Old Man (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

John Kent Harrison

Writers (WGA):

William Faulkner (novel)
Horton Foote (teleplay)

Release Date:

9 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot Keywords:

Flood | Louisiana | Bayou | Convict | Based On Short Story

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Addie Rebecca Brice
Arliss Howard	...	J.J. Taylor
Leo Burmester	...	Plump Convict
Daro Latiolais	...	Cajun Man
Ray McKinnon	...	Shanty Man with Gun
Jerry Leggio	...	Warden
Horace Trahan	...	Singer on Boat
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Deputy
Ed Grady	...	Boat Doctor (as Edward Grady)
Danny Kamin	...	Boat Captain (as Daniel Tucker Kamin)
Michael Arata	...	Adjunct
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Astalos-Jones	...	Shanty Woman
Steve Broussard	...	Cajun French Voiceover (voice)
Jason M. Giaccone	...	New Orleans City Slicker- Extra
Jamie Wax	...	The Green Lieutenant

Also Known As:

William Faulkner's Old Man

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Alligator Bayou, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions

Movie Connections:

Version of "Playhouse 90: Old Man (#3.8)" (1958)

Beautiful and prosaic view of desperation in flood

I rented this movie adaptation of a William Faulkner short story on the reputation of the Nobel Prize winner. It was funded as a Made-for-TV Hallmark Hall of Fame and does deserve more attention, in my opinion. The plot does have some holes that you could drive a car through and the baby is unconvincing as a newborn but the Screenplay and Acting deserve high praise! This was well worth the unpleasant and sad emotions evoked by this view from the underside of rural America. The lead actors do great jobs portraying without stereotype the Southern down-on-their-luck poor folk who need each others' helping hands. I was startled and amazed that the film script kept in long passages of a minor character speaking Creole/French and didn't dumb down our following what was happening. Thanks for not underestimating the intellect of those who chose our video selections with some awareness that other languages were part of Southern culture of that time period. The evocative scene of the drifters floating through a church was a highly memorable point that I'll look back at again when I rent this video again. Kudos to the producers of such a sensitive and intelligently structured adaptation! Rating 9 *'s out of 10!