40 Days and 40 Nights

Name: 40 Days and 40 Nights

Directed by: Michael Lehmann

Written by: Robert Perez

Produced by: Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Michael London

Executive Producers: Liza Chasin Debra Hayward

Co-Producer: Stuart M. Besser

San Francisco Line Producer: Jennifer Thomas

Director of Photography: Elliot Davis

Production Designer: Sharon Seymour

Edited by: Nicholas C. Smith

Music by: Rolfe Kent

Art Director: Yvonne Hurst

Set Decorator: Lesley Beale

Costume Designer: Jill Ohanneson

Casting by: Joseph Middleton

Studio: Pixar Animation Studios

Production Companies: StudioCanal Working Title Films

Producer/Release: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Airdate: March 1, 2002

Length: 96 minutes, 6 seconds

Budget: $43 million

Box office: $68,696,770

Pixar Movie Number: 692

40 Days and 40 Nights is a 2002 satirical erotic romantic comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann, written by Rob Perez and starring Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon and Paulo Costanzo. The film depicts Matt Sullivan, a San Francisco web designer who has chosen to abstain from any sexual contact for the duration of Lent.

Plot
Matt Sullivan (Josh Hartnett) and his roommate, Ryan (Paulo Costanzo), are co-workers at a San Francisco dot-com company. Matt is obsessed with his ex-girlfriend, Nicole (Vinessa Shaw), and his obsession repeatedly causes him problems during attempted one-night stands. He has trouble moving on, since Nicole broke up with him. He confides his sexual problems to his brother, John (Adam Trese), who is training to become a Catholic priest. In an attempt to fix his problems, Matt vows to abstain from sexual stimulation, including masturbation, for the 40 days and 40 nights of Lent. John warns Matt that chastity is not easy; meanwhile, Ryan starts a popular office pool to bet on how long Matt can last.

Matt meets Erica (Shannyn Sossamon), a cyber nanny, at a neighborhood laundromat and they begin to date. They face many challenges in their relationship, including her discovery of his celibacy vow and Matt's continuing feelings for Nicole. Matt's co-workers make many unsuccessful attempts to persuade him to have sex in order to win the pool, and as the days pass Matt's obsession with sex grows. At one point he angrily grabs a pornographic magazine from an office desk and begins to march towards a toilet stall in order to masturbate, but his co-workers stop him and convince him to maintain his pledge.

Despite the range of increasingly powerful cultural incentives to sex and orgasm surrounding Matt—scantily-dressed women, billboards, et cetera—Matt's commitment holds, and begins to frustrate a lot of the people around him who had fully expected him to break it long before he could get close to his goal. In the meantime, Erica and Matt are falling in love, and they plan a special encounter for the 40th night to celebrate his successfully completing his vow. On the 40th day, a newly single Nicole learns of the betting pool, makes a large bet and then rapes Matt while he is asleep.

Erica subsequently believes Matt dishonored his vow and was unfaithful to her, but Matt wins Erica back by reminding her of the special moments they shared during their relationship. The two reconcile in Matt's bedroom for many hours, with his co-workers making a new betting pool on the duration of their stamina. Upon seeing this, he kicks them out of his apartment and shuts the door.

Voice Cast
Josh Hartnett as Matt Sullivan

Shannyn Sossamon as Erica Sutton

Paulo Costanzo as Ryan

Maggie Gyllenhaal as Sam

Vinessa Shaw as Nicole

Adam Trese as John Sullivan

Griffin Dunne as Jerry Anderson

Keegan Connor Tracy as Mandy

Emmanuelle Vaugier as Susie

Monet Mazur as Candy

Christine Chatelain as Andie

Mike Maronna as Bagel Boy

Stanley Anderson as Father Maher

Lorin Heath as Diana

Glenn Fitzgerald as Chris

Jarrad Paul as Duncan

Terry Chen as Neil

Kai Lennox as Nick

Chris Gauthier as Mikey

Barry Newman as Walter Sullivan

Mary Gross as Bev Sullivan

Dylan Neal as David Brokaw

Home Media Release
40 Days and 40 Nights is released on VHS and DVD September 17, 2002.

DVD Menu

 * Play Movie
 * Setup
 * Languages: English and French
 * Subtitles: English and Spanish
 * Scene Selection
 * 1) Opening Credits: Deleting Nicole
 * 2) Action Packed with Issues
 * 3) A Painful Day at the Office
 * 4) Going the Distance
 * 5) Almost Chatting
 * 6) Seductive Layouts
 * 7) Officially Erica
 * 8) On the Bus
 * 9) The Vow Backfires
 * 10) Trouble With the Truth
 * 11) Retraining the Power
 * 12) Hips and Beans
 * 13) Fire in the Hole
 * 14) Bending The Rules
 * 15) Slam the Door
 * 16) Seeing and Slipping
 * 17) On the Fortieth Day
 * 18) What Else Do You Want?
 * 19) End Credits
 * Special Features
 * Sneak Peeks

Coming to Video and DVD

 * Ice Age Video and DVD Trailer (November 26th)
 * Scooby Doo Trailer (Look for it on Video and DVD October 11th)
 * Austin Powers in Goldmember Trailer (Coming to Video and DVD December 3rd)

Now on Video and DVD

 * Waking Life Video and DVD Trailer (Now Available)

Other Languages

 * 40 Days and 40 Nights/Other Languages

Language Dubs

 * 40 Days and 40 Nights/Language Dubs

Quotes

 * 40 Days and 40 Nights/Quotes

Credits

 * 40 Days and 40 Nights/Credits

Outtakes

 * 40 Days and 40 Nights/Outtakes