Marvin's Room (1996)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Jerry Zaks

Writers (WGA):

Scott McPherson (play)
Scott McPherson (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 February 1997 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A story about the years that keep us apart... And the moments that bring us together.

Plot:

A leukemia patient attempts to end a 20-year feud with her sister to get her bone marrow.

Plot Keywords:

Leukemia | Doctor | Fire | Transplant | Nursing Home

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 9 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 11	11:30 AM	SHOW
Fri. Nov. 20	1:30 PM	SHOW

Cast

Meryl Streep	...	Lee
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Hank
Diane Keaton	...	Bessie
Robert De Niro	...	Dr. Wally
Hume Cronyn	...	Marvin
Gwen Verdon	...	Ruth
Hal Scardino	...	Charlie
Dan Hedaya	...	Bob
Margo Martindale	...	Dr. Charlotte
Cynthia Nixon	...	Retirement Home Director
Kelly Ripa	...	Coral
John Callahan	...	Lance
Olga Merediz	...	Beauty Shop Lady
Joe Lisi	...	Bruno
Steve DuMouchel	...	Gas Station Guy (as Steve Dumouchel)
Bitty Schram	...	Janine (as Bitty Schramm)
Lizbeth MacKay	...	Novice
Helen Stenborg	...	Nun on Phone
Sally Parrish	...	Nun #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phillip V. Caruso	...	Disney Park Guest in Bessie Scene (uncredited)
Victor Garber	...	(uncredited)
Andrea Leigh	...	Patricia (uncredited)
L.A. Rothman	...	Disney Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerry Zaks

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott McPherson		(play)
Scott McPherson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Tod Scott Brody	....	executive producer
Robert De Niro	....	producer
Craig Gering	....	associate producer
John Guare	....	associate producer
Bonnie Palef	....	co-producer
Jane Rosenthal	....	producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
Adam Schroeder	....	co-producer
Lori Steinberg	....	executive producer
David Wisnievitz	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Rachel Portman

Cinematography by
Piotr Sobocinski		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jim Clark

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
David Gropman

Art Direction by
Peter Rogness

Set Decoration by
Tracey A. Doyle		(as Tracey Doyle)

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Marilyn Carbone	....	makeup artist: Diane Keaton
Alan D'Angerio	....	hair designer
J. Roy Helland	....	hair stylist: Meryl Streep
J. Roy Helland	....	makeup artist: Meryl Streep
Ilona Herman	....	hair stylist: Mr. De Niro
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. De Niro
Peter Owen	....	wig designer
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist
Mary Cooke	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Janet Garr	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Karen Specht	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Meryl Poster	....	executive in charge of production: Miramax
Chrisann Verges	....	production supervisor
David Wisnievitz	....	production manager
Christopher Goode	....	unit production manager: additional photography (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ellen H. Schwartz	....	first assistant director (as Ellen Schwartz)
David H. Venghaus Jr.	....	second assistant director (as Dave Venghaus)
Nina Jack	....	dga trainee (uncredited)
Howard McMaster	....	first assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)
Christo Morse	....	second second assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)
Jim Weis	....	second assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
Tommy Allen	....	property master (as Tom Allen)
Melanie J. Baker	....	set buyer (as Melanie Baker)
Anthony Baldasare	....	on-set dresser
Diana Burton	....	assistant property master
Robert Dillon	....	lead carpenter
Laura G. Gillen	....	shop person (as Laura Gillen)
Donald Glenn	....	on-set construction grip (as Don Glenn)
Joanna Hartell	....	shop manager
Anne Beiser Haywood	....	scenic foreperson (as Annie Haywood)
Daniel Kenney	....	property assistant (as Dan Kenney)
Gordon Krause	....	construction foreperson
Miguel López-Castillo	....	draftsman (as Miguel Lopez Castillo)
Rick Marroquin	....	second construction grip
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist
Jeffrey D. McDonald	....	assistant art director (as Jeff McDonald)
Nick Miller	....	construction coordinator
Monique Mitchell	....	key construction grip
Rhonda Moscoe	....	art department coordinator
Malcolm Reid	....	stand-by carpenter
Scott Rosenstock	....	lead man
Rob Schmitt	....	on-set construction grip (as Robert Schmitt)
Mark Simon	....	set dresser
John Snow	....	stand-by scenic
Peter von Bartheld	....	set dresser (as Peter Von Bartheld)
Chris Barnes	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
Pedro Barquin	....	stand-by greens: Florida (uncredited)
William A. Cimino	....	lead person: Florida (uncredited)
Carlos Menéndez	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Jeff Naparstek	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Alan S. Reynolds	....	charge scenic artist: Florida (uncredited)
Will Scheck	....	key greensperson (uncredited)
Frank A. Torres	....	key set dresser: Florida (uncredited)
Ginny Walsh	....	property fabricator (uncredited)
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer: Sound One Corportation
Tim J. Carroll	....	stereo consultant: Dolby
O.J. Connell III	....	cable person (as O J Connell III)
Jennifer L. Dunnington	....	apprentice sound editor (as Jennifer Dunnington)
Stuart Emanuel	....	dialogue editor
Wendy Hedin	....	supervising sound editor
Candice Johnson	....	apprentice sound editor
Raymond Karpicki	....	foley editor (as Raymond 'Homes' Karpicki)
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer (as George Lara)
Lisa J. Levine	....	adr editor
Danny Michael	....	production sound mixer
Angela Organ	....	assistant sound editor
Andrew Schmetterling	....	boom operator (as Andy Schmetterling)
Michael Shore	....	dialogue editor
Steven Simons	....	foley mixer (as Steve Simons)
Brian Vancho	....	foley walker
Magdaline Volaitis	....	dialogue editor
John Werner	....	apprentice sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Don Canfield	....	motion control operator: title sequence (uncredited)

Stunts
Stanton Barrett	....	stunt performer
Paul Blake	....	stunt performer
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt coordinator
Ralph Ferrara	....	stunt performer
Christina Fetters	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Burke	....	electrician
Ronald Burke	....	grip (as Ronnie Burke)
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer (as Phil Caruso)
Ray Collins	....	camera trainee (as Raymond Collins)
Ken Connors	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Robert Connors	....	electrician (as Bob Connors)
Doug Dalisera	....	electrician
Russell Engels	....	chief lighting technician (as Rusty Engels)
John Ford	....	grip
Dennis Green	....	24 frame video operator
Rob Hahn	....	camera operator
Jay Levy	....	first assistant camera
Dave Lowry	....	dolly grip (as David Lowry)
Gerry Lowry	....	grip (as Jerry Lowry)
Peter A. Mian	....	video playback operator (as Peter Mian)
Chris Norr	....	second assistant camera
John Panuccio	....	second company grip (as Jack Panuccio)
Tom Prate	....	first company grip
Joseph Trammell	....	24 frame video operator (as Joe Trammell)
James C. Walsh	....	rigging electrician (as Jim Walsh)
David Knox	....	main camera operator: re-shoots (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Kim Miscia	....	casting assistant
Mark Byrne	....	casting assistant: Sylvia Fay casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Timothy Alberts	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Tim Alberts)
Laurie Buehler	....	seamstress
Patricia Eiben	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Patty Eiben)
Debra Tennenbaum	....	assistant costume designer
Michael Anzalone	....	costume supervisor: re-shoots (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kathy LaCommare	....	assistant editor
Mark Livolsi	....	assistant editor
Kent McGrew	....	color timer
Anne O'Brien	....	apprentice editor
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter
Beatrice Sisul	....	apprentice editor
John Sosnovski	....	apprentice editor (as John Sosnovsky)
Mitchel Stanley	....	first assistant editor
Debra C. Victoroff	....	first assistant editor (as Debra Victoroff)
Todd Zongker	....	assistant editor: lightworks (as Todd Zonkger)
Miles Ferguson	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)
Rhonda L. Mitrani	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)
Sara Nicholson	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Chandra Beard	....	music supervisor
Ken Bichel	....	musician: piano
James Flatto	....	additional music editor
Sean Huff	....	assistant music editor
Michael Kosarin	....	conductor: orchestra
Jesse Levy	....	musician: cello soloist
Dan Lieberstein	....	music editor
John Miller	....	orchestra contractor
Rachel Portman	....	orchestrator
John Richards	....	music scoring mixer
Carly Simon	....	composer: end title song
Carly Simon	....	performer: end title song
Tony Stanton	....	music preparation
Belinda Whitney Barratt	....	concert master (as Belinda Whitney-Barratt)

Transportation Department
Mike Buckman	....	driver
Brendan P. Connolly	....	driver (as Brendan Connolly)
Brian Hogan	....	driver
Robert Lansing	....	driver
George Moran	....	driver
Timothy Shannon	....	transportation co-captain (as Tim Shannon)
Francis Whalen	....	driver
James Patrick Whalen Jr.	....	transportation captain (as Jim Whalen)

Other crew
Noah Ackerman	....	assistant: Scott Rudin
Abdullah Alkhan	....	medical consultant (as Abdullah M. Al-Khan M.D.)
Tommy Allen	....	opening sequence (as Tom Allen)
Craig Bankey	....	unit publicist
Laura Berning	....	location assistant
Robin Chambers	....	assistant: Robert De Niro
Antoine Douaihy	....	location manager
Jan Eriksen	....	arranger: "The Thunderer"
Ashley Fierman	....	assistant: Leonardo DiCaprio
Sean Garrett Fogel	....	production assistant (as Sean Fogel)
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant (as Jennifer Freed)
Tommy Harper	....	production assistant (as Thomy Harper)
Kim Lane	....	production assistant
Candy Langan	....	assistant: Meryl Streep
Tendaji Lathan	....	production assistant
Nancy Lefkowitz	....	assistant: Jane Rosenthal
Jane Long	....	assistant: Jane Rosenthal
Ian McGloin	....	assistant: Scott Rudin
Edmund Nardone	....	projectionist (as Ed Nardon)
Fergal O'Gorman	....	production assistant
Lisa Padovani	....	assistant: Julie Weiss
Peter Phillips	....	production assistant
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor
Mark Roybal	....	assistant: Scott Rudin
Suzanne Santry	....	assistant: Scott Rudin
Melissa Unger	....	assistant: Robert De Niro
Joseph T. Aidala	....	delivery coordinator (uncredited)
Alexis Arnold	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Betty Chin	....	production coordinator: re-shoot (uncredited)
Eddy Collyns	....	location scout (uncredited)
Justin Cooke	....	location scout (uncredited)
Linda DaSilva	....	assistant production office coordinator (uncredited)
Wendy Delouche	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Chadbyrne R. Dickens	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Ellen Gannon	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Henry J. Golas	....	production associate (uncredited)
Gerritt Graham	....	assistant: Tod Brody (uncredited)
Bret Kane	....	office production assistant: Florida (uncredited)
Leslie Ann Lee	....	assistant production coordinator: additional photography (uncredited)
Ian MacGregor	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Richard Mancuso	....	production accountant: additional photography (uncredited)
Ralph Millero	....	assistant: Scott Rudin (uncredited)
Margo Myers	....	production accountant: additional photography (uncredited)
Peggy Rosson	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Michael Swafford	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
John Bloom	....	the producers wish to thank
Conrad L. Hall	....	the producers wish to thank (as Conrad Hall)
Arnold Rubin	....	the producers wish to thank (as Dr. Arnold Rubin)
Antonia Van Drimmelen	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Scott Rudin Productions (as Scott Rudin)
• Tribeca Productions (as Tribeca)
• Marvin Productions (uncredited)

Distributors

• Miramax Films (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (BVHV) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Spentzos Films (199?) (Greece) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC)  the producers wish to thank: "All My Children" (as ABC Daytime")
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll services provided by
• Balsmeyer and Everett  main title design and digital compositing
• Disney Enterprises  footage: "The Love Bug" courtesy of
• Effects House, The  optical effects (as The Effects House)
• Florida Motion Picture and Television Bureau, The  the producers wish to thank (as Florida Motion Picture & Television Association)
• Goodman Theatre, The  originally produced at: Chicago Illinois on 19 February 1990
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• Metro Orlando Film and Television Office  the producers wish to thank (as Orlando Film / TV Office)
• Miramax Records  soundtrack album available on
• Movie Movers  star trailers (uncredited)
• Movie Movers  transportation (uncredited)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers wish to thank (as City of New York Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• REI Media Group  optical effects (as REI)
• Sound One Corporation  post-production facilities provided by
• Sound One Corporation  re-recording mixer
• St Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center  the producers wish to thank
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting (uncredited)
• Wenco Corp.  digital sound editorial by (as Wenco Corporation)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and brief language.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34951) | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Argentina:Atp | Austria:6 | Belgium:KT | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:6 (bw) | Mexico:B | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Disney-MGM Studios, Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA

Company:

Scott Rudin Productions

Trivia:

Hume Cronyn's final appearance in a theatrical film.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Meryl Streep’s character is packing her suitcase in a hurry, she grabs an article of clothing off the wall and the clock can be seen falling. In the next scene she is grabbing another article of clothing off the wall and the clock is back in place.

Quotes:

Hank: Most of the time I just keep to myself. I think like what it would be like to be... someone else.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Meryl Streep (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Consumer Watch

Dysfunctional Family Matters Leavened with Unexpected Black Comedy in Well-Acted Sudser

How families fall apart and mend themselves is the point of this star-laden 1996 movie, but stage and TV director Jerry Zaks, screenwriter Scott McPherson, and a trio of fine performances transcend the formulaic aspects to come up with something more resonant. Based on a play by McPherson before he succumbed to AIDS, the semi-autobiographical plot focuses on two estranged, middle-aged sisters. In Florida, mousey spinster Bessie has spent twenty years as caretaker to their ailing father Marvin and their eccentric aunt Ruth. In Ohio, Lee escaped family responsibility to get married and raise two sons in Ohio only to see things fall apart. Lee is on the verge of turning her life around as a licensed cosmetologist when Bessie is diagnosed with leukemia and reaches out to Lee and her sons as potential bone-marrow transplant candidates.

The rest of the movie is mainly about how the sisters cope with each other when they reunite and what they do to deal with the inevitable. Intriguingly, while the soap opera elements are strictly by-the-numbers, there is a persistent undercurrent of black comedy that effectively blunts the potential sentimentality of the piece. It also helps that Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton play the sisters. As the embittered, guilt-ridden Lee, Streep moves easily back into blue-collar, Silkwood territory, and she unapologetically shows the edginess and jealousy of her self-centered character. However, it's a vanity-free Keaton who really radiates as Bessie finding inner strength and contentment under increasingly dire circumstances. A year before "Titanic", Leonardo di Caprio effectively plays the last of his juvenile hellions as Lee's oldest son Hank, a textbook example of teenaged, pyromaniac angst.

The rest of the cast is fine in limited turns - Robert DeNiro (one of the producers as well) as the bumbling Dr. Wally; Dan Hedaya as his even more pixilated brother Bob; Gwen Verdon as wild-eyed, soap opera-obsessed Aunt Ruth; Hal Scardino as Hank's self-controlled little brother Charlie; and Hume Cronyn, who is forced to play Marvin with severely limited expression. There are predictable moments throughout, but some surprise and a few actually enthrall, including a seriocomic scene of quiet reconciliation when Bessie recalls the drowning death of her open-mouthed carny boyfriend. There are no extras with the 1999 DVD release.