| Videos |
| Tom Waits | ... | Zack | |
| John Lurie | ... | Jack | |
| Roberto Benigni | ... | Roberto | |
| Nicoletta Braschi | ... | Nicoletta | |
| Ellen Barkin | ... | Laurette | |
| Billie Neal | ... | Bobbie | |
| Rockets Redglare | ... | Gig | |
| Vernel Bagneris | ... | Preston | |
| Timothea | ... | Julie | |
| L.C. Drane | ... | L. C | |
| Joy N. Houck Jr. | ... | Detective Mandino | |
| Carrie Lindsoe | ... | Young Girl | |
| Ralph Joseph | ... | Detective | |
| Richard Boes | ... | Detective | |
| Dave Petitjean | ... | Cajun Detective | |
| Adam Cohen | ... | Uniformed Cop | |
| Alan Kleinberg | ... | Corpse | |
| Archie Sampier | ... | Prisoner | |
| David Dahlgren | ... | Guard #1 | |
| Alex Miller | ... | Guard #2 | |
| Eliott Keener | ... | Guard #3 | |
| Jay Hilliard | ... | Guard #4 | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Pruitt Taylor Vince | ... | (scenes deleted) | |
Directed by | |||
| Jim Jarmusch | |||
Writing credits(in alphabetical order) | ||
| Jim Jarmusch | written by | |
Original Music by | |||
| John Lurie | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Robby Müller | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Melody London | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Janet Densmore | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Carol Wood | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Donita Miller | .... | hair stylist | |
| Donita Miller | .... | makeup artist | |
Production Management | |||
| David Ross McCarty | .... | location unit manager | |
| Rudd Simmons | .... | production manager | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Guido Chiesa | .... | second assistant director | |
| Claire Denis | .... | assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Janet Densmore | .... | prop master | |
| Janet Densmore | .... | set dresser | |
| Roger Knight | .... | assistant props and sets | |
Sound Department | |||
| John Auerbach | .... | supervising sound editor | |
| Martin Bisi | .... | additional sound recordist | |
| Matthew Corey | .... | apprentice sound editor (as Matt Corey) | |
| Mark Goodermote | .... | boom operator | |
| Stanley Kastner | .... | sound re-recordist (as Stan Kastner) | |
| Robin Katz | .... | second assistant sound editor | |
| Frank Kern | .... | sound editor | |
| Drew Kunin | .... | sound mixer | |
| Peter Waggoner | .... | sound re-recordist | |
| Sylvia Waliga | .... | first assistant sound editor | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Jack Anderson | .... | first assistant camera | |
| Hank Billeaud | .... | best boy | |
| Hank Billeaud | .... | gaffer | |
| Theo Cremona | .... | second assistant camera | |
| Paul Ferrara | .... | key grip | |
| Christopher Porter | .... | gaffer | |
| Michael Ruggles | .... | best boy | |
| Louis Tancredi | .... | electrician | |
| Louis Tancredi | .... | swing grip | |
Casting Department | |||
| Claudia Splecher | .... | additional casting | |
| Alison Walsh | .... | casting assistant | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Lynn Simpson | .... | costume assistant | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Tim Brennan | .... | negative matcher | |
| Lori Mozilo | .... | assistant film editor | |
| Jay Rabinowitz | .... | apprentice film editor | |
| Tom Salvatore | .... | color timer | |
Music Department | |||
| Doug Bowne | .... | musician: drums | |
| Curtis Fowlkes | .... | musician: trombone | |
| Tony Garnier | .... | musician: acoustic bass | |
| Lisa Krueger | .... | music coordinator | |
| Tom Lazarus | .... | music mixer | |
| Tom Lazarus | .... | music recordist | |
| Arto Lindsay | .... | musician: guitar | |
| Eugene J. Moye | .... | musician: cello (as Eugene Moye) | |
| Marc Ribot | .... | musician: trumpet and banjo | |
| E.J. Rodriguez | .... | musician: percussion | |
| Nana Vasconcelos | .... | musician: percussion | |
Other crew | |||
| Billy Bragg | .... | available lighting | |
| Allison Brandin | .... | production assistant | |
| Joe Catalanotto | .... | independent studios | |
| Charles De Cuir | .... | production assistant | |
| Sara Driver | .... | production troubleshooter | |
| Peter Grand | .... | script supervisor | |
| Matthew A. Handal | .... | production assistant (as Matthew Handal) | |
| Kathie Hersch | .... | production coordinator/auditor | |
| Eric Hoffman | .... | projectionist | |
| Tom Jarmusch | .... | production assistant | |
| Lisa Krueger | .... | assistant to producer | |
| Tommy Samona | .... | production assistant | |
| Stephanie Samuel | .... | assistant location manager | |
| Ida Schonfeld | .... | intern | |
| Phil Seifert III | .... | production assistant | |
| Mary Shelton | .... | location assistant | |
| Camela Smyke | .... | office coordinator: New York | |
| Lynn Staats | .... | production controller | |
| Alison Walsh | .... | assistant coordinator | |
Thanks | |||
| Simon Brook | .... | special thanks | |
| Don Donigi | .... | special thanks | |
| Bill Nisselson | .... | special thanks | |
| Pascale Ogier | .... | dedicatee | |
| Melvin Pukowsky | .... | special thanks | |
| Phil Sodano | .... | special thanks | |
| Enzo Ungari | .... | dedicatee | |
| Irwin Young | .... | special thanks | |
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| The Shawshank Redemption | Stranger Than Paradise | Lewis & Clark & George | 48 Hrs. | Lost in Translation |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Comedy section | IMDb USA section |
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While his later and more acclaimed works such 'Night on Earth' and 'Dead Man' may well be better films, this is the one that catapulted Jim Jarmusch to the forefront of obscure American cinema in the 1980's, and aside from that fact; it's a hell of a lot of fun, and fans of Jarmusch, and just fans of obscure cool cinema in general will find lots to like about it. Treading a line between a classic prison movie and an odd comedy, Down by Law works on several levels. The premise of the film is simple, as we follow three rather different convicts that end up in the same cell in a penitentiary. Despite this being a simple base for a movie, Jim Jarmusch really makes the best of his premise and the three characters he has created to inhabit the jail cell are all unique enough to each other in order to make sure that the film is always interesting, and that the characters have a good chemistry with one another, so that the dialogue flows freely and that it's quirky nature is able to be revved up to the top.
Tom Waits, John Lurie and Roberto Benigni take the lead three roles and although the former two actors are no doubt good in their roles, as usual it is Benigni that steals the show. His over the top style fits his over the top character like a glove and although Benigni isn't the sort of actor that can adapt to many different roles; when he's got one that fits him, he's pretty much unbeatable. The film's plot starts out slow, and the first half hour in which two of the three leads are introduced isn't all that exciting. It's when the three men get put inside that Down by Law really starts, and every minute from then on is a pleasure. Like he would with Dead Man nine years later, Jarmusch has opted to film Down by Law in a very stark black and white, which, also like Dead Man, increases the surrealism and also helps the film in it's bid to beat the thin plot line with a very potent visual complexity, which will delight fans of this sort of movie. On the whole, Down by Law is an excellent example of offbeat US film-making and I don't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.