22 Interesting Facts About The Family Man

Name: The Family Man
Released: 2000

Interesting Facts (18)

#001
When Jack changes Josh's diaper and Josh pees on him, it is real and has no effect. Nicolas Cage's reaction is genuine, and he is trying not to laugh as he fixes the situation. Brett Ratner thought it contributed to the chaos and unpredictability of the scene and kept it in.
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#002
The man Big Ed plays poker with to take his job was Mr. Potter. This is another homage to It's a Wonderful Life (1946). There is a deleted scene featuring Jack and Mr. Potter.
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#003
Jack's "glimpse" lasts about eight weeks, until a few days after his meeting with Lassiter on Valentine's Day.
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#004
In the script version, Jack sings Frank Sinatra's "Witchcraft" to Kate during the birthday party. In the film it was changed to The Delfonics' song "La, La, La Means I Love You."
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#005
Director Brett Ratner had to court Nicolas Cage for months to convince him to appear in this film. Cage did not agree to appear in the film until he saw Ratner's previous film, Rush Hour (1998).
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#006
At the beginning of the film, Jack sings "La donna è mobile" from Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'Rigoletto.' In the opera, the song is sung by a philandering duke who describes women as fickle and untrustworthy, whereas in reality it is the duke who is fickle and untrustworthy. This resembles Jack's situation at the start of the film: a rich, irresponsible womanizer who cannot see his own flaws.
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#007
The bowling alley scenes were shot at Hollywood Star Lanes, which became well known after many people saw it in The Big Lebowski (1998). The Family Man (2000) was the last film shot at the location. The bowling alley closed in August 2002 after the city took over the property for a new school through an eminent domain arrangement.
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#008
"La Donna e' mobile" also appeared on the soundtracks of Nicolas Cage's films Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Guarding Tess (1994) and Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001).
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#009
The closing scene, in which Jack runs through the airport terminal to catch Kate just before she boards the plane, offers a unique look at history. This scene was only possible before September 11, 2001. As most young people know, in the post-9/11 world it is impossible to reach the boarding gate without going through security and without a boarding pass.
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#010
While bowling, Jack said he had jumped out of a plane over the Mojave desert. Nicolas Cage's character did this in Honeymoon in Vegas (1992).
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#011
In the scene where Kate lies in bed and Jack asks her to remember him no matter what, Kate is reading Jerzy Kosinski's book 'Being There.' The book is barely visible on screen, but there is a connection. It is the story of Chauncey Gardiner, a mysterious but distinguished man who suddenly appears and becomes the heir to a Wall Street businessman's throne. This resembles Jack's situation at that moment, as he tries to move from the tire sales business to an investment firm.
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#012
The building where Jack works in New York is the same building as in Baby Boom (1987).
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#013
The filming location for "Big Ed's" was Tarrytown, New York. The building was the abandoned home of the "Sleepy Hollow Motors" car dealership. It was not in Tarrytown, New York. It was in Sleepy Hollow, NY, officially known as North Tarrytown, NY. The building has since been demolished and a new office building now stands on the site.
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#014
In this film, Jack Campbell's life changes after he makes a "business deal" with Cash in exchange for a lottery ticket. In Honeymoon in Vegas (1994), Nicolas Cage's character's life changes after a deal involving a lottery ticket with a waitress.
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#015
While Kate tries to seduce Jack in the bedroom, Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" plays — a song that also appeared in another Nicolas Cage film, Wild at Heart (1990).
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#016
Paul Sorvino shot some scenes that were deleted from the film.
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#017
Both director Brett Ratner and Nicolas Cage's character, Jack Campbell, are New York University graduates.
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#018
The film was originally being developed by Curtis Hanson.
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Characters & Cast (2)

#019
John Travolta was at one point ready to take the lead role.
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#020
In Fargo (1996), Harve Presnell owned a car dealership where his son-in-law (played by William H. Macy) worked. In this film, he owns an auto parts supply store where his son-in-law (played by Nicolas Cage) works.
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Easter Eggs & References (1)

#021
In the scene where Cash asks Jack whether he is trying to save him, there is a building in the background with windows lit in the shape of a cross.
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Deeper Meaning (1)

#022
The snowfall that symbolizes the changes in Jack's life is a homage to It's a Wonderful Life (1946).
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Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story — The Family Man comes up in the facts on that page

Sources & editorial notes

Reference databases

IMDb IMDb title page (trivia)

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