Ironweed (1987)

A schizophrenic drifter spends Halloween in his home town after returning there for the first time in decades.

Director:

Hector Babenco

Writers:

William Kennedy (novel), William Kennedy (screenplay)

Stars:

Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Carroll Baker

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Nicholson	...	Francis Phelan
Meryl Streep	...	Helen Archer
Carroll Baker	...	Annie Phelan
Michael O'Keefe	...	Billy Phelan
Diane Venora	...	Margaret 'Peg' Phelan
Fred Gwynne	...	Oscar Reo
Margaret Whitton	...	Katrina Dougherty
Tom Waits	...	Rudy
Jake Dengel	...	Pee Wee
Nathan Lane	...	Harold Allen
James Gammon	...	Reverend Chester
Will Zahrn	...	Rowdy Dick
Laura Esterman	...	Nora Lawlor
Joe Grifasi	...	Jack
Hy Anzell	...	Rosskam

Storyline

Albany, New York, Halloween, 1938. Francis Phelan and Helen Archer are bums, back in their birth city. She was a singer on the radio, he a major league pitcher. Death surrounds them: she's sick, a pal has cancer, he digs graves at the cemetery and visits the grave of his infant son whom he dropped; visions of his past haunt him, including ghosts of two men he killed. That night, out drinking, Helen tries to sing at a bar. Next day, Fran visits his wife and children and meets a grandson. He could stay, but decides it's not for him. Helen gets their things out of storage and finds a hotel. Amidst their mistakes and dereliction, the film explores their code of fairness and loyalty.

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Plot Keywords:

albany new york | bar | singer | drifter | ghost | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tallo de hierro

Filming Locations:

Lark Street and Clinton Ave, Albany, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$27,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$7,393,346 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO), Keith Barish Productions, TAFT Entertainment Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frank Whaley plays Jack Nicholson's character as a young man. In Hoffa, Whaley plays the hit man who murders Nicholson's character, teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa.

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Goofs

When the vigilantes' cars approach the hobo camp, they are observed across the steel-ribbed top of a boxcar with no running board, impossible in 1938.

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Quotes

Francis Phelan: By God, Helen, that's as good as it gets. You were born to be a star.

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Connections

Featured in The 60th Annual Academy Awards (1988)

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Soundtracks

"He's Me Pal"
Performed by Meryl Streep

User Reviews

They're my pals.

Never the timing for a movie had been so disastrous.Released in those "glorious " eighties when the success stories and the triumphalist heroes were the golden rule,"Ironweed" stood no chance at all.Two tramps did not fit well in the movie landscape of those "feel good" times.And two tramps played by two megastars ,it was unforgivable!

The cast is stellar,but it's Meryl Streep whom I will remember FOREVER.When she sings her little tune "he's me pal" she's so heart-wrenching that she will move you to tears."At least ,I didn't betray anybody" she said.Although it was a colossal flop,Streep would only approach such an emotion afterwards.(notably in "the bridges of Madison County")Nicholson was equally courageous to play such a demeaning part,and he gets strong support from Carroll Baker who proves here she can age gracefully and from Tom Waits ,ideally cast as a barfly.

"Ironweed" is very hard to see nowadays.One of these days ,it will be given the place it deserves.