Home
search
more | tips
SHOP THOUSAND...
Amazon.com Amazon.ca Amazon.co.uk Amazon.de Amazon.fr
IMDb > A Thousand Acres (1997)
A Thousand Acres
[Add to My Movies]
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

A Thousand Acres (1997)

advertisement
Register or login to rate this title
User Rating: 5.8/10 (2,320 votes)
Photos (see all 32 | slideshow)
IMDb Coverage of Comic-Con 2008

Overview

Director:
Jocelyn Moorhouse
Writers (WGA):
Jane Smiley (novel)
Laura Jones (screenplay)
Release Date:
19 September 1997 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
Best friends. Bitter rivals. Sisters.
Plot:
"King Lear" set on a farm in Iowa. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win more
User Comments:
Read the book instead more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michelle Pfeiffer ... Rose Cook Lewis

Jessica Lange ... Ginny Cook Smith

Jason Robards ... Larry Cook

Jennifer Jason Leigh ... Caroline Cook

Colin Firth ... Jess Clark

Keith Carradine ... Ty Smith
Kevin Anderson ... Peter Lewis
Pat Hingle ... Harold Clark

John Carroll Lynch ... Ken LaSalle
Anne Pitoniak ... Mary Livingstone

Vyto Ruginis ... Charles Carter

Michelle Williams ... Pammy
Elisabeth Moss ... Linda

Ray Toler ... Marv Carson
Kenneth Tigar ... Doctor
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some strong sexual language.
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
Illinois, USA more
MOVIEmeter: ?
V 11% since last week why?

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Based loosely on William Shakespeare's "King Lear". more
Quotes:
Ginny: Rose left me with a riddle I have not yet resolved: how we judge those that hurt us and show no remorse. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Fear of Loss more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
7 out of 13 people found the following comment useful:-
Read the book instead, 26 May 2001
Author: epitone from Los Angeles

'A Thousand Acres' is one of the best books I've ever read and one of the worst movies I've ever seen, so obviously something was lost in the adaptation. On-set reports claimed that the director was trying to change the story radically while stars Lange and Pfeiffer attempted to keep it closer to the book. The director seems to have won out.

It's really a shame, because you couldn't ask for a better cast to bring 'Acres' to life. Jason Robards is dead-on as Larry, the psychologically damaged patriarch, and Lange, Pfeiffer, and Leigh have great chemistry as the three sisters. But good actors need good lines, and the screenplay doesn't give them any. The approach taken by the writer and director toward adapting Jane Smiley's brilliant, Pulitzer-prize winning novel seems to have been to simply stick all the dramatic, important scenes together and leave out the nuances and character development that made the story so special.

In fairness, 'Acres' couldn't have been easy to adapt; it has more than enough scope to make a movie trilogy or an entire series of television. Perhaps it was a mistake, then, to try to keep the beginning, middle and end essentially the same as the book. This approach shows us all the effects and none of the causes. Especially confusing is the scant 105 minute running time, which is only slightly longer than your average Adam Sandler movie. If the director and studio had been willing to make this a 3-hour film, it might have had a chance. As it stands, the movie plays like a highlight reel of the book, and that's not enough to involve the viewer emotionally.

'A Thousand Acres' is a fantastic story, though the movie would try hard to convince you otherwise. Pick up the book and see for yourself.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for A Thousand Acres (1997)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Child abuse victim? Oh, not again... przgzr
Colin Firth's accent ani1899
The greatest injury to Shakespeare ever committed cezal198
Whose performance do you like most? kingscarbm
The book leoncraine
A little question... wold87
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? To Kill a Mockingbird Changing Lanes Catch Me If You Can A Place in the Sun
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Drama section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.