Blue Sky (1994)

Director:

Tony Richardson

Writers (WGA):

Rama Laurie Stagner (story)
Rama Laurie Stagner (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 September 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

In a world of secrets, love is the most powerful weapon.

Plot:

Hank Marshall is a tough, square-jawed, straitlaced Army engineer and nuclear science expert, assigned...

Plot Keywords:

Military | Army | Military Base | Nuclear | Daughter

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jessica Lange	...	Carly Marshall
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Maj. Henry 'Hank' Marshall
Powers Boothe	...	Col. Vincent 'Vince' Johnson
Carrie Snodgress	...	Vera Johnson
Amy Locane	...	Alexandra 'Alex' Marshall
Chris O'Donnell	...	Glenn Johnson
Mitch Ryan	...	Ray Stevens (as Mitchell Ryan)
Dale Dye	...	Col. Mike Anwalt
Timothy Scott	...	Ned Owens (as Tim Scott)
Annie Ross	...	Lydia
Anna Klemp	...	Rebecca 'Becky' Marshall
Anthony Rene Jones	...	Helicopter Pilot
Jay H. Seidl	...	Soldier on Island
David Bradford	...	Soldier #1
Matt Battaglia	...	NATO Soldier

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Peru:14 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30942) | Canada:A (Ontario) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Alabama, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

This was the final film for director Tony Richardson. He died of AIDS in 1991, three years before the film's release.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: An enlisted man walks into the Colonel's office wearing Private First Class insignia of one chevron with one rocker. This insignia was not used until 1968, well past the time period that the film was set in.

Quotes:

Carly Marshall: Brigitte Bardot strips for millions, she's a goddess. I sunbathe topless and I'm a scandal.
Hank Marshall: You're not Brigitte Bardot, remember?!
Carly Marshall: [adopting Brigitte Bardot's husky accent] Wazza matta? I no make you happy?!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Gonna Do You No Wrong

An Oscar-Winning Role We Almost Missed

1994 was a year of weak female performances, but Jessica Lange's Oscar-winning turn in "Blue Sky" is a real sight to behold. She stars as the alcoholic wife of a well-to-do military nuclear engineer (Tommy Lee Jones). Jones knows of a cover-up by the military to keep nuclear testing in Nevada a secret in the early-1960s. This testing has no visual effect on anything in the environment (thus the name "Blue Sky"). Needless to say this is an intriguing film that is somewhat based on true testing which took place in sparsely populated areas of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico in the late-1950s and early-1960s. However, this film almost never saw the light of day. It was produced in 1991, but sat in an Orion Pictures vault for over three years. The film was finally released to generate revenue for the soon to be disbanded Orion. No one was ever clear on why the film was not initially released in 1991. Many speculate that director Tony Richardson's AIDS-related death may have had something to do with the studio's reluctance to release the film. This is just speculation, there is no proof of that. Its inability to get released is a bit of a mystery though. I mean a film with Jessica Lange and Tommy Lee Jones should have no trouble being released in my mind. Anyhow, this is Jessica Lange's greatest role. Tommy Lee Jones and Powers Boothe also give great supporting turns. 4 out of 5 stars.