Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Michael Sucsy

Writers (WGA):

Michael Sucsy (teleplay) and
Patricia Rozema (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

18 April 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

True glamour never fades

Plot:

Based on the life stories of the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Onassis (both named Edith...

Plot Keywords:

Eccentric | Kitten | Filmmaking | Piano | Head Scarf

Awards:

Won 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale
Jessica Lange	...	Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Jacqueline 'Jackie O.' Kennedy Onassis
Ken Howard	...	Phelan Beale
Kenneth Welsh	...	Max Gordon
Arye Gross	...	Albert Maysles
Justin Louis	...	David Maysles
Daniel Baldwin	...	Julius 'Cap' Krug
Malcolm Gets	...	George 'Gould' Strong
Louis Grise	...	Young Buddy (as Louis Gries&eacute')
Joshua Peace	...	Adult Buddy
Neil Babcock	...	Young Phelan Jr.
Ben Carlson	...	Young Phelan Jr.
Olivia Waldriff	...	Young Jackie
Neil Girvan	...	Concierge

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Centre Island, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Et Cetera Films

Trivia:

As part of his costumes for playing the pianist and music teacher George "Gould" Strong, Malcolm Gets wears a diamond ring; that ring was not a reproduction but was the actual ring that the real Strong had been given by the real Edith Beale. Strong's family members lent the ring to the film's production crew.

Quotes:

[last lines]
'Little' Edith Bouvier Beale: [voiceover] No animals were harmed in the making of this movie.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Dancing in the Sunshine

Deeply Moving, The film QUIVERS with FEELING

I remember vividly walking through the living room one day in the late 90's when my roommate was chuckling at the documentary GREY GARDENS on the Sundance channel. My eye immediately caught the images of Big and Little Edie in the yellow room and I became involved watching it too. Something about this little documentary just drew me into it. Yes, it was funny, but the humor was also mixed with feelings of horror and pity. I remember feeling a bit uneasy watching these women. One confined to an uncomfortable bed and the other confined to her shattered dreams of unrealized stardom. Both seemingly stuck in a dilapidated house in bad need of repair. What I find beautiful about the documentary is how it questions ones own perception on what "wealth" is. The documentary has that "never judge a book by it's cover" / "things are never quite what they seem" aspect to it. The greatness of the documentary is the message that "real" wealth in life comes in different forms, not just perceived material possessions. The outside doesn't necessarily reflect what's going on beneath the surface. After several viewings of the documentary, it's impossible to have pity for big and little Edie. They had wealth where it counted, in humor, intelligence, feeling, character and for each other.

GREY GARDENS with Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange is a beautiful and deeply moving tribute to a couple of women whose lives might have been forgotten if it weren't for a couple of documentary filmmakers. Handsomely directed and paced by Michael Sucsy, the film resonates so many feelings that only the hardened will not be moved.

At times it is difficult not to compare and judge the performances of Lange and Barrymore with the real Big and Little Edie Beale, especially for those of us overly familiar with the documentary. Oddly enough some of the best scenes in the film are in the early years. If in moments Lange and Barrymore fail to completely live up to an exact interpretation of the Beales, they immediately redeem themselves with the conviction, understanding and love they have for the women and the material. The performances by Lange, Barrymore and Jeanne Tripplehorn will move and surprise you. The film honors, respects and celebrates it's subjects and like the documentary, it touches something deep down.

It reminds all of us that wealth comes in different forms and that true wealth is the loyalty two people can have for each other.