Limit Up (film)
Encyclopedia
Limit Up is the title of a 1989 film starring Nancy Allen
as Chicago commodities trader Casey Falls. The film was directed by Richard Martini
and produced by Jonathan D. Krane
. The movie was filmed throughout Chicago
and prominently features scenes at The Board of Trade and Wrigley Field
.
Rance Howard
, Dean Stockwell
, blues icon Ray Charles
and Saturday Night Live
alumni Danitra Vance
and Brad Hall
round out the cast. Additionally, actress Sally Kellerman
makes a cameo appearance as a nightclub singer. John Tesh
scored the film and it was produced by Jonathan D. Krane (Look Who's Talking
, Face/Off
).
), a bright-eyed runner at the Chicago Board of Trade, sells her soul to a demon named Nike (Danitra Vance
). Her boss (Dean Stockwell
) tries to thwart her, her boyfriend (Brad Hall
) tries to help her, and his boss (Rance Howard
) just hopes for the best. Ray Charles
plays God, a sax player who stands in front of the Chicago Board of Trade, and depending if you tip him or not, that's how well you're going to do that day. Its subplot concerns ending world hunger through manipulating soybean prices.
: "Splendid with good cast, good script, tidy direction" and "Nancy Allen is particularlly delightful."[1] TV Guide
noted that director Martini succeeds "in making the commodity-market scenes comprehensible for the layman." The St. Paul Pioneer Press said Limit Up "can't be faulted for enthusiasm or moxie" and its "strong equality-of-women-in-the-workplace message is welcome". Dually, The Chicago Tribune was less complimentary: "the picture is as spunky and good-natured as all get out, but in the absence of any original or substantial ideas, its spunk soon grates."
Nancy Allen (actress)
Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
as Chicago commodities trader Casey Falls. The film was directed by Richard Martini
Richard martini
Richard Martini is an award-winning American film director, producer, screenwriter and free lance journalist. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a degree in Humanities, attended USC Film School and is a 2008 graduate of the Master of Professional Writing Program at...
and produced by Jonathan D. Krane
Jonathan D. Krane
Jonathan D. Krane is an American movie Producer behind such fare as Blind Date , Look Who's Talking and its sequels, Limit Up , and various John Travolta films including Face/Off , Primary Colors , and Swordfish .-References:Jonathan D...
. The movie was filmed throughout Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and prominently features scenes at The Board of Trade and Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
.
Rance Howard
Rance Howard
Rance Howard is an American actor who has starred in film and on television.-Life and career:Howard was born Harold Rance Beckenholdt in Oklahoma, the son of Ethel Cleo and Engel Beckenholdt, a farmer. He changed his name to "Rance Howard" when he became an actor. He married Jean Speegle Howard...
, Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell is an American actor of film and television, with a career spanning over 65 years. As a child actor under contract to MGM he first came to the public's attention in films such as Anchors Aweigh and The Green Years; as a young adult he played a lead role in the 1957 Broadway and...
, blues icon Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
and Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
alumni Danitra Vance
Danitra Vance
Danitra Vance was an American comedienne and actress best known as a cast member on the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live during its eleventh season and for work in feature films like Sticky Fingers , Limit Up and Jumpin' at the Boneyard .-Career:Born in Chicago, Vance graduated from nearby...
and Brad Hall
Brad Hall
William Brad Hall is an American writer and actor, best known as a Saturday Night Live news anchor on Saturday Night News. He was also the creator of the TV series The Single Guy and Watching Ellie...
round out the cast. Additionally, actress Sally Kellerman
Sally Kellerman
Sally Clare Kellerman is an American actress and singer known for her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the film MASH , for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.-Early life:...
makes a cameo appearance as a nightclub singer. John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
scored the film and it was produced by Jonathan D. Krane (Look Who's Talking
Look Who's Talking
Look Who's Talking is a 1989 romantic comedy film written and directed by Amy Heckerling and stars John Travolta and Kirstie Alley. Bruce Willis plays the voice of Mollie's son, Mikey. The film features George Segal as Albert, the illegitimate father of Mikey.-Plot:Mollie Jensen is an accountant...
, Face/Off
Face/Off
Face/Off is a 1997 action thriller film directed by John Woo, starring John Travolta and Nicolas Cage. The two both play an FBI agent and a terrorist, sworn enemies who assume the physical appearance of one another....
).
Synopsis
To get ahead and become a successful trader, Casey Falls (Nancy AllenNancy Allen (actress)
Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
), a bright-eyed runner at the Chicago Board of Trade, sells her soul to a demon named Nike (Danitra Vance
Danitra Vance
Danitra Vance was an American comedienne and actress best known as a cast member on the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live during its eleventh season and for work in feature films like Sticky Fingers , Limit Up and Jumpin' at the Boneyard .-Career:Born in Chicago, Vance graduated from nearby...
). Her boss (Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell is an American actor of film and television, with a career spanning over 65 years. As a child actor under contract to MGM he first came to the public's attention in films such as Anchors Aweigh and The Green Years; as a young adult he played a lead role in the 1957 Broadway and...
) tries to thwart her, her boyfriend (Brad Hall
Brad Hall
William Brad Hall is an American writer and actor, best known as a Saturday Night Live news anchor on Saturday Night News. He was also the creator of the TV series The Single Guy and Watching Ellie...
) tries to help her, and his boss (Rance Howard
Rance Howard
Rance Howard is an American actor who has starred in film and on television.-Life and career:Howard was born Harold Rance Beckenholdt in Oklahoma, the son of Ethel Cleo and Engel Beckenholdt, a farmer. He changed his name to "Rance Howard" when he became an actor. He married Jean Speegle Howard...
) just hopes for the best. Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
plays God, a sax player who stands in front of the Chicago Board of Trade, and depending if you tip him or not, that's how well you're going to do that day. Its subplot concerns ending world hunger through manipulating soybean prices.
Cast
- Nancy AllenNancy Allen (actress)Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
as Casey Falls - Dean StockwellDean StockwellDean Stockwell is an American actor of film and television, with a career spanning over 65 years. As a child actor under contract to MGM he first came to the public's attention in films such as Anchors Aweigh and The Green Years; as a young adult he played a lead role in the 1957 Broadway and...
as Peter Oak - Brad HallBrad HallWilliam Brad Hall is an American writer and actor, best known as a Saturday Night Live news anchor on Saturday Night News. He was also the creator of the TV series The Single Guy and Watching Ellie...
as Marty Callahan - Danitra VanceDanitra VanceDanitra Vance was an American comedienne and actress best known as a cast member on the NBC sketch show Saturday Night Live during its eleventh season and for work in feature films like Sticky Fingers , Limit Up and Jumpin' at the Boneyard .-Career:Born in Chicago, Vance graduated from nearby...
as Nike - Ray CharlesRay CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
as Julius - Rance HowardRance HowardRance Howard is an American actor who has starred in film and on television.-Life and career:Howard was born Harold Rance Beckenholdt in Oklahoma, the son of Ethel Cleo and Engel Beckenholdt, a farmer. He changed his name to "Rance Howard" when he became an actor. He married Jean Speegle Howard...
as Chuck Feeney - Sandra Bogan as Andy Lincoln
- William J. Wolf as Rusty
- Ava Fabian as Sasha
- Robbie Martini as Assistant to Mr. Oak
- Teressa Ovetta Burrell as Clerk
- Winifred FreedmanWinifred FreedmanWinifred Freedman is an American actress and singer primarily known for her roles in television.She is perhaps best known for playing Annette Mastorelli, Chachi Arcola's cousin and bass guitar playing bandmate in Joanie Loves Chachi, the short-lived spin-off of Happy Days...
as Pit Recorder - Kellie Joy Beals as Reporter
- Nicky Blair as Maitre D'
Critical Response
The lighthearted romp received a B+ from Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
: "Splendid with good cast, good script, tidy direction" and "Nancy Allen is particularlly delightful."[1] TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
noted that director Martini succeeds "in making the commodity-market scenes comprehensible for the layman." The St. Paul Pioneer Press said Limit Up "can't be faulted for enthusiasm or moxie" and its "strong equality-of-women-in-the-workplace message is welcome". Dually, The Chicago Tribune was less complimentary: "the picture is as spunky and good-natured as all get out, but in the absence of any original or substantial ideas, its spunk soon grates."
External links
- Limit Up at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...