Ulee's Gold (1997)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Victor Nunez

Writer:

Victor Nunez (written by)

Release Date:

13 June 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The story of a family on the edge, and a man who brought them back.

Plot:

A reclusive beekeeper slowly pulls his dysfunctional family back together, but not without having to fight his son's previous dastardly cohorts.

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Beekeeper | Drug Withdrawl | Hospital | Nurse

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Peter Fonda	...	Ulee Jackson
Patricia Richardson	...	Connie Hope
Christine Dunford	...	Helen Jackson
Tom Wood	...	Jimmy Jackson
Jessica Biel	...	Casey Jackson
Vanessa Zima	...	Penny Jackson
Steven Flynn	...	Eddie Flowers
Dewey Weber	...	Ferris Dooley
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	Sheriff Bill Floyd
Traber Burns	...	Chance Barrow
Ryan Marshall	...	Charley Myers
Chad Fish	...	Markie
Will Sexton	...	Child at Rest Stop
Dale C. Marshall	...	Beekeeper Assistant
James T. Whitehurst	...	Beekeeper Assistant

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | France:U | Germany:6 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Apalachicola, Florida, USA

Company:

Clinica Estetico

Trivia:

This was Jessica Biel's film debut.

Quotes:

Ulysses Ulee Jackson: There's all kinds of weakness in the world, not all of it is evil. I forget that from time to time.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Family Stone (2005)

Soundtrack:

Tear My Stillhouse Down

A Nod to Homer...

It's not until the second half of "Ulee's Gold" that we hear Peter Fonda's character's full name, Ulysses. Once spoken you can't help feeling the rush of recognition of Homer's influences in this well-acted drama. There is Ulee's dead wife, Penelope--whom was Odysseus' wife in "The Odyssey". There is Ulee's daughter-in-law Helen--whom was responsible for starting the Trojan War in "The Illiad". Ulee is a veteran of the Vietnam War in much the way that Odysseus was of the Trojan War. He tells his grand daugher Penny he survived because of his "trickery" in much the same way Odysseus did with the Trojan Horse. His endurance of the many things which befall him after being sent to retrieve his Helen remind one of the way Odysseus was treated when he returned to his home as a beggar. Nods to Homer aside, this film was slow at times but worth the rental when taken in its entirety. Peter Fonda and Patricia Richardson both give outstanding performances with Fonda well deserving of the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Ulee. Rent it on your next visit to the video store--it won't disappoint.