The Basket (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Rich Cowan

Writers:

Don Caron (screenplay) &
Rich Cowan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A picturesque Pacific Northwest community raising its wheat and children in the midst of a nation reeling...

Plot Keywords:

Period Piece | Independent Film

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Peter Coyote	...	Martin Conlon
Karen Allen	...	Bessie Emery
Robert Burke	...	Helmut Brink
Amber Willenborg	...	Brigitta Brink
Jock MacDonald	...	Nicholas Emery
Eric Dane	...	Tom Emery
Brian Skala	...	Nathan Emery
Casey Cowan	...	Samuel Emery
Tony Lincoln	...	Reverend Simms
Patrick Treadway	...	Frederick Treadway
Ellen Travolta	...	Agnes
Jack Bannon	...	Marcus
Elwon Bakly	...	Ben Emery
Joey Travolta	...	Charlie Cohn
Paul Hostetler	...	Old Helmut Brink

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild violence and brief language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color | Color (Alphacine)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:PG | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Garfield, Washington, USA

Company:

North by Northwest Entertainment

Trivia:

Spokane basketball player #2 is Scott McQuilken, actual Athletic Director at Whitworth College. McQuilken later made his stage debut as Egeus in the school's fall 2003 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When we see the envelope Mr. Conlon is mailing, it shows the 2-letter state abbreviations for Washington and Massachusetts. These weren't adopted until 1963, when zip codes were introduced. More likely, the abbreviations would have been Wash. and Mass.

Quotes:

[last lines]
[quoted from a German opera retold during the story]
Martin Conlon: Together we shall fly.

Soundtrack:

The Basket Soundtrack

Very well done, thought-provoking, and touching

I enjoyed this film very much. Everything was authentic, the actors were great, and the story was moving and captivating. Despite a lot of sadness, the movie also portrayed happiness. There was a great level of depth in character that keeps you thinking on about them and wondering more about them. The main theme of the movie is also a thought-provoking subject: prejudice. Learning to work together, learning to "fly" with others is a good lesson to learn. The sets and scenery were beautiful (God's creation is beautiful!), and the music was quite captivating & appropriate, even though I don't particularly like opera. There were a few flaws in the movie, such as a few swear words, and perhaps a lack of a few things, but over all it was a very good movie. (Entertaining & interesting behind the scenes commentaries, too, on the DVD.)