Insignificance (film)
| Insignificance | |
|---|---|
Lorimar release poster
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| Directed by | Nicolas Roeg |
| Produced by |
Alexander Stuart Jeremy Thomas |
| Written by | Terry Johnson |
| Starring | Michael Emil Theresa Russell Tony Curtis Gary Busey Will Sampson |
| Music by |
Stanley Myers Hans Zimmer |
| Cinematography | Peter Hannan |
| Edited by | Tony Lawson |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Island Alive (USA) Palace Pictures (UK) |
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Release date
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2 August 1985 |
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Running time
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110 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Insignificance is a 1985 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicolas Roeg, produced by Jeremy Thomas and Alexander Stuart, and adapted by Terry Johnson from his play of the same name. The film is set in 1954, with most of the action taking place in a hotel room in New York City. The action revolves around the interplay of four characters who represent iconic figures of the era, Marilyn Monroe, Joseph McCarthy, Joe DiMaggio, and Albert Einstein called The Actress, The Senator, The Ballplayer, and The Professor, respectively.
The film opens on a crowded New York City street where people have gathered to watch a film crew shoot a sequence which becomes recognisable as the iconic shot of Marilyn Monroe in a white dress standing on a grate while the rush of wind caused by a huge fan to imitate the subway going by below blows her skirt up around her waist. The Actress' husband, The Ballplayer, watches with obvious discomfort as she is ogled. The Actress, rather than join him afterwards, disappears in a taxi, leaving him behind. She stops at a store and picks up a variety of toys, flashlights, and balloons.
The Professor, recognisable as Albert Einstein, is in his hotel room, working on pages of mathematical calculations. He is interrupted by The Senator, who has come to alternately coax and threaten him into appearing before a committee to investigate his activities and answer the famous question, "Have you now or have you ever been...?" The Senator is recognisable as Joe McCarthy. The Professor refuses and says he will never appear. The Senator leaves, saying he'll be back to get him at 8 a.m. the following morning.
The Actress appears at the door of the Professor's hotel room, and he invites her in. They talk about fame, being chased, and the stars. She does a lively demonstration of the Theory of Relativity using the toys and flashlights and balloons. She tells The Professor he is at the top of her list of people she'd like to sleep with. They decide to go to bed, but are interrupted by the arrival of The Ballplayer, who has tracked her to the hotel. The Professor leaves them alone and goes to find another room, meeting a Cherokee elevator man with whom he speaks. The Actress and The Ballplayer talk about their marriage; The Actress tells her husband she believes she is pregnant, but he has fallen asleep.
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