
Ben Bardin	....	key grip
Kurt Beckler	....	rigging grip
Robert Beverlin	....	first assistant camera: Ocala
Dan Beyer	....	electrician
Stuart Bicknell	....	electrician (as Stuart J. Bicknell)
Frank Boone	....	company grip (as William Franklin Boone III)
David S. Campbell	....	additional camera operator
Stephen Campbell	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bob Clifford	....	camera loader
Kit Datson	....	additional assistant camera
Tamia Diaz	....	additional first assistant camera: Spokane
Tim Eberly	....	still photographer
Richard Falk Jr.	....	electrician (as Richard Falk)
Chris Fisher	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Christopher M. Fisher)
Christopher Fyan	....	camera operator: additional photography
Larry Gianneschi	....	second assistant camera
Larry Gianneschi	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Lawrence Gianneschi IV)
Mark R. Goode	....	rigging grip
Courtney Goodwin	....	technician: power pod
Peter N. Green	....	additional photographer
Peter N. Green	....	first assistant camera
Donald P. Guth	....	technician: power pod
Nicholas Hahn	....	assistant camera: New York (as Nick Hahn)
Marvin Haven	....	company grip (as Marvin J. Haven)
James Hawkinson	....	additional photography
Bruce Hazen	....	electrician
Nate Heyer	....	grip
Andy Howell	....	rigging best boy (as Andrew Howell)
Steve Hubert	....	electrician: Spokane
Tom Hunt	....	company grip
Kevin Jackson	....	best boy grip
Christopher D. Jones	....	rigging electrician (as Christopher Jones)
Rick Kalivoda	....	gaffer: Ocala
Ben Kanegson	....	dolly grip (as Ben J. Kanegson)
Ben Kenyon	....	rigging electric: Spokane
Mark Kohl	....	director of photography: second unit
Giovani Lampassi	....	gaffer
Thomas Lowry	....	key rigging grip (as Thomas 'Popcorn' Lowry)
Matthew May	....	best boy electric: Spokane
Patrick K. Meng	....	company grip
Pat Metzler	....	grip
Dan Misner	....	best boy grip
Robert F. Moody Jr.	....	rigging grip
John Muliler	....	electrician (as John E. Mulier)
Jack Nealy	....	best boy electric (as Jack R. Nealy)
John Oliveri	....	additional loader
Justin O'Shaughnessy	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Gene Page	....	still photographer
Ken Palladino	....	electrician (as Kenneth Palladino)
Krishna Rao	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Duff Rich	....	key grip: Spokane (as Edward 'Duff' Rich)
Walter F. Rodriguez	....	additional assistant camera
Jorge Sánchez	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Jorge Sanchez)
Rob Scott	....	rigging gaffer
Louis Smith	....	additional assistant camera
Lee J. Stone	....	technician: power pod
Pete Stroud	....	electrician
Robert Veliky	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Mike Vukas	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Adam Arnali	....	extras casting
Jennifer Conrader	....	extras casting
Tamara Gurevich	....	extras casting assistant
Cindy Hedges	....	extras casting director: Spokane
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting assistant
Kimberly Mullen	....	casting: Florida
Mark Mullen	....	casting: Florida
Gretchen Oyster	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Aguirre	....	seamstress (as Donna Rosa Aguirre)
Angela Amaro	....	additional costumer
Carrie Arington	....	assistant costume: Spokane
Lisa Caryl	....	costumer
Claudia Combee	....	set costumer
Stella Corrales	....	costumer: Salma Hayek
James P. Cullen	....	costumer: Mr. Travolta (as Jim Cullen)
Ciara Duncan	....	costumer
Suzy Freeman	....	costume supervisor: Ocala
Naomi Gathmann	....	wardrobe production assistant
Flor Hernandez	....	laundry mistress (as Flor M. Hernandez)
Monica Hernandez	....	laundry mistress
SueEllen Jones	....	wardrobe production assistant
Nubia	....	key costumer
Jude Christian Orlando	....	costume illustrator
Heather Pain	....	additional costumer
Angelique Salvman	....	wardrobe intern
Kate Sawyer	....	seamstress
Julie S. Siegmund	....	set costumer (as Julia Siegmund)
Gilda Texter	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Corinne Bogdanowicz	....	assistant colorist
Paul Bronkar	....	supervising digital intermediate colorist
Kacie Haggerty	....	digital intermediate producer
Candice Levy	....	post-production assistant
Sarah Parker	....	post-production coordinator
Jeffrey C. Price	....	assistant editor
Amy Tompkins	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Selena Arizanovic	....	music coordinator
Brad Haehnel	....	scoring mixer
Ashley Miller	....	music supervisor
Jen Monnar	....	music editor
Rob Simonsen	....	composer: additional music
Rob Simonsen	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Don Baer	....	transportation co-captain
Jon Bergholz	....	transportation coordinator
Stan Chafin	....	driver: Mr. Gandolfini
Kevin Craig	....	picture car coordinator (as Kevin M. Craig)
Steve Evans	....	driver: second unit
Tina Horne	....	driver: Ms. Hayek
Lance Hruza	....	transportation coordinator: second unit
Lewis Mennona	....	driver
Ladonna P. Norwood	....	driver: Mr. Leto
Bob 'Smitty' Smith	....	driver
John H. Stephens	....	additional transportation co-captain (as John Stephens)
Timothy Stephens	....	transportation captain
Tim Whisenant	....	transportation: John Travolta

Other crew
Rachel Abarbanell	....	assistant: Mr. Thompson
Britt Anhaus	....	accounting clerk
Craig Antioco	....	epk director
Jamie Armstrong	....	production assistant
Ellie Barrett	....	choreographer
Karen Bosma	....	assistant production coordinator
Erik Bright	....	publicist
Donald Bruce	....	production controller
Ariel Bruns	....	production assistant
Hilary Carver	....	unit publicist
Polly Cassell	....	craft service: Spokane
Rosie Charbonneau	....	assistant: Mr Emmett
Thomas Cobb	....	title designer
Scott Colgan	....	location assistant
Taryn Cox	....	assistant: Mr. Leto
Mike De La Vina	....	office production assistant
Carla DiBello	....	assistant to producer
Rob Dickerson Jr.	....	second craft service
Thomas Dineen	....	key production assistant: reshoots
Jessica Dolan	....	script supervisor: second unit
Kira Dominguez	....	assistant: Ms. Hayek
Ann Dunsford	....	production coordinator
Vivian Enfinger	....	set medic
Peter Evangelatos	....	craft service: Mr. Travolta
Kelly Farrell	....	location medic
Nikki Folsom	....	stand-in: Laura Dern
Claude Forest	....	insurance broker
Ira Friedlander	....	production accountant
Kim Garman	....	first assistant accountant
Steve Gehrke	....	script supervisor
Dan Gloeckner	....	set production assistant
Laura Gosselin-Harris	....	set production assistant: Spokane
Eric Green	....	marketing and publicity
Amber Grunte	....	location manager: second unit
Mitch Harbeson	....	location manager
James Hayward	....	assistant location manager
Karla Ingebretsen	....	aerial coordinator
Karla Ingebretsen	....	aircraft coordinator
Milly Itzhak	....	technical consultant: New York
JoAnn Fregalette Jansen	....	choreographer
Jeffrey F. January	....	production associate
Alicia Johnson	....	digital intermidiate
SueEllen Jones	....	production assistant
Ashley Kravitz	....	photograph clearances
Jodie Kuhuski	....	financial consultant: Millennium Films
Connie Kunz	....	co-first assistant accountant
Kristina Lankford	....	dialect coach: Ms. Hayek
Stephen Leonard	....	production assistant
Meaghan Librizzi	....	set production assistant
Joe Loffredo	....	stand-in
Denise Loren	....	production assistant
Liz Lorie	....	stand-in
Steve Maye	....	trainer: Mr. Travolta
Garrett McQuesten	....	set production assistant: Spokane
Sally B. Merlin	....	technical consultant
Christopher Mollere	....	second assistant: Mr. Emmett (as Chris Mollere)
Ilene Morgan	....	post-production accountant
Ben Nedivi	....	assistant: Mr. Davidson
Andrew Nowak	....	production assistant
Chris Ranung	....	key craft service
Mary C. Rolfes	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Joe Rowley	....	assistant: Mr. Gandolfini
Brent Seaman	....	stand-in
Marianna Seney	....	ballroom dancer
Steven Shea	....	background coordinator
Bob 'Smitty' Smith	....	key craft service
Meredith Stead	....	assistant: Todd Robinson (as Meredith C. Stead)
Holli Strickland	....	key set production assistant
Kelly Sullivan	....	set production assistant
Christopher Touchton	....	assistant: Ms. Wiersma
Volker Umpfenbach	....	production controller
Bill Vergis	....	animal coordinator
Allen Walls	....	assistant choreographer
Corin Warinner	....	office production assistant
Bradley Weiss	....	corporate accountant: Millennium Films
Krista Weller	....	assistant location manager
Tim Whisenant	....	assistant: John Travolta
Roman Witt	....	corporate controller: Millennium Films

Thanks
Jeb Bush	....	special thanks (as Governor Jeb Bush)
Brian Fischer	....	very special thanks
John Peyton	....	special thanks (as Mayor John Peyton)

Production Companies

• Millennium Films
• Emmett/Furla Films
• Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG III
• Holly Wiersma Productions
• Lonely Hearts Productions
• Nu Image Entertainment GmbH

Distributors

• 3L Filmverleih (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 3L Filmverleih (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Millennium Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical) (limited)
• RCV Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Roadside Attractions (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Clickstar (2007) (USA) (DVD) (broadband rights)
• E Stars Films (2006) (China) (all media)
• EMS (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Magna Pacific (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Net5 (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Odeon (2007) (Greece) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Worldwide FX (visual effects)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (digital intermediate)

Other Companies

• Animal Actors of Hollywood  animals supplied by
• Atmosphere Film and Televison Extras  extras casting
• Awesome Power Worldwide  music services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote camera systems
• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation
• Insignia Public Relations  unit publicity
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Manhattan Transfer  adr facility
• North by Northwest Entertainment  production services
• Orbit Digital  Avids
• Panavision Florida  camera equipment
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production
• Thomas Cobb Design  titles
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment

Also Known As:

Lonely Hearts Killers (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-15 | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:MA | France:-12 | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Japan:R-15 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Millennium Films

Trivia:

The real Martha Beck was of a very different stature to that of actress Salma Hayek and at the time of her death weighed well over 200lbs. On her execution day it was discovered that she would not fit into the electric chair so was seated on the arm rests when the fatal shock was administered.

Goofs:

Factual errors: After the police find the blood under the floor boards in Fernandez's house, we hear Hildebrandt's voice-over that the cops just missed the couple as they were 5 miles away in Seaford, NY buying a flop top car. Fernandez's home was in Valley Stream which is close to 20 miles away from Seaford, not 5 miles.

Quotes:

Martha Beck: You know what they say about cops and donuts?
Charles Hilderbrandt: No, what?
Martha Beck: Neither one's any good without a hole in them.
Charles Hilderbrandt: They say that about women, too.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'Lonely Hearts' (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gee

Film noire + femme fatale + murder = one terrific movie

"You know what they say about cops and donuts" quips Salma Hayek's character Martha Beck to James Gandolfini in the movie Lonely Hearts, "they're only good when they have a hole in them." This, coupled with Gandolfini's retort "funny, they say the same thing about women", captures the essence of the Chandler-esquire dialog that peppers this true crime homage to film noir.

The movie tells the story of Raymond Fernandez (Jared Leto) and Martha Beck who carved out their own chapter in the annals of crime history during the 1940s as the Lonely Hearts Killers. Together, Fernandez and Beck ran a con game using personal ads to seek out wealthy widows and single women with money. Fernandez would engage in correspondence with the women, eventually meeting them and gaining their trust as well as access to their money. Beck, would accompany him posing has his sister, helping Fernandez gain the trust of their victims, whom the two murdered after they'd drained their bank accounts. At the time of their capture, the body count they'd racked up was estimated at between 12 and 20.

Directed by Todd Robinson, the grandson of detective Elmer Robinson (played by John Travolta), the story alternates between that of Fernandez and Beck, and pursuing detectives Robinson and Hildebrandt (Gandolfini), with Gandolfini handling the connecting voice-over narration in traditional film noire patter.

Although some details are condensed for narrative purposes, the story largely sticks to the facts of the couple's actual murder spree, the only glaring discrepancy being the casting of Hayek as Beck, who in reality was a rotund, unattractive, battleaxe of a woman who maintained Fernandez's loyalty by granting his every sexual wish. The producers can be forgiven for opting to cast Hayek instead of a more credible Rosie O'Donnell type, however, as Hayek brings more than mere eye-candy to her role. She plays a sadistic, manipulative, cold-blooded murderer to the hilt, and practically serves as the driving engine for the film's story.

With a crackerjack cast of Travolta, Gandolfini, Hayek, Leto and Laura Dern (as Robinson's love interest) all bringing their A-game, coupled with a smartly written screenplay, snappy dialog, good pacing, excellent cinematography and direction, the only oddity about this film is that it was relegated to limited theatrical release, largely playing a few festivals before being relegated to DVD. Unlike the case it is based on, this is one crime that probably will remain unsolved.