Kansas City
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Robert Altman
Harry Belafonte
Steve Buscemi
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Miranda Richardson
Michael Murphy
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In 1934, while the rest of the country was mired in the Depression, Kansas City thrived with gambling, prostitution, and jazz-filled nightclubs flourishing under the rule of city bosses and organized crime. On the eve of the municipal elections, a scrappy telegraph operator, Blondie O'Hara, has kidnapped wealthy Carolyn Stilton, a drug-addicted socialite wife married to an advisor to president Roosevelt. Blondie plans to swap Carolyn for her small-time gangster husband Johnnie who has been taken hostage by big-time gangster and club owner Seldom Seen. Robert Altman's riff on race, class, and power cross-cuts between the two kidnappings and the background of corrupt politics and virtuoso jazz music.
Director
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/RobertAltman.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Robert Altman
Cast
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/HarryBelafonte.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Harry Belafonte
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/SteveBuscemi.25993.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Steve Buscemi
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Miranda Richardson
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i65/michaelmurphy_cu_188x141_032020080305.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Michael Murphy
Dermot Mulroney
Brooke Smith
![](https://prod-images.tcm.com/Master-Profile-Images/JaneAdams.jpg?imwidth=188&height=141)
Jane Adams
Jeff Feringa
A C Tony Smith
Martin Martin
Albert J Burnes
Ajia Mignon Johnson
Tim Snay
Tawanna Benbow
Cal Pritner
Jerry Fornelli
Michael Marisi Ornstein
Michael Garozzo
Joe Digirolamo
John Durbin
Gina Belafonte
Nancy Marcy
Buck Baker
Dorothy Kemp-clark
Edward Pennington
Robert Elliott
Marlon Hoffman
Patrick Oldani
Philip Trovato
James Carter
Craig Handy
David Murray
Joshua Redman
Jesse Davis
David Newman
Don Byron
Olu Dara
Nicholas Payton
James Zollar
Curtis Fowlkes
Clark Gayton
Victor C. Lewis Jr.
Geri Allen
Cyrus Chestnut
Ron Carter
Christian Mcbride
Tyrone Clark
Russell Malone
Mark Whitfield
Kevin Mahogany
Daniel C Rothenberg
Matthew Altman
Crew
Michael Adams
Geri Allen
Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Stephen Altman
Eric D Andersen
Leslie Anne Anderson
D Laemmle Ascher
Frank Barhydt
Sam Barkan
Harry Barris
Carol Barta
Count Basie
Linda Baska
Brendy Bauman
Oscar Beguiristain
C Jeanenne Bell
Elizabeth Bergman
Shapiro Bernstein
Steven R Bernstein
Steven R Bernstein
Patty Blake
Aneikit Bonnel
Charlie Bouis
Mark Bracewell
Eimear Bradbury
Rick Brainin
Roger Branit
Shawna Bridgman
Shannon Broderick
Dawn Brown
David Bryant
John E Bucklin
Scott Bushnell
Don Byron
Bonnie Cagle
Catherine Calleson
Scott Childers
Julie Clark
Molly Click
Gordon Clifford
Jennifer Cole
David D Connolly
Signe Corriere
Rick Cowan
Jason Davis
Robert Dawson
Eddie De Lange
Keiko Deguchi
Martin L Diggs
John J Drees
Loretta Dungan
Stephen P Dunn
Ed Durham
Jeni Edwards
Duke Ellington
Amy Emrich-selby
Susan Emshwiller
Leon Ericksen
Rick Evans
Gwen Everman
Kevin Fahey
Michael J. Fahey
Ashley Fierman
John Fletcher
Christopher Flick
Laurie Foglia
Leigh French
Mark Fulks
Milton Gabler
Gary Gegan
Andy Gibson
Leslie Godfrey
Stephen J Goldblatt
Dona Granata
Wendy Gray
Ted Haigh
Michael Haight
Craig Handy
James F. Hanley
Mitzi Haralson
Jane Harlow
Coleman Hawkins
Elizabeth Himelstein
Laurene Hirschberg
Thomas Houchins
Lance Hruza
Patrick C Huerter
Mark Hutman
Anjella Hynes-porter
Matthew Iadarola
Phil Irwin
Sue Jacobs
Heather Jameson
Shellie Jeffrey
Richard L Johnson
Eric Johnston
Lorie Jones
Chrisi Karvonides-dushenko
Steve Kelso
Karl L King
Richard King
Gracie Klein
Karl Knief
Sherry L Koftan
Geri Lamer
Clifford Latimer
Elisabeth Leustig
Olivia Lewis
Patricio Libenson
Ron Licari
Eric Liliestrand
Thomas H. Lohmann
Anthony Maccario
Ballard Macdonald
Sheila Macdowell
Joseph Mandacina
Anthony T. Marra Ii
Denise L Martinez
Jim Matheny
Jeff Maynard
Michael A Mcfadden
John H Mclaughlin
James Mclindon
Kristi A Medley
Jennifer Melching
Ferdinando Merolla
Mike Mertens
Carla Meyer
Cindy Miles
Lisa Maria Miller
Irving Mills
Butch Morris
James L Morris
Vonda K. Morris
Bennie Moten
Buster Moten
Shawna Mull
Karen Naser
Greg Ovard
Ian Overson
Jeff T Owens
Terry R Owens
Walter Page
David A Parks
Eleanor Patton
Alexandra E Perce
Geraldine Peroni
Bernice Petkere
Pablo Prietto
Larry Prinz
John Patrick Pritchett
Rocky Quiroz
Eli Reed
George Edward Regis
Joe Reif
David M Roberts
Robin A Roberts
Russel Robinson
Herbert A Rook
James Rushing
Robin L Schillaci
Roycee Schlotzhauer
Scott Schudy
Ed Seaman
Matthew Seig
William J Sell
George Sheanshang Esq.
Joel Shryack
Aldo Signoretti
Noble Sissle
Peter Slowey
Karen S Smith
Ken Smith
Carmen Soriano
Richard Speed
Wayne Springfield
Oliver Stapleton
Tina Stauffer
Thomas R Stiller
Bruce A. Strong
Wayne Stroud
Joseph Tagger
Donna Leigh Tatum
Harry C Taylor
David C Thomas
David C Thomas
Bubba Thrift
Aaron Ali Tichenor
Dylan Tichenor
Mary Traylor
Micheline Trepanier
Naython Vane
Chandler Vinar
Grady Walker
Greg Walker
James B. Walsh
Kevin Welsh
Nancy Jones Wetmore
Dale Wibben
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States May 1996
Released in United States November 1996
Released in United States on Video January 28, 1997
Released in United States Summer August 16, 1996
Shown at Cannes Film Festival (in competition) May 9-20, 1996.
Shown at London Film Festival November 7-24, 1996.
Miranda Richardson replaced Kim Basinger, as the insurance company would not cover the then pregnant actress.
Harry Belafonte received the 1996 award for Best Supporting Actor from the New York Film Critics Circle.
Music producer Hal Willner, along with the Hey Hey Club Musicians, received the 1996 award for Best Music Score from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
Began shooting April 18, 1995.
Completed shooting July 2, 1995.
Released in United States on Video January 28, 1997
Released in United States May 1996 (Shown at Cannes Film Festival (in competition) May 9-20, 1996.)
Released in United States Summer August 16, 1996
Released in United States November 1996 (Shown at London Film Festival November 7-24, 1996.)