
Defending Your Life (1991)
6.9|22 Mar, 1991|111 min
The first true story of what happens after you die.
6.9|22 Mar, 1991|111 min
Released
IMDb
Is there love after death? After he dies suddenly, the hapless advertising executive Daniel Miller finds himself in Judgment City, a gleaming way station where the newly deceased must prove they lived a life of sufficient courage to advance in their journey through the universe. As the self-doubting Daniel struggles to make his case, a budding relationship with the uninhibited Julia offers him a chance to finally feel alive.
Language
Budget--
Revenue $16,400,000
English
Budget--
Revenue $16,400,000
Keywords
afterlife
allegory
prosecution
heaven
satire
reincarnation
car accident
courtroom
advertising agency
past life
Casts

Albert Brooks
Daniel Miller

Meryl Streep
Julia

Rip Torn
Bob Diamond

Lee Grant
Lena Foster

Michael Durrell
Agency Head

James Eckhouse
Jeep Owner

Gary Beach
Car Salesman

Julie Cobb
Tram Guide
Peter Schuck
Stan

Time Winters
Porter
Sharlie Stuart
Susan
Beth Black
Soap Opera Woman

Clayton Norcross
Soap Opera Man

Jim McKrell
Game Show Moderator
Wil Albert
Game Show Contestant

Sage Allen
Game Show Contestant

Mary Pat Gleason
Waitress

Maxine Elliott Hicks
Elderly Woman on Tram
Marilyn Rockafellow
Helen
Roger Behr
Comedian
Art Frankel
Arthur
Ernie Brown
Ernie

George D. Wallace
Daniel's Judge

Lillian Lehman
Daniel's Judge

Raffi Di Blasio
Daniel as a Boy
Kristopher Kent Hill
Bully
Eric Ehasz
Child in Schoolyard
Matthew Scharch
Daniel as an Infant
S. Scott Bullock
Daniel's Father
Carol Bivins
Daniel's Mother

Ethan Embry
Steve

Gary Ballard
Mr. Wadworth
Mary Mukogawa
Sushi Hostess
Toshio Shikami
Head Sushi Chef
Samee Park
Sushi Chef
Kagko Shikami
Sushi Chef
Tommy Inouye
Sushi Chef
Ken Thorley
Frank
Bob Braun
Talk Show Host
Jennifer Barlow Grodsky
Talk Show Guest

Buck Henry
Dick Stanley

Joey Miyashima
Casio Tipster
Nurit Koppel
Daniel's Date

Susan Walters
Daniel's Wife
Sidney Chankin
Used Car Salesman

Greg Finley
Used Car Salesman
Leonard O. Turner
Sam
Clifford Einstein
Julia's Prosecutor
Rachel Bard
Julia's Judge

Newell Alexander
Julia's Judge

Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine

Hal Landon Jr.
Man in Past Lives Pavilion
Ida Lee
Woman in Past Lives Pavilion

Noley Thornton
Victorian Girl

Glen Chin
Sumo Wrestler
James Ekim
Native
Clarke Coleman
Knight
Ronald L. Colby
Majestic Doorman

David Purdham
Peter

James Paradise
Stage Manager
Jerry Prell
Banquet Manager
Arell Blanton
Fire Marshall
Shana Ballard
Julia's Daughter
Chris Macris
Julia's Son
Joseph Darrell
Maitre d'
James Manis
Eduardo
Alex Sheafe
Martin
Cathleen Chin
Ticket Counter Agent
Lisa Sears
Tram Port Attendant
Mark Dunlap
Tram Port Attendant
Vernon Roguen
Tram Port Attendant
Dennis Germain
Tram Driver
Jorga Caye
Deceased Lady (uncredited)
Robert Gatewood
Afterlife Traveler (uncredited)
John Michael Quinn
Man in Heaven (uncredited)

Douglas M. Nelson
Tram Attendee (uncredited)
Crews

Michael Grillo
Producer

Michael Gore
Original Music Composer

Albert Brooks
Director

Albert Brooks
Screenplay
David Finfer
Editor

Allen Daviau
Director of Photography

Mark Saks
Casting
Barbara Claman
Casting

Deborah L. Scott
Costume Design
Ida Random
Production Design
Robert Grand
Co-Producer

Herb Nanas
Executive Producer
John Rankin
Swing

John Morrisey
Assistant Editor
Kimberly Lowe Voigt
Dialogue Editor
Donn Piller
Swing
Dennis Dion
Special Effects Supervisor

Dane A. Davis
Supervising Sound Editor
Jim Borgardt
ADR Editor
G.W. Brown
ADR Editor

Michael Grillo
First Assistant Director
Bobby Mancuso
Second Assistant Camera
Reggie Newkirk
First Assistant Camera
Martha Johnston
Set Designer
Valerie Davidson
Foley Editor
Sara Gardner-Gail
Swing
Judd H. Maslansky
Assistant Editor
James Hegedus
Production Illustrator
Tom Hammond
Foley Editor
Carey Dietrich
Second Assistant Director
Eric Engler
Camera Operator
Linda DeScenna
Set Decoration
Randy Bostic
Swing
Robert Grand
Production Manager
Richard Reynolds
Art Direction
Ric McElvin
Leadman
Spencer Cross
Associate Editor
Maureen Mitchell
Assistant Editor
John Kwiatkowski
Sound Effects Editor
Franklin Jones Jr.
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Curtis Roush
Music Editor
Larry Clark Bird
Property Master
Gregg Barbanell
Foley Artist
Tom E. Dahl
Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Shirley Walker
Orchestrator
Steph Benseman
Location Manager
Jim Shelton
Dolly Grip
Larry Wallace
Chief Lighting Technician
Chris Burton
Special Effects Coordinator
Richard Kite
Boom Operator
Wayne Artman
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
John Thompson
Greensman
Joan Rowe
Foley Artist
Joseph F. Brennan
Boom Operator
William R. Mayberry
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
Lauren Ross
Assistant Location Manager
Robert W. Meyers
Rigging Gaffer
Hallie D'Amore
Makeup Artist
Ken Zimmerman
Assistant Property Master
Melinda Garey
Assistant Sound Editor

Hector C. Gika
Dialogue Editor
Annette Sutera
Second Second Assistant Director
Robert E. Denne
Standby Painter
Marlene D. Williams
Hairstylist
Robert Bradshaw
Dialogue Editor
Darrell Hall
Assistant Sound Editor
Thomas Causey
Production Sound Mixer
Luca Kouimelis
Script Supervisor
David Harris
Greensman
J. Roy Helland
Hairstylist
George Stokes
Construction Coordinator
Joel Moss
Scoring Mixer
James F. Orendorff
Construction Foreman
Cheri Hall
Assistant Accountant

Patti Hawn
Unit Publicist
Maggie Erickson
Casting Assistant
John George
Set Costumer
Nancy Ramey
Production Accountant
Bill Erickson
Stunt Coordinator
Jeff Jensen
Stunts
George L. Little
Wardrobe Supervisor
Lisbeth Wynn-Owen
Production Office Coordinator

Paul E. Short
Stunts
Michael Kenner
Key Grip
J. Roy Helland
Makeup Artist
Robert Raring
Color Timer
Phyllis Corcoran-Woods
Set Costumer
Deborah Hopper
Set Costumer
Paul Slansky
Thanks
Robert Stadd
Visual Effects Producer
Mat Beck
Visual Effects Supervisor
Greg Hall
Set Costumer
Carol McCullough
Still Photographer
Cary Conway
Paint Coordinator
Fernando Castroman
Assistant Director Trainee
Ken Allen
Matte Painter

Kevin Scott Mack
Modeling
Tom Bookout
Second Company Grip
Robert Foulkes
Assistant Location Manager
Richard L. Hill
Special Effects Technician

Shirley Walker
Conductor
Lee Redmond
Camera Operator
Robert Scifo
Matte Painter

Malcolm McNab
Musician
James Valentine
Roto Supervisor
Jon Farhat
VFX Artist
Laura Adler
Casting Assistant

Tom Boyd
Musician
Bruce Fowler
Orchestrator

Bill Daly
Post Production Accountant
Val Kuklowsky
Sound Editor
Jeff Burks
Animation Supervisor
Linda Renaud
VFX Editor
Louise Di Tullio
Musician
David Goldberg
Modelling Supervisor
Tom Dias
Transportation Captain
László Regos
Steadicam Operator
Kini Kay
Sound Effects Editor
Erik Henry
VFX Editor
Jenny O'Haver
Casting Assistant
Daniel Quick
Transportation Coordinator
John Sagray
Driver
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