Trivia / Jackie Brown

• Ability over Appearance:
  • Jackie Brown is white in the original novel. Quentin Tarantino wanted Pam Grier for the lead role, so he changed the character's race to fit here.
  • Ordell Robbie is described as mixed-race in the novel, to the point where he can walk through a neo-Nazi rally without drawing attention. He's played by Samuel L. Jackson.
  • Melanie is described in the book as having unnaturally large breasts. She's played by the more modestly-endowed Bridget Fonda.
• Actor-Inspired Element:
  • It was Samuel L. Jackson's idea to give Ordell the long hair and the braided goatee.
  • The scene when Max and Jackie talk (and Max discusses that he had work done on his hair to make him look more youthful) was suggested by Robert Forster, who had such a surgery when his hairline began to disappear and thought it fit the character. Quentin Tarantino was delighted that Forster was willing to openly discuss the procedure and immediately wrote it into the screenplay.
• Approval of God: Quentin Tarantino was afraid that Elmore Leonard would hate the film. He and Roger Avary hesitated to discuss the changes with Leonard, only finally speaking with Leonard as the film was about to start shooting. Leonard loved the screenplay, considering it not only the best of the twenty-six screen adaptations of his novels and short stories, but also stating that it was possibly the best screenplay he had ever read.
• Career Resurrection: The film revitalized the careers of both Pam Grier and Robert Forster.
• Cast the Runner-Up: When Robert De Niro first got ahold of the script, he wanted to play the role of Max Cherry. Quentin Tarantino wanted to work with De Niro, but had his heart set on Robert Forster as Cherry, so he gave the role of Louis to De Niro.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: Samuel L. Jackson named this as his favorite Quentin Tarantino film.
• Creator's Oddball: This is Quentin Tarantino's only direct adaptation, so it has a lot more of another storyteller's DNA in it than usual. As such, it's usually either at the top or bottom of people's Tarantino lists. It is also his only film to be shot in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio format.
• Dawson Casting: Louis Gara is described in the screenplay as being in his mid-forties. Robert De Niro was 53 at the time of filming.
• Deleted Scene:
  • An extended version of the scene with Jackie and Sheronda in the mall's food court.
  • An extended version of scene with Jackie and Ray in the diner.
  • A scene where Louis and Ordell walk into the Cockatoo.
  • A scene where Jackie is discussing with Max how to set up Ordell.
  • An alternate "for your eyes only" scene.
  • An alternate opening credits sequence.
• Hostility on the Set: Robert De Niro and Quentin Tarantino reportedly did not get along on set. This probably had something to do with De Niro not being given much to do by Tarantino regarding playing Louis Gara, who says very little and tends to mumble in his early scenes, but gradually comes out of himself as the film progresses.
• Playing with Character Type: Tiny Lister as Winston. Like Lister's usual roles he's an enforcer willing to beat up anyone who pisses him off. Unlike his other roles though he's actually a fairly well spoken, intelligent man whose usually a nice guy and only resorts to violence if he has no other choice.
• Technology Marches On:
  • Several people use pagers, a technology that has effectively vanished in favor of cell phones.
  • Max leaves a message on an answering machine, practically a relic in the present day.
• Throw It In!: Though he largely refrained out of respect for Quentin Tarantino, Beaumont's line about being caught off-guard was improvised by Chris Tucker.
• Voice-Only Cameo: Quentin Tarantino is the electronic voice on Jackie's answering machine.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Quentin Tarantino originally tried to make a straight adaptation of Elmore Leonard's Rum Punch before straying from the original concept.
  • Sylvester Stallone originally wanted to play Louis Gara.
  • John Travolta was the first choice to play Ray Nicollete, but he was busy with Face/Off.
  • Quentin Tarantino's list for Max Cherry was Paul Newman, Gene Hackman, John Saxon, and Robert Forster.
  • Christina Applegate was considered for the role of Melanie Ralston, but she was under contract for Married... with Children.

---