The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1991)

Director:

Simon Callow

Writers:

Edward Albee (play)
Michael Hirst (writer)

Release Date:

June 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A tangled triangle. In the rural South of the early 20th century, Miss Amelia is the town eccentric...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play | Based On Novel | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Miss Amelia
Keith Carradine	...	Marvin Macy
Cork Hubbert	...	Cousin Lymon
Rod Steiger	...	Rev. Willin
Austin Pendleton	...	Lawyer Taylor
Beth Dixon	...	Mary Hale
Lanny Flaherty	...	Merlie Ryan
Mert Hatfield	...	Stumpy McPhail
Earl Hindman	...	Henry Macy
Anne Pitoniak	...	Mrs. McPhail
Frederick Johnson	...	Jeff
Lauri Raymond	...	Sadie Ricketts
Joe Stevens	...	Henry Ford Crimp (as Joe Stephens)
Keith Wommack	...	Tom Rainey
Kevin Wommack	...	George Rainey

Runtime:

Germany:100 min | USA:101 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:M | Germany:12 (bw) | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

Michael Dunn was nominated for the 1964 Tony Award (New York City) for Supporting or Features Actor in a Drama for "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe" for the role of Cousin Lyman.

Goofs:

Continuity: Several times earlier in the film, we are shown how the only way to arrive at Miss Amelia's secret still is by wading - neck-deep - through a muddy swamp. Yet late in the film when Marvin Macy and Cousin Lymon are shown at Miss Amelia's still, their clothes are clean and dry.

Quotes:

Mary Hale: Marvin changed himself. That time he loved Miss Amelia. Well, it seemed like he changed completely -- he was -- he was good to me, and to Henry... You remember that, doncha'?
Rev. Willin: I remember that.
Mary Hale: Why'd she throw him out? Why'd she marry him and then throw him out? Why?
Rev. Willin: I don't know. All I know is... that it takes two people to be in love. It takes the... lover... and the beloved. But these two, they come from... diff'rent countries. And sometimes, the... the belove is the cause for all the, all the stored-up love that's lain in the heart of the lover for such... a looong time, and every lover knows that... deep... deep in his soul, he knows that his love is a lonely and solitary thing --
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in From the Journals of Jean Seberg (1995)

I don't get what people are talking about

The Ballad of the Sad Cafe is a great film. I guess everyone who couldn't stand it saw it, because I just saw it (5-23-06) and thought it was a good movie. I might also add that I was very sleepy, and I always fall asleep while watching a film. I've slept through The African Queen, The Lion in Winter and other great classics that are praised by critics alike. This gives the film that added bonus that I can stay awake while watching it. Vanessa Redgrave is wonderful, as usual, and delivers a great performance. The other actors I have a question about, their names, but the actor who played Cousin Lyman was good. I couldn't stand him at all for what he was doing to Amelie. The ending scene is very good and heartbreaking. I mean, I'd watch this 10 times in a row to see Vanessa box with some punk husband who she never truly loved and never thought of their marriage as a give and take, but more of a contract. This is a great film!