The Postman

Year:

1997

Duration:

177 min

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

IMDB rate:

5.9

Director:

Kevin Costner

Awards:

6 wins & 5 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1997-12-25

Filming Locations: Anacortes, Washington, USA

Earnings

Budget: $80,000,000

Opening Weekend: $5,260,324 (USA) (28 December 1997)

Gross: $17,593,391 (USA) (15 February 1998)

Cast

Actor

Character

Mary Stuart Masterson

The Postman

Giovanni Ribisi

The Postman

Joe Costner

The Postman

Kevin Costner

The Postman

Will Patton

General Bethlehem

Larenz Tate

Ford Lincoln Mercury

Olivia Williams

Abby

James Russo

Idaho

Daniel von Bargen

Pineview Sheriff Briscoe

Tom Petty

Bridge City Mayor

Scott Bairstow

Luke

Roberta Maxwell

Irene March

Joe Santos

Colonel Getty

Ron McLarty

Old George

Peggy Lipton

Ellen March

Brian Anthony Wilson

Woody

Todd Allen

Gibbs

Rex Linn

Mercer

Shawn Hatosy

Billy

Ryan Hurst

Eddie March

Charles Esten

Michael, Abby's Husband

Annie Costner

Ponytail

Ty O'Neal

Drew

Kirk Fox

Gangly Recruit

Ken Linhart

Disappointed Recruit

Korey Scott Pollard

Thin Recruit

Kayla Lambert

Shakespeare Girl

Austin Howard Early

Shakespeare Boy

Ellen Geer

Pineview Woman

Randle Mell

Villiage Mayor

Cooper Taylor

Tony

Dylan Haggerty

Slow Recruit

Michael Milgrom

Holnist Projectionist

Keith C. Howell

Holnist Scout

H.P. Evetts

Holnist Soldier

Jeffery Thomas Johnson

Rope Bridge Soldier

Jeff McGrail

Rope Bridge Soldier

Lily Costner

Lily March

Gregory Avellone

Pineview Man

Susan Brightbill

Pineview Woman

Elisa Daniel

Pineview Woman

Jenny Buchanan

Pineview Woman

Ann Manning

Pineview Woman

Andy Garrison

Pineview Sentry

Rusty Hendrickson

Pineview Minister

Marvin Winton

Pineview Old Man

Jono Manson

Pineview Band

John J. Coinman

Pineview Band

Vernon T. Williams

Pineview Band

Mark Clark

Pineview Band

Blair Forward

Pineview Band

Robyn Pruitt-Hamm

Pineview Band

Michelle Ramminger

Pineview Band

Tom Novak

Benning Gatekeeper

Richard Joel

Benning Gatekeeper

George Wyner

Benning Mayor

Brooke Becker

Benning Woman

Eva Gayle Six

Benning Woman

Todd Lewis

Benning Man

Kathi Sheehan

Letter Boy's Mother

Amy Jo Weinstein

Elvis Woman

Betty Moyer

Elvis Woman

Joseph McKenna

Holnist Captain

Neal Preston Coon

Bridge City Boy

Rick Wadkins

Bridge City Man

Shiree Porter

Bridge City Woman

Anthony Guidera

Bridge City Guard

Judy Herrera

Carrier

Greg Serano

California Carrier

Derk Cheetwood

Carrier 12

Mark Thomason

Adult Letter Boy

Julie Andrews

Maria

Stanton Barrett

California Carrier

Lester Berman

Cook

Tom Bower

Larry

Shane Alan Bowers

'8's Cavalry

Mark Donnell

Holnist Bridge Guard

Gordon Frye

Holnist Cavalry Captain

Nancy Frye

Town Cavalry

Patric Johnstone

Holnist Cavalryman

Dolph Lundgren

Andrew Scott

Fergus O'Fay

Horseback Rider

Chris Orf

Conscript

Brandon Tyler

Postal Recruit

Did you know?

Trivia

Kevin Costner's children all appear in the film.

Share this

An open mining pit in Tucson was used in the movie. It was one of the largest film sets ever dressed, at least two miles wide, and 1200 feet deep to create Bethlehem's camp. Engineers looked over the drawings for buildings of the future to see if they were structurally sound. They built Bridge City on the face of the dam that supplies half of Seattle's power. Despite the danger from being swept away they persisted with the work while wearing rubber suits.

Share this

The protagonist is referred to as The Postman or Shakespeare. In the novel his name was Gordon Krantz.

Share this

Goofs

When Ford-Lincoln-Mercury and the postal carrier from California (Clark) are about to be executed, and Ford introduces himself, we flash to a distance shot, in which we see Clark remove his hat. We then flash to a closeup, and Clark removes his hat again.

Share this

As The Postman and General Bethlehem are starting their parley in the climactic scene, a cameraman and camera are visible on the rock face behind the General.

Share this

The main character assumes his role because he found an old abandoned mail truck containing the remains of a long dead mailman and pilfered the uniform from the skeleton. The problem here is the condition of the clothing he takes. When a person dies, the body goes through many stages of decomposition on its way to being merely a skeleton. As the tissues break down, many chemicals and enzymes are released, including the hydrochloric acid of the digestive system. In the final stages of decomposition, this is referred to as liquefacation or liquiescence. Given enough time and a suitable environment this combination of byproducts, with the addition of the bacteria that will inevitably emerge, would make any cloth or fabric (with the exception of treated leather products) not only disgustingly filthy, but also so weakened from exposure to what amounts to a corrosive liquid, that the fibers would tear apart from any stresses put on them. Even the act of taking the jacket off of the remains (and certainly that of putting the jacket on himself) would have pulled the fabric apart.

Share this

Quotes

Sheriff: You're nothing but a drifter who found a bag of mail.

Share this

General Bethlehem: Great men were made by other great men. Patton had Rommel. Grant had Lee!

Share this

General Bethlehem: I know what your problem is. Do you know why you won't fight? Because you have nothing to fight for! You don't care about anything! You don't value anything! You don't believe in anything! That's what makes me better!

Share this

Faq

Q

Hasn't Kevin Costner played a drifter with no name in another post apocalyptic film?

A

Yes he did. 2 years earlier, Kevin Costner starred as The Mariner in 1995's Waterworld.

Q

Why couldn't Abby and Michael have a baby?

A

Michael had the viral disease Mumps since he was 12 years old, which is a common childhood disease and causes a rare permanent loss of fertility in adult males.

Q

How long since the apocalypse took place?

A

1998. 15 years earlier. The film is set in 2013.

Share this