Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Scent of a Woman

‘Scent of a Woman’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

August 22, 2022 · Scent of a Woman (1992) · Drama · 1:35:16

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 19:28Matt Damon — Discusses how Matt Damon and the entire School Ties cast auditioned for Charlie's role, mentions Leo would have been interesting but probably too skinny/young to be convincing as a senior former football player

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 31:16Thanksgiving dinner scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 45:38How this movie started the running joke/formula about winning Oscars by checking boxes and overcoming something; roles that become famous where actors know it could change their life; the trope of disabled characters having superhuman powers
Chris Ryan▶ 47:27It's a really good New York movie - the ability to shoot in hotels like the Waldorf Astoria and call places with juice to get prime reservations, which you can't do anymore

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 48:45When he makes him take the inventory of the mini bar

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 49:02the Oak Room

Great Shot Gordo Award

Chris Ryan▶ 49:07The two shot of the two guys sitting at the table when they announce the verdict, with everybody standing up and cheering in the back

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 49:25The movie should end after the redheaded teacher talks to Slade - everything after that scene is unnecessary
Chris Ryan▶ 50:09The extensive Karen Rossi house scenes where she talks about the Thanksgiving vacation and gives kids baths instead of just hiring him quickly

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 52:48How many drinks a day was Slade consuming - calculates it as 16 shots a day based on Chris's estimate
Chris Ryan▶ 52:40Slade drinks 8 to 9 doubles over the course of a day, starting basically at lunch

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 55:39No, he liked the original title
Chris Ryan▶ 55:42Amputated Spirit (but acknowledges it wouldn't have played as well)

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 55:55The day we stop looking, Charlie is the day we die.

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 58:04Pacino's performance in Scent of a Woman isn't one of his eight best performances
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:48Karen Rossi should be ashamed of herself for abandoning the blind colonel to a teenager over Thanksgiving

Overacting Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:03Al Pacino — Al Pacino as Frank Slade, particularly in the crying scene where he says 'I'm in the dark here'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:04:00Al Pacino — Al Pacino as Frank Slade - 'you could probably put Frank Slade as the name of this category'

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:55Gabrielle Anwar — Torn between Gabrielle Anwar (tango scene) and Manny the Chauffeur, but leans toward Gabrielle Anwar
Chris Ryan▶ 1:06:32Bradley Whitford — Bradley Whitford as Randy

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:27Pacino prepared by learning to appear blind (trick was not focusing eyes on anything), worked with lieutenant colonel on gun handling, origin of 'hoo-ah' from military trainer, there are 6 hoo-ahs in the movie, Trump/Marla Maples cameo was cut, and Frank Slade would have voted for Trump because he loved what Trump stood for

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:40Chris O'Donnell — Yes for Chris O'Donnell, movies built around blind characters, 1989 Ferrari Mondial T Cabriolet, horrible Thanksgivings in movies, and the Ranger Chokehold. No for Pacino and 90s hunk actors crying (says McConaughey in A Time to Kill is better).
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:00James Rebhorn — Agrees on Rebhorn having a big scene/part, discusses blind movie characters and boarding school movies but doesn't give definitive yes/no positions on most items.

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:38John Daniels
Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:41John Daniels

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:17Suggests Wayne Jenkins as Colonel Slade, particularly for the 'Wayne Jenkins on pussy' scene
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:55Wayne Jenkins as Mr. Trask delivering the 'You're going to jail a long fucking time' line

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:26Al Pacino — Pacino

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:05Dog Day Afternoon
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:06The Chocolate War

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:25:56The day we stop looking is the day we die

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:03Al Pacino — Pacino
Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:09Al Pacino — Agrees with Pacino but puts Hoffman very high up as well

Movies Referenced (58)

Heat (1995)

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Twister (1996)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 28:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

School Ties (1992)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 19:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Few Good Men (1992)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 22:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Any Given Sunday (1999)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 6:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Collins (2015)

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 58:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scarface (1983)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 5:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Two for the Money (2005)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 12:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carlito's Way (1993)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 43:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Malcolm X (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Unforgiven (1992)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

A Time to Kill (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Martin Brest

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Scent of a Woman, Midnight Run, Beverly Hills Cop▶ 8:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Francis Ford Coppola

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Apocalypse Now, The Godfather Part II▶ 18:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 27:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Daniels

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 16:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 3:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 46:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (51)

Al Pacino

60 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 4:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris O'Donnell

24 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Scent of a Woman▶ 4:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philip Seymour Hoffman

15 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 7:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Craig Sheffer

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for A River Runs Through It▶ 34:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 18:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Rock

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Top Five, The Longest Yard▶ 1:03:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack Nicholson

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 6:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 12:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Hader

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Skeleton Twins, Inside Out▶ 1:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gabrielle Anwar

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Scent of a Woman, Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead▶ 33:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ron Eldard

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Super 8, Deep Impact▶ 36:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (5)

Malcolm X

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Malcolm X▶ 13:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bo Goldman

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Scent of a Woman▶ 15:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Attica Locke

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 10:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 1:34:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Grisham

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Runaway Jury, A Time to Kill▶ 18:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗