Bandits (2001)

Cate Blanchett as: Kate Wheeler

Director: Barry Levinson
Selected Cast: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton & Troy Garity
Written by: Harley Peyton
Release Year: 2001
Genre: Comedy / Crime / Drama / Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13

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A charismatic convict and a hypochondriac inmate break out of prison in a cement truck and immediately start a bank robbing spree. Becoming known as the “Sleepover Bandits”, the two kidnap bank managers the night before their robbery, spend the night with their families, and then all go to the bank in the morning to get the dough. Using a dim-witted stunt man as their getaway driver and lookout, the three successfully pull off several jobs that gets them recognition on a TV show about America’s criminals. When a bored housewife with a failing marriage decides to runaway, she ends up in the hands of the criminals. Initially attracted to Willis, she nonetheless also ends up in bed with Thornton and a confused romantic relationship begins. Continuing along with their spree, the bandits hit the wall when the bank managers realize that they are non-violent and therefore no threat to them or their employees.

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Quotes from Cate Blanchett

“Bandits was one of those laugh-out-loud scripts. And once I knew who was cast as Joe and Terry, I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing those roles. You just knew that with those two actors, the film was going to be bigger and even more than what it was on the page.” (Cinema.com)
On Barry Levinson: “Working with Barry is very comfortable because he’s such a good audience. In the beginning we had a bit of a language problem, and I thought it was because he’s from Baltimore and I’m from Sydney. It turned out it’s just that he’s got his own very particular language and his own particular take on things. And it’s hilarious.”
On her character: “Kate Wheeler comes into the story by sheer accident. She literally crashes into the piece, which is a great way to arrive. Kate’s problem is that her fantasy life is more engaging and more exciting than her real life. She’s compromised her way into a very small corner of the world and she’s just desperate to break out.
I think Kate has always fantasized about what it would be to live on the outskirts. She forms a relationship with these two men, which most of us would find incredibly confusing, but for her it seems most clear. For me the atmosphere of the film is that first bloom of love except then it blooms a second time.
Eventually, Kate finds more than she’s looking for, which is always exciting. As each page in the story turns for her, she’s taken to a place that she could never imagine. Even the ending for her is a surprise. I think it’s a surprise for all of them.”

Quotes from Others

Barry Levinson:
— On Cate Blanchett: “Cate embraces a role so completely that she becomes a different human being. In Bandits, she has to disguise herself with wigs. With every wig, she produced a different person.”
— On the cast: “There are a number of surprises in this film. I don’t think I’ve seen Billy Bob [Thornton] this way before, and I’ve certainly never seen Cate Blanchett playing this kind of character. As for Bruce [Willis], it’s not that he hasn’t done a lot of comedic or romantic pieces, but I think the fact that it’s comedic and romantic yet also a tough character is going to be appealing. It’s a good combination.”
Billy Bob Thornton:
— On Cate Blanchett: “If someone were to ask me, ‘Have you ever seen any weakness in Cate’s [Blanchett] ability and technique as an actress?’ I’d say no. Nothing. Never. One of the best actors I have ever worked with.”
— “I think the people who saw her [Cate Blanchett] in Bandits were damn surprised. I mean, she’s just a natural comedian, like Lucille Ball or Judy Holliday or somebody like that.”
Dante Spinotti (cinematographer):
— “For me the pivotal color scheme of the picture was Cate Blanchett’s hair, which was a wonderful, rich copper red, and was stunning against the yellow and forest green backdrops in Oregon and strong dramatic blues on the California coast. It reminded me in some ways of the German expressionists.”
Gloria Gresham (costume designer):
— “I felt really blessed. From the first fitting we were on the same wavelength. She [Cate Blanchett] really knew that she wanted to be the splash of color in the trio, so it was perfect. Cate is unbelievably professional and very much into her wardrobe and costumes. She has 16-18 changes in the film, so I never had a fitting with her that lasted less than four hours.”

Trivia & Facts

Filmed in USA.
Cate Blanchett was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical at the Golden Globes and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role at Screen Actors Guild Awards, more accolades here.
As of 2022, Cate Blanchett holds the record for most Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Bandits (2001), The Aviator (2004), Notes on a Scandal (2006), I’m Not There (2007), and Nightmare Alley (2021).
Cate Blanchett and Billy Bob Thornton also worked opposite each other in Pushing Tin (1999).
Billy Bob Thornton wrote the screenplay for The Gift (2000) where Cate Blanchett plays the lead character, Annie Wilson.
The film was originally meant to be an adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel “Bandits”, to which Bruce Willis owns the film rights, but the producers felt it was too weak and brought in writer Harley Peyton to write a new script from scratch.
Val Kilmer was originally considered for the part of Joe, and Bruce Willis was originally going to play the part of Terry, but due to scheduling conflicts, Kilmer backed out, and Willis took over the part of Joe.
Barry Levinson did a “Director Cameo” as the last staff to the right of the camera in the studio room from Darren’s point of view when he presented “Criminals at Large” at the beginning of the film.
The movie is based on two actual people, Terry Lee Conner and Joseph Dougherty, who used to rob banks the same way Joe and Terry did.
In an alternate ending, Kate Wheeler is holding Joe’s and Terry’s hands while watching the wedding, and she is pregnant. Letting the viewer speculate which man is the father.