Crimes of the Heart (1986)

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writers:

Beth Henley (screenplay)
Beth Henley (play)

Release Date:

12 December 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Meg just left one. Lenny never had one. Babe just shot one. The MaGrath sisters sure have a way with men!

Plot:

Three sisters with quite different personalities and lives reunite when the youngest of them, Babe, has just shot her husband...

Plot Keywords:

Sister | Grandfather | Reunion | Actor | Suicide Attempt

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Diane Keaton	...	Lenny Magrath
Jessica Lange	...	Meg Magrath
Sissy Spacek	...	Babe Magrath
Sam Shepard	...	Doc Porter
Tess Harper	...	Chick Boyle
David Carpenter	...	Barnette Lloyd
Hurd Hatfield	...	Old Granddaddy
Beeson Carroll	...	Zackery Botrelle
Jean Willard	...	Lucille Botrelle
Tom Mason	...	Uncle Watson
Gregory Eugene Travis	...	Willie Jay (as Gregory Travis)
Annie McKnight	...	Annie May Jenkins
Eleanor Eagle	...	Little Lenny
Jessica Ezzell	...	Little Meg
Natalie Anderson	...	Little Babe
Connie Adams	...	Zackery's Concubine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert J. Maxwell	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce Beresford

Writing credits
Beth Henley		(screenplay)
Beth Henley		(play)

Produced by
Freddie Fields	....	producer
P.K. Fields	....	associate producer (as P.K. Fields Zimmerman)
Bill Gerber	....	co-producer
Arlene Rothberg	....	co-producer
Burt Sugarman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Anne Goursaud

Casting by
Susan Bluestein

Production Design by
Ken Adam

Art Direction by
Ferdinando Giovannoni

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
J. Roy Helland	....	hair stylist
J. Roy Helland	....	makeup artist
Kelvin R. Trahan	....	assistant hair stylist (as Kelvin Trahan)
Kelvin R. Trahan	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kelvin Trahan)
Marlies Vallant	....	assistant hair stylist
Marlies Vallant	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Donald Heitzer	....	production manager (as Don Heitzer)
Lucio Trentini	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Luke Rothschild	....	first assistant director
Joel Segal	....	second assistant director (as Joel B. Segal)

Art Department
Tracy Farrington	....	property master
David W. MacDonald	....	construction lead man (as David MacDonald)
Tim Pope	....	leadman
Tim Pope	....	set dresser
Jeffrey Schlatter	....	construction coordinator (as Jeff Schlatter)
Chester A. Spier	....	assistant property master
Tom Watters	....	greensman
Mark S. Turner	....	scenic (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nicholas R. Allen	....	cable person (as Nick Allen)
Bruce Bisenz	....	sound mixer (as Bruce Bizenz)
William C. Carruth	....	sound editor (as William Carruth)
Andy Cohen	....	sound apprentice
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Carlos de Larios)
Gary Holland	....	boom operator
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kay Rose	....	supervising sound editor
Jerry Rosenthal	....	sound editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor
Paul C. Warschilka	....	assistant sound editor (as Paul Warschilka)

Stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandro Bolli	....	dolly grip
Sandro Bolli	....	key grip
Joe D'Alessandro	....	best boy
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Enrico Lucidi	....	camera operator
Frank Perl	....	second assistant camera
Alvaro Romagnoli	....	gaffer
Marco Sacerdoti	....	first assistant camera
David W. Strong	....	rigging gaffer (as David Strong)
James Tomaro	....	best boy electric (as Jim Tomaro)

Casting Department
Craig Fincannon	....	location casting (uncredited)
Mark Fincannon	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandy Berke Jordan	....	key costumer
Ruby K. Manis	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Craig Conwell	....	first assistant editor
Tommy Dorsett	....	assistant editor
Jack Garsha	....	color timer
Jimmy Sandoval	....	assistant editor
Lisa M. Varney	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Richard Stone	....	supervising music editor: Segue Music

Transportation Department
Larry Conner	....	transportation captain
Greg Stancil	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Frans J. Afman	....	financial consultant: Credit Lyonnais Bank Nederland N.V.
Michelle Baker	....	production assistant
Nora Dunfee	....	dialogue consultant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
John B. Griffin	....	location manager (as Johnny Griffin)
Tom Guido	....	assistant: Freddie Fields
Sam Loflin	....	craft service
Donna Mack	....	production assistant
Debbie Martin	....	production assistant
Katy May	....	production coordinator
Rosemary McCarty	....	location auditor
Susan Starre McKibbin	....	assistant auditor (as Sue Starre McKibbin)
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor
Tricia Riordan	....	production assistant
Marsha Robertson	....	unit publicist
Katherine Shaw	....	assistant: Bruce Beresford

Thanks
Billy Carter	....	special acknowledgment of thanks (as County Manager Billy Carter)
Wilson Coring	....	special acknowledgment of thanks (as Police Chief Wilson Coring)
Norman Holden	....	special acknowledgment of thanks (as Mayor Norman Holden)
Stan Kamen	....	in memory of
James G. Martin	....	special acknowledgment of thanks (as Governor James Martin)
Nelson Smith	....	special acknowledgment of thanks (as City Manager Nelson Smith)

Production Companies

• Crimes of the Heart S.A.
• De Laurentiis
• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)

Distributors

• De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG) (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lorimar Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• H.O.M. Vision (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Finnkino (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (198?) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Home Entertainment Promotions (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• IDA films (2009) (Spain) (video)
• Musiikkijakelu (19??) (Finland) (VHS)
• Nelonen (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2001) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• DEG Film Studios Inc.  catering (as DEG Film Studios)
• Evergreen Recording Studios  music recorded at
• Fincannon & Associates  location casting
• North Carolina Film Commission, The  special acknowledgement of thanks to
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex® Camera by (as Panavision®)

Runtime:

105 min | Germany:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Caswell Beach, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Crimes of the Heart S.A.

Trivia:

Jessica Lange was pregnant during shooting.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lucille Botrelle: The damage to the spinal column's not yet been determined. But his breathing's stabilized and his liver's been saved.
Lennora Josephine 'Lenny' Magrath: Oh, well, that's good news.
Lucille Botrelle: None of this is good news Lennie Magrath! It's all a grueling nightmare and you mark my word those resposible will pay dearly!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 44th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1987) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sunday in the South

sweet, without being all warm and glowy

I've seen this film a few times. The first time I thought I'd have a hard time believing the 3 actresses as sisters because they didn't look alike. But as the film got rolling I didn't even think about it...it seemed natural that they were sisters. All 3 leads are great but Tess Harper is hilarious!