Water for Elephants (2011)

April 15, 2011 (US) • Drama, Romance • 122m

Overview

In this captivating Depression-era melodrama, impetuous veterinary student Jacob Jankowski joins a celebrated circus as an animal caretaker but faces a wrenching dilemma when he's transfixed by angelic married performer Marlena.

Director

Francis Lawrence

Writers

Richard LaGravenese, Sara Gruen

Top Billed

Robert Pattinson

Keywords

based on novel or book elephant clown great depression elephant trainer veterinary grand appreciative melodramatic

Where to watch

Rent

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Top Billed Cast

Robert Pattinson

Jacob Jankowski

Reese Witherspoon

Marlena Rosenbluth

Christoph Waltz

August Rosenbluth

Paul Schneider

Charlie

Jim Norton

Camel

Hal Holbrook

Old Jacob

Donna W. Scott

Barbara

Richard Brake

Grady

Stephen Monroe Taylor

Wade

Mark Povinelli

Kinko / Walter

Ken Foree

Earl

Scott MacDonald

Blackie

James Frain

Rosie's Caretaker

Sam Anderson

Mr. Hyde

John Aylward

Mr. Erwin

Brad Greenquist

Mr. Robinson

Tim Guinee

Diamond Joe

E.E. Bell

Cecil the Barker

Kyle Jordan

Russ

Aleksandra Kaniak

Mrs. Jankowski

Ilia Volok

Mr. Jankowski

Bruce Gray

Proctor

Jim Jansen

Dean Wilkins

James Keane

Chaplain

Ivo Nandi

Grocer

Karynn Moore

Catherine Hale

Andrew Connolly

Weehawken Officer

Doug McDougal

Big Top Band Leader

Tracy Phillips

Coochie Girl (Nell)

Michelle LaVon

Coochie Girl

Rowan O'Hara

Stampede Girl

Uggie

Queenie

Ice

Silver Star

Major

Rex

Chris Grabher

Clown

Tatum Etheridge

Jacob's Daughter

Chris Blim

Big Top Band

William Morse

Big Top Band

Glen McDougal

Big Top Band

Stefan Rollins

Big Top Band

Sita Acevedo

Circus Performer

Danny Castle

Circus Performer

Aloysia Gavre

Circus Performer

Chobi Gyorgy

Circus Performer

Bianca Sapetto

Circus Performer

Katia Sereno

Circus Performer

Vladimir Sizov

Circus Performer

Lee-Anne Telford

Circus Performer

Sebastien Stella

Circus Performer

Dreya Weber

Circus Performer

Russ Stark

Circus Performer

Molly O'Neill

Showgirl

Kacie Borrowman

Showgirl

Shannon Freyer

Showgirl

Kelsey McNamee

Showgirl

Tara Ferguson

Showgirl

Brad Potts

Sideshow

Mary Newman

Sideshow

Jackie Zane

Sideshow

Kacie Borrowman

Sideshow

Robert Kestler

Circus Roustabout

Julianna Piechoczek

Foxtrot Dancer (uncredited)

Ashley Palmer

Foxtrot Dancer (uncredited)

Melissa Johnston

Foxtrot Dancer (uncredited)

Sarah Karijan

Speakeasy Socialite (uncredited)

Rob Crites

Sideshow

Jonathan Moore

Sideshow

Larry Gómez

Sideshow (as Gabriel Ramos-Gomez)

Aryiel Hartman

Coochie Girl

Eddie Medrano

Clown

Stephen Simon

Clown

Duff Dugan

Big Top Band

Joe Langer

Big Top Band

Evan Silverman

Big Top Band

Beresford Bennett

Sideshow Band

Johnny Britt

Sideshow Band

Garnett Brown

Sideshow Band

George Harper

Sideshow Band

Todd Cochran

Speakeasy Jazz Band

Keith Fiddmont

Speakeasy Jazz Band

Karl Vincent

Speakeasy Jazz Band

Bonzai

Hyena

Crew

Dean Tschetter

Production Illustrator

Lars P. Winther

First Assistant Director

Greg Hale

Second Assistant Director

Chris O'Hara

Stunt Coordinator

Ruth De Jong

Assistant Art Director

Alexandra Patsavas

Music Supervisor

Kristen Davis

Set Designer

Douglas Plasse

Second Assistant Director

Dennis Burrell

Second Second Assistant Director

Rodrigo Prieto

Director of Photography

Tommy Samona

Leadman

Karen Teneyck

Graphic Designer

Kevin Halloran

Unit Production Manager

Tracy Phillips

Choreographer

Stacy Caballero

Assistant Costume Designer

Scott Graves

Rigging Gaffer

Joseph Dianda

Key Grip

Cecilia Escobar

Payroll Accountant

Richard Boyle

Best Boy Grip

Angela Demo

Casting Associate

Michael J. Benavente

Dialogue Editor

Bill Holmquist

Construction Coordinator

Richard Bell

Greensman

Kate Biscoe

Key Makeup Artist

Colleen LaBaff

Key Hair Stylist

David Olson

Music Editor

Fríða Aradóttir

Hair Department Head

Rick Canelli

ADR Recordist

Julie Adams

Dialect Coach

Kei Rowan-Young

Location Manager

David Fulton

Unit Publicist

David Lee Fein

Foley Artist

Thomas J. O'Connell

ADR Mixer

Marty Elfalan

First Assistant Accountant

William Ballard

Transportation Coordinator

Lee Gilmore

Sound Effects Editor

Doris Hellmann

Production Accountant

David Jobe

Foley Mixer

Charleen Richards-Steeves

ADR Mixer

Bob Beher

Foley Editor

Chris Leidholdt

Key Rigging Grip

Lois Yaroshefsky

Studio Teacher

Tom Rebber

Transportation Captain

Joel Dougherty

Sound Effects Editor

Sarah Bourgeois

First Assistant Sound Editor

Jim Weidman

Supervising Music Editor

Mark R. Byers

Special Effects Supervisor

Robin Fredriksz

Makeup Artist

Lona Vigi

Hairstylist

Bill Iiams

Construction Foreman

Jesse Olivares

Video Assist Operator

Russell Farmarco

Dialogue Editor

Kasey Truman

Music Coordinator

Michael Hertlein

Dialogue Editor

David Lucarelli

ADR Recordist

Thomas Jones

ADR Supervisor

Phil Barrie

Assistant Sound Editor

Ranjani Brow

ADR Voice Casting

Hilda Hodges

Foley Artist

Wendy Hoffmann

ADR Voice Casting

Ben Perry

Camera Loader

C.J. Maguire

Assistant Property Master

Clyde E. Bryan

First Assistant "B" Camera

Dan Schroer

Second Assistant "B" Camera

Jonathan Fuh

Boom Operator

Tom Miller

Assistant Property Master

Eric Bautista

Cableman

Sasha Veneziano

Production Coordinator

Brooks Robinson

"B" Camera Operator

Adrian Casas

Assistant Production Coordinator

Duff Miller

Assistant Property Master

Bob Hall

First Assistant "A" Camera

Daniel C. McFadden

Second Assistant "A" Camera

Brooks Robinson

Steadicam Operator

David James

Still Photographer

Jonathan Clark

Camera Loader

Hope M. Parrish

Property Master

Skip Lievsay

Supervising Sound Editor

José Antonio García

Sound Mixer

Ana Maria Quintana

Script Supervisor

Jeff Errico

Storyboard Artist

Anthony Leonardi III

Storyboard Artist

Michelle Souza

Assistant Property Master

Robby Baumgartner

"C" Camera Operator

Tani Kunitake

Storyboard Artist

Jozo Zovko

Second Assistant "C" Camera

Molly Allen

Production Supervisor

Randy Woodside

Gaffer

Lara Khachooni

Visual Effects Editor

Jeremy Peirson

Supervising Sound Editor

Jeremy Peirson

Sound Designer

Jennifer Vecchiarello

First Assistant Editor

Christina Graff

Visual Effects Producer

Paul Graff

Visual Effects Supervisor

Skip Lievsay

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Jeremy Peirson

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Luis Moreno

Best Boy Electric

Francis Lawrence

Director

Kevin Halloran

Executive Producer

Richard LaGravenese

Screenplay

James Newton Howard

Original Music Composer

Denise Chamian

Casting

Jacqueline West

Costume Design

Andrew R. Tennenbaum

Producer

Erwin Stoff

Producer

Jim Erickson

Set Decoration

Jack Fisk

Production Design

Cheryl Beasley Blackwell

Costume Supervisor

Alan Edward Bell

Editor

Jean Ann Black

Makeup Department Head

Gil Netter

Producer

David Crank

Art Direction

Scott Wilder

Stunts

Erik Rondell

Stunts

Zack Duhame

Stunts

Mike Wilson

Stunts

Darrin Prescott

Stunts

Mickey Giacomazzi

Stunts

Karin Silvestri

Stunts

Shauna Duggins

Stunts

Melissa R. Stubbs

Stunts

Tim Rigby

Stunts

Chris Palermo

Stunts

John C. Meier

Stunts

Marilyn Giacomazzi

Stunts

Jeffrey Harlacker

Associate Producer

Jackson Spidell

Stunts

Darlene Ava Williams

Stunts

Sara Gruen

Novel

Arturo Dickey

Stunts

Deborah Habberstad

Stunts

Tom Elliott

Stunts

Trevor Habberstad

Stunts

Tabby Hanson

Stunts

Norman Howell

Stunts

Logan Holladay

Stunts

Cinda-Lin James

Stunts

Keith Splinter Davis

Stunts

Tim A. Davison

Stunts

Mike Justus

Stunts

Rob Mars

Stunts

Frank Lloyd

Stunts

Dustin Meier

Stunts

Brian Munce

Stunts

Mike Massa

Stunts

Pat Romano

Stunts

Tim Mikulecky

Stunts

Suzanne Prescott

Stunts

Kenny Richards

Stunts

Debbie Lynn Ross

Stunts

Sonny Tipton

Stunts

Bryan Thompson

Stunts

Luke Vexler

Stunts

Bob Yerkes

Stunts

Damon Caro

Stunts

Stacey Carino

Stunts

Mark Chadwick

Stunts

Chris Brewster

Stunts

Eddie Braun

Stunts

Richard Burden

Stunts

Gary Baxley

Stunts

Craig Baxley Jr.

Stunts

Nick Brandon

Stunts

Alina Andrei

Stunts

Wade Allen

Stunts

Clayton J. Barber

Stunts

Keith Adams

Stunts

Kenny Alexander

Stunts

Allison Caetano

Stunts

Charles Crivier

Dolly Grip

Yvan Lucas

Digital Intermediate Colorist

Larissa Lowthorp

Art Department Manager

Aleksandra Kaniak

Dialect Coach

Greg Nicotero

Key Makeup Artist

Reviews

Andres Gomez

⭐ 7/10

October 1, 2014

The chemistry between Witherspoon and Pattinson doesn't really work but the simple "man meets a woman" story works and Waltz nails his character as usual.

This movie was a nice surprise.