Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even

**Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even** is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Joan Micklin Silver.

The film was first released on October 4, 1991 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and released in theaters on May 8, 1992 by New Line Cinema.

## Plot

The film follows 13-year-old Laura Chartoff (Hillary Wolf), who is fed up with her dysfunctional family and decides to run away from home. When her family notices that Laura is missing, they are forced to come together to help find her.

## Cast

* Hillary Wolf as Laura Chartoff
* Griffin Dunne as David Chartoff
* Margaret Whitton as Melinda Chartoff Powers
* David Strathairn as Keith Powers
* Dan Futterman as Josh Powers
* Jenny Lewis as Corinne Powers
* David Strathairn as Keith Powers
* Trenton Teigen as Kurt Powers
* Ben Savage as Sam Powers
* Adrienne Shelly as Stephanie
* Patricia Kalember as Barbara Chartoff
* Jessica Seely as Jessie Chartoff

## Crew

**Writers**

* Story by: Frank Mugavero, Mark Goddard and Melissa Goddard
* Screenplay by: Frank Mugavero

**Script and continuity department**

* Bret Sarton: assistant script supervisor
* Annie Welles: script supervisor

**Producers**

* Melissa Goddard: executive producer
* Peter Morgan: executive producer
* Gerald T. Olson: producer
* Laurie Perlman: producer

**Music by**

* Patrick Williams

**Music department**

* Shopan Entesari: composer (additional music and music supervisor)
* Edward Karam: orchestrator
* Allan K. Rosen: music editor
* Greg Sheldon: creative music placement and music editor
* Patty von Arx: assistant music editor

**Cinematography by**

* Theo van de Sande: director of photography

**Film editing by**

* Janice Hampton

**Editorial department**

* David Dalton: apprentice editor
* Thalia Harithas: post-production coordinator
* Vivian Hengsteler: negative cutter
* Erica Huggins: assistant editor
* Nicholas Martin: assistant editor
* Dan Muscarella: color timer
* Bruno Paquette Jr.: apprentice editor
* Stuart Sperling: assistant editor
* Josie Wechsler: apprentice editor

**Second Unit Director or Assistant Director**

* Robert Leveen: second assistant director
* David Sardi: first assistant director
* Daniel Silverberg: second second assistant director
* John R. Woodward: first assistant director (second unit)

**Casting by**

* Linda Lowy

**Casting department**

* Kate Richey: casting assistant
* James Vanko: extras casting (Mammoth)

**Production management**

* Joe Fineman: executive in charge of post-production
* Ken Golden: unit production manager
* Ric Keelsy: post-production supervisor
* Deborah Moore: executive in charge of production

**Camera and electrical department**

* Waide Allen: electrician
* Jaime Barber: first assistant camera
* Huston Beaumont: rigger
* Paul J. Bellman: staff videographer
* Brian Bernstein: steadicam operator
* Levon Besnelian: dolly grip
* Stephanie Blakemore: electrician
* John Carney: rigger
* Louie Cicero: grip
* John Connor: second assistant camera
* Darryl Cowheard Jr.: electrician
* Mark Shane Davis: key grip
* Willie E. Dawkins: electrician
* Maurizio Dotto: second assistant camera
* Kimo Easterwood: electrician
* Duncan Filson: rigger
* Samuel Fischer: co-grip
* Kevin "Rambo Fitzgerald: grip
* Charley Gilleran: best boy grip
* Bruce Alan Greene: Steadicam operator
* David Hennings: camera operator
* Wes Houle: rigger
* Chrisitn S. Hurley: second second assistant camera
* Ciaran Kavanagh: second assistant
* William H. Koski: electrician
* Amy Laakman: grip
* Michael Lambert: electrician
* Roger S. Mack: camera intern
* Matt Mania: rigger
* John Maninger: best boy electric
* Tony Mazzucchi: best boy grip
* Ryan Nellis: still photographer
* Tom Nichols: dolly grip
* Terry O'Deen: grip
* Briggs Palmer: first assistant camera
* Daniel Pershing: grip
* Bill Pierson: grip
* Billy Pierson: company grip
* Joseph M. Ressa: electrician
* Amy Roth: second second assistant camera
* Jay R. Schwartz: lighting board operator
* Charles Smallwood: best boy grip
* P.M. Sudmerer: rigger
* Mark Tamny: second assistant camera
* Newton TerMeer: gaffer
* Randolph J. Verdugo: grip
* Tom Yatsko: first assistant Steadicam

**Sound**

* Sue Blainey: assistant sound editor
* Brent Brewington: boom operator
* Paul Bureek: apprentice sound editor
* Nancy Linden: foley artist
* Louis Cerborino: sound editor
* Vida Fitzgerald: apprentice sound editor
* Starr Furlotte: assistant sound editor
* Wendy Hedin: supervising sound editor
* Adam Joseph: cable person
* Richard Q. King: assistant sound editor
* Hal Levinson: ADR editor and dialogue editor
* Robert Morgan: boom operator
* Susumu Tokunow: sound mixer
* Brian Vancho: foley artist
* David Wahnon: assistant sound editor
* Mel Zelniker: sound re-recordist

**Special Effects**

* Marty Bresin: special effects coordinator

**Production design by**

* Victoria Paul

**Art direction by**

* Brad Ricker

**Art department**

* Carl Algee: swing gang
* James Baldwin: swing gang
* Kay Bay: buyer
* Bonnie Bennetts: buyer
* Bruce Rand Berman: swing gang
* Scot Broadus: set crew
* Beth Bronson: scenic department
* Rob Brown: construction coordinator
* Paul J. Buckley: carpenter
* Henry Buescher: carpenter
* John Bullard: carpenter
* Cheri Candido: assistant property master
* José António Clemente: assistant carpenter
* Lawrence A. Cornick: art production assistant
* Michael S. Day: property master
* Robert DeVico: construction foreman
* Joe Del Monte: carpenter
* Frank Ferguson: carpenter
* Gerard Forrest: carpenter
* Patricia Garrity: key set dresser
* Michael Goddard: art production assistant
* Michael Goyak: swing gang
* Jim T. Graham: swing gang
* Bernard Griesz: carpenter
* Aaron Groszmann: swing gang
* Mark Hannah: assistant carpenter
* George Hinzo: lead scenic painter
* Hugo J. Hosek: scenic department
* James Hura: swing gang
* Devlin Lerew: carpenter
* Douglas Lidz: carpenter
* Elroy J. Matoba: swing gang
* Norm Maxwell: carpenter
* Brant McCarthy: carpenter
* Eugene McCarthy: property master
* Paul McConnell: swing gang
* Karin L. McGaughey: assistant to designers
* Steve Miller: swing gang
* Martin Milligan: swing gang
* John Moore: carpenter
* Kyle Nichoff: swing gang
* Hal Olofsson: swing gang
* Shawn Probst: swing gang
* Eric Ramsey: storyboard artist
* Tony Reynolds: swing gang
* Hector Rivera: swing gang
* Paul H. Roberts: carpenter
* David Ronemus: carpenter
* Sandy Schaak: propmaker foreman
* John Setzer: carpenter
* Maya Shimoguchi: set designer
* Tozar Simich: carpenter
* Wendy Smith: art department coordinator
* Sandra Stewart: buyer
* Todd Syrek: property maker
* Toddy Syrek: carpenter
* Joseph Torres: carpenter
* José Antonio Torres: property maker
* Phil Tubach: lead man
* Adolofo Vegara: carpenter
* Vee Vitanza: scenic department
* Taunie Vrenon: scenic department
* Eric Yornt: carpenter
* Chris Snyder: construction foreman [uncredited]

**Set decoration by**

* Joyce Ann Gilstrap
* Diana Allen Williams [uncredited]

**Costume design by**

* Jane Ruhm

*Costume and wardrobe department'*

* Jon Boyden: wardrobe supervisor
* Sandra Kenyon: wardrobe assistant
* Melissa Merwin: costume supervisor
* Anne Carter Parker: wardrobe assistant
* Scott Bar Tomlinson: wardrobe supervisor

**Makeup**

* Gandhi Bob Arrollo: makeup department head
* John C. Damiani: assistant hair stylist and assistant makeup artist
* Linda De Andrea: hair supervisor and key makeup artist
* Angela Levin: key hair stylist and key makeup artist
* Susan "Sam" Mayer: assistant makeup artist

**Location management**

* Ed Berghino: assistant location manager
* Marc Lasko: location scout
* Tony Salome: location manager

**Transportation**

* Carl Algee: driver
* Ted Basso: production van driver operator
* Moore Brian: transportation coordinator
* Richard Burch: driver
* Louis Ciceros: driver
* David Downs: shotmaker driver
* Rebecca Forbes: driver
* Tom Goodman: driver
* Stephen Gray: transportation co-captain
* John Hunt: driver
* Chris Joachims: driver
* David Joseph: driver (production van)
* Lori June Moore: driver
* Patrick Joseph Moore: transportation captain
* Rob Morton: driver
* Adam Pinkstaff: driver
* Dan Rycerz: driver
* Patrick Ryco: driver
* Bruce Scott: driver
* Tony Sgueglia: driver
* Robin Twogood: driver
* Jennifer Watson: driver
* Chris Wentzel: driver
* Roland Wilson: driver

**Stunts**

* Tom Elliott: stunts
* Sandra Gimpel: stunt coordinator
* David Le Bell: stunts
* Lynn Salvator: stunts

**Additional crew**

* Christopher C. Bardin: assistant to producers
* Scotty Bergstein: assistant production coordinator
* Blain Bregel: stage security
* Daniel Burns: on-the-set production assistant
* Michelle Carson: on-the-set production assistant
* Diane Cornell: assistant production accountant
* Caren Elin: studio teacher
* Steve Elster: studio teacher
* Erin D. Field: production assistant
* Greg Grant: accounting production assistant
* Timothy Gray: production executive
* Joanna L. Rees Jones: assistant production coordinator
* Dan Kaplow: production coordinator
* Besty Knecht: on-the-set production assistant
* William Lybeer: craft service
* Jana Marx: assistant to executive producer
* Sandra McNeil: studio teacher
* Steven Melching: production assistant
* Sally Morton: legal assistant
* Paul Mouradjian: assistant production accountant
* Debbie Nelson: on-the-set production assistant
* Charles Pollard: synthesizer programmer
* Cindy Litman: contract supervisor
* Gail Rodono: production controller
* Anthony Rosen: assistant (Joan Micklin Silver)
* Phillip L. Rosen: production attorney
* Ann C. Salzer: on-the-set production assistant
* Lesa Shapiro: on-the-set production assistant
* Shawn Stevens: crafts service/catering
* Anne Strick: unit publicist
* Jim Vanko: mammoth location services
* Chris Wentzel: medic
* Benjamin Whitehouse: production accountant
* Chris Witherspoon: film reviewer
* Woody Wood: mechanic
* Ronald C. Briggs Jr.: inventory services [uncredited]

**Special thanks**

* Toby Emmerich
* Freddi Gershon

## Production

Principal photography for "Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even" began on September 18, 1990 and ended on November 16, 1990. The original film title was "Stepkids."

Filming took place in California at Inyo National Forest at Crystal Crag, Lake Mary and the Mammoth Ranger District.

## Box Office

"Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even" was a disappointment at the box office, grossing only $271,327. It disappeared from theaters four weeks in 1991 before its release in 1992.

## Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, "Big Girls Don't Cry... They Get Even" has an audience of score of 60%.

Brian Lowry from Variety said: "*This tale of a teenage girl overlooked by her marriage-prone parents never escapes its sitcom premise and finally gives in to an ending so hackneyed it practically defines the term. There are a few worthwhile moments in between, but not enough to keep "Big Girls" from looking small and frail at the box office."*

TV Guide Magazine called the film a *"tepid teenage angst sitcom."*

Chucksconnection.com said that the script to "Big Girls Don’t Cry... They Get Even" examines *"modern family life in a humorous and sometimes touching manner."*

Michael Wilmington of the Los Angeles Times called it a *"silly, overfrenetic chase comedy about a huge family, full of cheap L.A. jokes, programmed warmth, slick little life lessons and improbable twists."*

## Production Companies

* New Line Cinema
* MG Entertainment
* Perlman Productions