The Life of David Gale (2003)

Director:

Alan Parker

Writer (WGA):

Charles Randolph (written by)

Release Date:

21 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The crime is clear. The truth is not.

Plot:

A man against capital punishment is accused of murdering a fellow activist and is sent to death row.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Murder | Death Row | Texas | Reporter

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Kate Winslet	...	Bitsey Bloom
Cleo King	...	Barbara Kreuster
Constance Jones	...	Reporter A.J. Roberts
Kevin Spacey	...	David Gale
Laura Linney	...	Constance Harraway
Lee Ritchey	...	Joe Mullarkey
Gabriel Mann	...	Zack Stemmons
Matt Craven	...	Dusty Wright
Brandy Little	...	Motel Waitress
Cindy Waite	...	Margie
Jim Beaver	...	Duke Grover
Leon Rippy	...	Braxton Belyeu
Jesse De Luna	...	Supervising Guard
Vernon Grote	...	Door Guard
Rhona Mitra	...	Berlin

Also Known As:

Das Leben des David Gale (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for violent images, nudity, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:MA | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Portugal:M/16 | Brazil:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #39213) | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Austin Studios - 1901 E. 51st Street, Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Alan Parker]briefly appears during the party scene at the beginning of the film - he is seen helping himself to some food.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When David Gale is reading an email from his wife, the date reads: Tue. Oct. 8, 1994. However, 8 October 1994 was a Saturday.

Quotes:

David Gale: [Giving a lecture to his college students] Fantasies have to be unrealistic. Because the minute- the second- that you get what you want, you don't- you can't- want it anymore.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Will Ferrell/Queens of the Stone Age (#30.19)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Tiemblo

Smart story-telling with twists, great acting yet shoddy tempo

Twisting and turning, this film uses great actors and direction for an interesting story: is David Gale, staunch opponent of the death penalty, guilty of rape and murder? Kate Winslet plays a journalist who is to interview Gale three days prior to his execution on the fourth. One follows Gale's story as he tells it, and it wavers from heart-wrenching to horrid, exciting to sluggish. Is the man guilty or innocent? Will the journalist unveil anything? And who's the cowboy? I really liked the film, much because of Alan Parker's special sense of pathos, but also because of the very good acting and radiant story. If it weren't for the shoddy sense of tempo, I'd say this film would deserve a place next to "The Usual Suspects", in a weird way.