Grey Gardens (2009 film)

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Grey Gardens
Written by Michael Sucsy
Patricia Rozema
Directed by Michael Sucsy
Produced by Lucy Barzun Donnelly
Rachael Horowitz
Albert Maysles
David Coatsworth
Michael Sucsy
Starring Drew Barrymore
Jessica Lange
Jeanne Tripplehorn
Malcolm Gets
Daniel Baldwin
Ken Howard
Arye Gross
Justin Louis
Music by Rachel Portman
Country United States
Language English
Original channel HBO
Release date April 18, 2009 (2009-04-18)

Grey Gardens is an HBO film about the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale/"Little Edie", played by Drew Barrymore, and her mother Edith Ewing Bouvier/"Big Edie", played by Jessica Lange. Co-stars include Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jacqueline Kennedy (Little Edie's cousin) and Ken Howard as Phelan Beale (Little Edie's father). The film, directed by Michael Sucsy and co-written by Sucsy and Patricia Rozema, flashes back and forth between various events and dates ranging from Little Edie as a young débutante in 1936 moving with her mother to their Grey Gardens estate through the filming and premiere of the actual 1975 documentary Grey Gardens.

Filming for the HBO film began on October 22, 2007 in Toronto.[1] It first aired on HBO on April 18, 2009.

The film received a nomination for the 2009 Television Critics Association award for Outstanding Achievement Movies, Mini-Series, and Specials. It was also nominated for 17 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Made For Television Movie, Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Lange) and Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Howard). It was also nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Made For TV Movie and Best Actress in a Made For TV Movie (Barrymore). Lange was nominated in the same category, but lost to Barrymore.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Based on the life stories of the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Onassis (both named Edith Bouvier Beale, hence the nicknames "Big Edie" and "Little Edie"), who were raised as Park Avenue debutantes but withdrew from New York society, taking shelter at their Long Island summer home/estate Grey Gardens, for nearly forty years, even as the estate itself decayed from lack of maintenance and general neglect. It includes the filming of the documentary Grey Gardens by Albert and David Maysles and events in the Beales' past including their arrival at the estate, the disintegration of Big Edie's marriage, Little Edie's failed attempts to have her own life, and events subsequent to the premiere of the documentary.

The movie ends with Little Edie singing Tea for Two at the Reno Sweeney cabaret in Greenwich Village, and the quote, "My mother gave me a truly priceless life."

[edit] Cast

[edit] Production

Michael Sucsy said that he used primary sources to flesh out the story including letters and journals kept by Little Edie. He also interviewed family members and friends including Lois Wright who lived in the house and wrote her own book about the events.[2] Albert Maysles is credited as a source in the movie. Sucsy said that the house facade as well as the interior were created from blueprints. Sucsy said that an aerial shot of the house circa 1936 was historically accurate on the placement of the house in relation to other mansions in East Hampton at the time (although requiring CGI enhancements to create the illusion).[3] As with many movies based on historical events, some events in the Beales' lives, such as the timing of Big Edie and Phelan's divorce, were shifted to make a more coherent story.

The entire film (with a few exceptions from period street film from New York) was shot in Ontario with most of the shots in metropolitan Toronto. The Valley Halla Estate in Rouge Park was the setting of exterior shots of Grey Gardens. Water front shots were on Centre Island in the Toronto Islands. Union Station (Toronto) was used to represent Pennsylvania Station (New York City). Hotel shots were at the Fairmont Royal York. Studio work was done at Toronto Film Studios.[4]

The aerial shot of The Pierre was licensed from An Affair to Remember.[5]

Post production was done in New York and Los Angeles. The DVD commentary was done in the same studio where the Maysles mixed the original documentary.[6]

[edit] Reception

The movie since released has been lauded by many critics. Ben Lyons from At the Movies raved, "Drew Barrymore is fantastic in this film." Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers also raved "The script hits a few bumps, but Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are magnificent as the bizarro Beales. Barrymore is a revelation. Aging into her 60s and transformed in voice and bearing, she finds Edie's unquenchable spirit. Brava."

[edit] Awards and nominations

The film won the 2009 Television Critics Association award for Outstanding Achievement Movies, Mini-Series, and Specials.

The film was nominated for 17 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning 6, in 2009 for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Art Direction(Winner)/Casting/Cinematography/Costumes/Hairstyling(Winner)/Makeup/Prosthetic Makeup(Winner)/Music Composition/Single-Camera Picture Editing/Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie, as well as the major awards:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Felming, Michael (2006-02-21). "Thesps tend to 'Gardens'". http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117938667?categoryid=13&cs=1. 
  2. ^ Lois Wright, My Life at Grey Gardens
  3. ^ Grey Gardens DVD - 2009 - HBO - Audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz
  4. ^ Filming Locations for Grey Garden - imdb.com - Retrieved August 19, 2009
  5. ^ Grey Gardens DVD - 2009 - HBO - Audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz
  6. ^ Grey Gardens DVD - 2009 - HBO - Audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie

Miss Rose White (1992) · Barbarians at the Gate / Stalin (1993) · And the Band Played On (1994) · Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995) · Truman (1996) · Miss Evers' Boys (1997) · Don King: Only in America (1998) · A Lesson Before Dying (1999) · Tuesdays with Morrie (2000) · Wit (2001) · The Gathering Storm (2002) · Door To Door (2003) · Something the Lord Made (2004) · Warm Springs (2005) · The Girl in the Café (2006) · Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) · Recount (2008) · Grey Gardens (2009)
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