The Grass Harp (1995)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Charles Matthau

Writers (WGA):

Truman Capote (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Love is a chain of love... as nature is a chain of life.

Plot:

After his mother's death, Collin Fenwick goes to live with his father's cousins, the wealthy, avaricious...

Plot Keywords:

Maid | Judge | Americana | Aunt | Voice Over Narration

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Piper Laurie	...	Dolly Talbo
Sissy Spacek	...	Verena Talbo
Walter Matthau	...	Judge Charlie Cool
Edward Furlong	...	Collin Fenwick
Nell Carter	...	Catherine Creek
Jack Lemmon	...	Dr. Morris Ritz
Mary Steenburgen	...	Sister Ida
Sean Patrick Flanery	...	Riley Henderson
Joe Don Baker	...	Sheriff Junius Candle
Charles Durning	...	Reverend Buster
Roddy McDowall	...	Amos Legrand
Grayson Fricke	...	Young Collin
Scott Wilson	...	Eugene Fenwick
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Mrs. Buster
Mia Kirshner	...	Maude Riordan

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:PG | Australia:G | Spain:T | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Wetumpka, Alabama, USA

Company:

Charles Matthau-Jerry Tokofsky-John Davis Productions

Trivia:

The seventh pairing out of ten movies of comic actors and great friends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

Quotes:

Mrs. Peters: Shame on you Dolly Talbo, sittin up in that tree like a drunken Indian, smoking on cigarettes like a common... Floozy
Mrs. Buster: Floozy
Catherine Creek: Preacher lady don't you be callin Ms. Dolly here no floozy now, why I come down there and slap you bow-legged.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Magic Time: A Tribute to Jack Lemmon (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

ROCK OF AGES

Shamefully overlooked on its first release.

I was really surprised that The Grass Harp turned out to be the great film that it is. The book by Truman Capote is one of my favourites and I didn't think that it would work as a film.

It has been cast perfectly with Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie beautifully bringing to life the Talbo sister's Verena and Dolly respectively. Special mention too should be given to Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon & Roddy McDowall. All the cast are really quite terrific.

Great attention has been made to period detail and the film has a glorious soundtrack.

Full marks to the screen writers who have adapted the spirit of Capote's novel. And last but not least to Charles Matthau for his sensitive direction. A must see film shamefully overlooked on its first release.