Cradle Will Rock (1999)

A true story of politics and art in the 1930s USA, centered around a leftist musical drama and attempts to stop its production.

Director:

Tim Robbins

Writer:

Tim Robbins

Stars:

Hank Azaria, Rubén Blades, Joan Cusack

5 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hank Azaria	...	Marc Blitzstein
Rubén Blades	...	Diego Rivera
Joan Cusack	...	Hazel Huffman
John Cusack	...	Nelson Rockefeller
Cary Elwes	...	John Houseman
Philip Baker Hall	...	Gray Mathers
Cherry Jones	...	Hallie Flanagan
Angus Macfadyen	...	Orson Welles
Bill Murray	...	Tommy Crickshaw
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Countess Constance LaGrange
Susan Sarandon	...	Margherita Sarfatti
Jamey Sheridan	...	John Adair
John Turturro	...	Aldo Silvano
Emily Watson	...	Olive Stanton
Bob Balaban	...	Harry Hopkins

Storyline

In 1930s New York Orson Welles tries to stage a musical on a steel strike under the Federal Theater Program despite pressure from an establishment fearful of industrial unrest and red activity. Meanwhile Nelson Rockefeller gets the foyer of his company headquarters decorated and an Italian countess sells paintings for Mussolini.

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Plot Keywords:

1930s | play | theater | union | communism | 

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Taglines:

Art is never dangerous -- unless it tells the truth.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

12 April 2000 (France)

Also Known As:

Abajo el telón

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$93,998 (USA) (10 December 1999)

Gross:

$2,899,970 (USA) (21 April 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cradle Productions Inc., Havoc, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cary Elwes and Angus Macfadyen would later act in the "Saw" series, as Doctor Gordon in "Saw" and Jeff Reinhart in Saws "3" and "4" respectively.

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Goofs

When Tommy Crickshaw and Hazel Huffman are discussing communism, the camera shot from behind Crickshaw shows his hand in a fist, cut to the next shot facing him, his hand is stretched out.

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Quotes

Congressman Starnes: You are quoting from this Marlowe. Is he a Communist?
Hallie Flanagan: I am very sorry. I was quoting from Christopher Marlowe.
Congressman Starnes: Tell us who Marlowe is, so we can get the proper reference, because that is all we want to do.
Hallie Flanagan: Put in the record that he was the greatest dramatist in the period immediately preceding Shakespeare.

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Crazy Credits

This movie was inspired by actual events, but certain characters, organizations and events have been fictionalized.

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Connections

Featured in Broadway: The American Musical: I Got Plenty o' Nuttin': 1929-1942 (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Croon Spoon"
Written by Marc Blitzstein
Performed by Eddie Vedder and Susan Sarandon
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

Deserves more praise than it gets

This may suffer from having a few too many plot lines and characters (Emily Watson, for example, is a role too far), but most of what's there is excellent. Bill Murray is as good as he has been recently in Rushmore and Lost in Translation, and the Cusacks are at their best. This is a film that lingers with you after you've seen it, and gives a fascinating insight into a turbulent time.