Pennies from Heaven
“There's a world on both sides of the rainbow where songs come true and every time it rains, it rains Pennies from Heaven.”
Synopsis
During the Great Depression, a sheet music salesman seeks to escape his dreary life through popular music and a love affair with an innocent schoolteacher.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Pennies From Heaven - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-10-11
Top Cast
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Steve Martin
Arthur
Bernadette Peters
Eileen
Jessica Harper
Joan
Vernel Bagneris
The Accordion Man
John McMartin
Mr. Warner
John Karlen
The Detective
Jay Garner
The Banker
Robert Fitch
Al
Tommy Rall
Ed
Eliska Krupka
The Blind Girl
Christopher Walken
Tom
Francis X. McCarthy
The Bartender
Raleigh Bond
Mr. Barrett
Gloria LeRoy
A Prostitute
Nancy Parsons
The Old Whore
Toni Kaye
Tart
Shirley Kirkes
Tart
Jack Fletcher
Elevator Operator
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 11, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$22M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$9.2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.42x
-$12.8M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Herbert Ross
- Screenplay & Story
- Dennis Potter
- Original Score
- Billy May, Ralph Burns
- Original Title
- Pennies from Heaven
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 48m
- Production Budget
- $22M
- Worldwide Gross
- $9.2M
- Production Studios
- Hera Productions, SLM Production Group, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Herbert Ross
Dennis Potter
Billy May, Ralph Burns
Gordon Willis
Richard Marks
Nora Kaye, Herbert Ross, Rick McCallum
Department Leadership Roster
Herbert Ross
Director
Dennis Potter
Writer
Nora Kaye
Producer
Herbert Ross
Producer
Gordon Willis
Director of Photography
Richard Marks
Editor
Philip Harrison
Production Design
Bob Mackie
Costume Design
Ken Adam
Production Design
Billy May
Original Music Composer
Ralph Burns
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Pennies from Heaven.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Pennies from Heaven.
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Musicals
Curated film musicals: songs and musical staging tell the story, express character and relationships, or create its fantasy/theatrical language. Includes classical, animated, backstage, rock and experimental musicals. Onstage songs can qualify; music-making or showcasing talent alone does not. Compiled from Time Out and BFI selections plus our own curation, filtered for this channel. Not an official publisher list. Sources: https://www.timeout.com/movies/best-movie-musicals-of-all-time ; https://www.bfi.org.uk/lists/10-great-rock-musicals
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pennies from Heaven
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Pennies from Heaven about?
During the Great Depression, a sheet music salesman seeks to escape his dreary life through popular music and a love affair with an innocent schoolteacher.
Who directed Pennies from Heaven?
Pennies from Heaven was directed by Herbert Ross.
Who stars in Pennies from Heaven?
The principal cast of Pennies from Heaven includes Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Jessica Harper, Vernel Bagneris, John McMartin.
When was Pennies from Heaven released and how long is it?
Pennies from Heaven was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 1h 48m.
What was the box office and production budget of Pennies from Heaven?
Pennies from Heaven had a reported production budget of $22M and grossed $9.2M at the worldwide box office (0.42 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Pennies from Heaven?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Pennies from Heaven was composed by Billy May, Ralph Burns.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Pennies from Heaven?
Pennies from Heaven holds official age classifications: US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).