The Pompatus of Love
Encyclopedia
The Pompatus of Love is a 1996
film that tells the story of four guys discussing women and the meaning of the word "pompatus
". This made-up word is found in two Steve Miller
songs, "Enter Maurice" and "The Joker
", the latter of which contains the line "Some people call me Maurice / 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love". Wolfman Jack
can also be heard using the term in his spoken lines in The Guess Who's
"Clap For The Wolfman."
The low-budget, independent
film received mixed reviews but won several minor awards.
bars, lofts and apartments, the guys engage in sharp banter and one-upsmanship. The characters, Mark, a therapist
(Jon Cryer
); Runyon, a playwright
(Tim Guinee
); Josh, a playboy (Adrian Pasdar
) and Phil, a plumber
(Adam Oliensis), try (generally unsuccessfully) to sort out their troubled love-lives. Mark and his girlfriend (Kristen Wilson) are hung up over moving in together; Runyon is hung up over his old girlfriend Kathryn (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
), who has moved to Los Angeles; the womanizing Josh is hung up on Phil's sister, Gina (Paige Turco
), who has an abusive husband; Phil, who is married with children, finds himself hung up on an English interior designer (Kristin Scott Thomas
).
The characters in the film spend much of their time trying to decipher the word "pompatus
," wondering whether they are mis-hearing the lyrics: "Prophetess"? "Impetus"? "Profitless"? "Impotence"? "Pompous Ass"? Pom-pom tits?
1996 in film
Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
film that tells the story of four guys discussing women and the meaning of the word "pompatus
Pompatus
The word pompatus is a neologism used in the lyrics of Steve Miller's 1973 rock song "The Joker":-Lyrics:...
". This made-up word is found in two Steve Miller
Steve Miller (musician)
Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
songs, "Enter Maurice" and "The Joker
The Joker (song)
"The Joker" is a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album The Joker. The song is one of two Steve Miller Band songs that feature the neologism "pompatus". The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974. It draws heavy influence from the Allen Toussaint's song Soul Sister featured...
", the latter of which contains the line "Some people call me Maurice / 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love". Wolfman Jack
Wolfman Jack
Robert Weston Smith, known commonly as Wolfman Jack was a gravelly voiced US disc jockey who became famous in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early career:...
can also be heard using the term in his spoken lines in The Guess Who's
The Guess Who
The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
"Clap For The Wolfman."
The low-budget, independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
film received mixed reviews but won several minor awards.
Plot
The film revolves around four friends and their relationships with women. Set to the background of upscale ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
bars, lofts and apartments, the guys engage in sharp banter and one-upsmanship. The characters, Mark, a therapist
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
(Jon Cryer
Jon Cryer
Jonathan Niven "Jon" Cryer is an American actor, screenwriter and film producer. He is the son of actress–singer Gretchen Cryer. He made his motion picture debut in the 1984 romantic comedy No Small Affair, but gained greater fame as "Duckie" in the 1986 John Hughes-scripted film Pretty in Pink...
); Runyon, a playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
(Tim Guinee
Tim Guinee
Timothy S. "Tim" Guinee is an American stage, television, and feature film actor.-Life and career:Guinee, who has two brothers and two sisters, was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Illinois and Texas....
); Josh, a playboy (Adrian Pasdar
Adrian Pasdar
Adrian Kayvan Pasdar is an American actor, voice artist, and film director. He is known for playing Jim Profit on the TV series Profit, for his roles in Near Dark, Carlito's Way, Mysterious Ways and as Nathan Petrelli on Heroes. Additionally, he directed the feature film Cement...
) and Phil, a plumber
Plumber
A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable water, sewage, and drainage in plumbing systems. The term dates from ancient times, and is related to the Latin word for lead, "plumbum." A person engaged in fixing metaphorical "leaks" may also be...
(Adam Oliensis), try (generally unsuccessfully) to sort out their troubled love-lives. Mark and his girlfriend (Kristen Wilson) are hung up over moving in together; Runyon is hung up over his old girlfriend Kathryn (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson is an American actress.Sometimes credited as Dana Wheeler Nicholson, she has appeared in numerous movies, but is probably best known for her role in Fletch as Gail Stanwyk and in Tombstone as Mattie Blaylock Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (born New York City, New York, October 9,...
), who has moved to Los Angeles; the womanizing Josh is hung up on Phil's sister, Gina (Paige Turco
Paige Turco
Jean Paige Turco is an American actress. She is known for playing April O'Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III.-Early life:...
), who has an abusive husband; Phil, who is married with children, finds himself hung up on an English interior designer (Kristin Scott Thomas
Kristin Scott Thomas
Kristin A. Scott Thomas, OBE is an English actress who has also acquired French nationality. She gained international recognition in the 1990s for her roles in Bitter Moon, Four Weddings and a Funeral and The English Patient....
).
The characters in the film spend much of their time trying to decipher the word "pompatus
Pompatus
The word pompatus is a neologism used in the lyrics of Steve Miller's 1973 rock song "The Joker":-Lyrics:...
," wondering whether they are mis-hearing the lyrics: "Prophetess"? "Impetus"? "Profitless"? "Impotence"? "Pompous Ass"? Pom-pom tits?
Awards
- Best Comedy — Worldfest - Charleston
- Gold Award — Worldfest - Houston
- Silver Award — Festival Internacional de Cinema, PortugalPortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...