Bastard Out of Carolina (1996)

Director:

Anjelica Huston

Writers (WGA):

Dorothy Allison (book)
Anne Meredith (teleplay)

Release Date:

15 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Difficult tale of poor, struggling South Carolinian mother & daughter, who each face painful choices with their resolve and pride...

Plot Keywords:

Love At First Sight | 1950s | Domestic Violence | Rocking Chair | Stepfather Stepdaughter Relationship

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Anney Boatwright
Ron Eldard	...	Glen Waddell
Glenne Headly	...	Aunt Ruth
Lyle Lovett	...	Wade
Jena Malone	...	Ruth Anne 'Bone' Boatwright
Dermot Mulroney	...	Lyle Parsons
Christina Ricci	...	Dee Dee
Michael Rooker	...	Uncle Earle
Diana Scarwid	...	Aunt Raylene
Susan Traylor	...	Alma
Grace Zabriskie	...	Granny
Richard Todd Sullivan	...	Travis
Pat Hingle	...	Mr. Waddell
Lindley Mayer	...	Reese
Jamison Stewart	...	Grey
Timothy Stewart	...	Garvey
Kelsey Elizabeth Boulware	...	Bone at age 4
Jeffrey Pillars	...	Truck Driver
Rick Warner	...	Young Clerk
Joe Maggard	...	Man at Cafe
D.L. Anderson	...	Woman at Cafe
Nelson George	...	Justice of the Peace
Gene Dann	...	Worker
Jim Gloster	...	Intern
Derin Altay	...	Mrs. Parsons
Suellen Yates	...	Mr. Waddells Wife (as Sue Ellen Yates)
Sonny Shroyer	...	Sheriff
Jerry Winsett	...	Brother Calvin
J.C. Quinn	...	Officer
Laura Dern	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Janice McQueen Ward	...	Neighbor (uncredited)

Directed by
Anjelica Huston

Writing credits (WGA)
Dorothy Allison		(book)
Anne Meredith		(teleplay)

Produced by
Amanda DiGiulio	....	producer
Gary Hoffman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Van Dyke Parks

Cinematography by
Anthony B. Richmond

Film Editing by
Éva Gárdos

Casting by
John Brace
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Nelson Coates
Van Broughton Ramsey

Set Decoration by
Burton Rencher

Costume Design by
Van Broughton Ramsey

Makeup Department
Patti Brand	....	assistant makeup artist
Susan Buffington	....	assistant hair stylist
Julie Hewett	....	key makeup artist
Medusah	....	key hair stylist (as Medusah Aulenta-Spira)
Nikoletta Skarlatos	....	makeup artist
Rita Troy	....	assistant hair stylist
Bernard Williams	....	assistant hair stylist
Dana Williams	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Amanda DiGiulio	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy M. Bourne	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Tim Bourne)
Hilbert Hakim	....	second second assistant director
Lynn Wegenka	....	second assistant director
Mary Ellen Woods	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Peter Battistelli	....	construction coordinator
Danya Browder	....	art department coordinator
Sean Christopher	....	set dresser
Valerie Fann	....	art department buyer
Alex Ferguson	....	set dresser
John France	....	set dresser
Steve George	....	assistant propmaster (as Steven H. George)
Kevin Hardison	....	set designer
Michael D. Harrell	....	assistant props
David E. Harshbarger	....	property master
Susan Jones	....	assistant props
Stephanie Macomber Kern	....	scenic
Christopher Mahan	....	on-set dresser
Joe Malys	....	storyboard artist
Bob Osterman	....	charge scenic
Chester A. Spier	....	lead man
Birdie Talanca	....	construction buyer
Mike Underwood	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Peter Bentley	....	sound mixer
Peter Bergren	....	sound editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phil Hadaway	....	adr engineer
David Hankins	....	supervising sound editor
John A. Merten	....	sound recordist
Brooke Satrazemis	....	sound assistant
Ron Sistare	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Lorenzo Hall	....	special effects assistant
Greg Hull	....	special effects supervisor
Jeff Johnson	....	special effects assistant
Gus Ramsden	....	special effects assistant
E.W. Shipper	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
John Copeman	....	stunts
Dale Frye	....	stunts
David Paul Lord	....	stunts (as David Lord)
Dean Mumford	....	stunt coordinator
Charles Page	....	stunts
Michele Waitman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Aldridge	....	first assistant camera
Ryan Bartsch	....	grip
Logan R. Berkshire	....	key grip
Joe D'Alessandro	....	director of photography: second unit
Henry E. Ezzell III	....	best boy grip
Bill Finger	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	dolly grip
Gerald D. Hatchell	....	grip
Billy Hendricks	....	electrician
Adam Hinson	....	electrician
Michael Jarocki	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Michael A. Jones	....	electrician
Terry D. Long	....	electrician
Jack McCollum	....	best boy electric
Mick McNeely	....	gaffer
Jeff Moore	....	camera operator
Jonathan 'Chunky' Richmond	....	second assistant camera
Tim Rook	....	grip
Derek Smith	....	camera loader

Casting Department
Lisa Mae Fincannon	....	casting: North Carolina
Regan Forman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eliza Diggs	....	seamstress
Sonny Merritt	....	costume supervisor
Natalie Nye	....	seamstress
Alice Powell	....	seamstress
Jonny Pray	....	set costumer
Nina Proctor	....	set costumer
Nava R. Sadan	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Tracy Curtis	....	first assistant film editor
Stephanie Laing	....	post-production coordinator (as Stephanie Cone)
Roger La Prairie	....	colorist
Sharon McGeeney	....	negative cutter
Bob McMillian	....	color timer
Ken Woodburn	....	second assistant film editor

Music Department
Todd Hayen	....	composer: additional music
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator
Robin Urdang	....	music supervisor
Richard Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Michael Coady	....	driver
Donell Crumpler Jr.	....	transportation co-captain (as Donell Crumpler)
Tyler C. Daum	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Jones	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Peter Paul Basler	....	production assistant (as Peter Basler)
David Curtis	....	production assistant
Louis Anthony Difelice	....	location manager
Robin Drinkwater	....	script supervisor: second unit
Alyce Fahsholtz	....	assistant production coordinator
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Chad Graves	....	production assistant
Bass Hampton	....	assistant location manager
Therese Honeycutt	....	craft service
Stone Lyons	....	production assistant
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach
Daniella Milton	....	assistant: Ms. Huston
Fay Moss	....	auditor
Thomas Parris	....	production assistant
Nina Proctor	....	shop supervisor
Thom Rainey	....	script supervisor
Shannon Rippy	....	production coordinator
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Alicia Rudd	....	animal wrangler
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Tara Nicole Weyr	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• Fine Films (2001) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (Canada)
• Out of Carolina Productions
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera package
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production sound

MPAA:

Rated R for strong depiction of sexual and violent abuse, including a rape scene involving a young girl.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:(Banned) (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating on appeal) | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:Unrated | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Whiteville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Showtime Networks

Goofs:

Anachronisms: (00:12:57) Dermot Mulroney's character (Lyle Parsons) is driving along a road past a modern looking house with a very modern looking red truck parked in the driveway.

Quotes:

Glen Waddell: It's my one day off, and you gotta tear around here? Now just, just cool it, kid. You're a girl, not a racehorse.
Ruth Anne 'Bone' Boatwright: [mimicking him] You're a girl, not a racehorse.
Glen Waddell: You little bitch! You little bitch! Come here!

Soundtrack:

Trials, Troubles, Tribulations

A daring, brilliant masterpiece

I just watched this movie in my Advanced Developmental Psychology class, and I was blown away by it. Naturally, the professor warned us that the film contained some very graphic scenes, as it certainly did. There were moments where I absolutely could not look up at the screen. The film is wonderfully directed (by Anjelica Huston) and acted. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives one of the best performances of her career. She's one of those actresses who has talent and I have nothing against her, but rarely do I find myself raving about her performances. Here, she's given a genuinely challenging role, as she has to be both disturbed by her new husband's abuse towards her daughter, yet at the same time deeply in love with him. My class is predominantly female, so most of the girls were groaning and yelling out things like "You're stupid!" when she kept deciding to get back with the creep. But it's easy to say that while you're sitting on your butt looking at a TV screen. Tons of women get into relationships with abusive husbands, and guys who treat them like crap, and how many of them actually get out of those relationships? Love is a strange, strange thing. There's no way to explain it. But I didn't feel it was in any way inaccurate for Leigh's character to keep wanting to get back with Ron Eldard.

I know Eldard from his role on the cancelled sitcom "Men Behaving Badly" and his supporting roles in films like "Sleepers" and "The Last Supper." Prior to this movie, I would've never envisioned him in this sort of role, as I didn't really think of him as a daring, intense actor. I would envision an actor like Ray Liotta or James Woods in this sort of role. But I think Eldard's apparent naivete really gives dimension to this role. He doesn't in any way appear like someone who would act abusive towards anyone, as it usually turns out in real life. He also plays the character with a certain charm, which gives us some insight into why Leigh decided to stay with him. Of course, he never gets a handle on the Carolina accent (at times even sounding like an Englishman, as he struggles so hard), but as I got more and more into the film, I barely paid attention to the flaws in his accent. After watching this film, I will definitely look at Eldard much differently, as much more than the fun-loving buddy of Rob Schneider on "Men Behaving Badly" (a show I used to watch pretty frequently).

The cast is also composed of fine character actors, like Glenne Headley and Michael Rooker--who's absolutely terrific as Leigh's short-fused brother. Of course, that isn't an unusual role for him, but he plays it very well and packs a great dramatic punch in this performance especially. Jena Malone shows why she grew up to star in big films like "Stepmom" and "For Love of the Game." Even at this age, she is fully convincing as a tortured young girl. I just kept on wondering what the director gave her as motivation for her different emotions, since I'm guessing they couldn't outwardly address the issues or rape and abuse to a girl of her age.

The film contains some of the most disturbing scenes in American cinema (I stress the word "American," because I've seen more graphic rape scenes in foreign films like "The Bandit Queen" and "Pixote"), so even those with stomachs of steel should beware. But how many films you watch really get you talking and thinking, and send you an emotional journey--without using cheap shots? I don't have A.D.D. or anything, but rarely do I get so lost in a film that my attention never drifts and I never take time to look at my watch. This is one of those rare powerful, touching films that I will never forget!

My score: 9 (out of 10)