A Painted House (2003) (TV)

Director:

Alfonso Arau

Writers:

Patrick Sheane Duncan (teleplay)
John Grisham (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

27 April 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Desperate Times, hard truths, unexpected dangers. One extraordinary summer will change a young boy and his family...forever.

Plot:

A young boy, his family, and the migrant workers they hire to work their cotton farm struggle against difficult odds to raise and sell the crop...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Scott Glenn	...	Eli 'Pappy' Chandler
Arija Bareikis	...	Kathleen Chandler
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Jesse Chandler
Melinda Dillon	...	Gran Chandler
Logan Lerman	...	Luke Chandler
Audrey Marie Anderson	...	Tally Spruill
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Mr. Spruill
Pablo Schreiber	...	Hank Spruill
Michael Shamus Wiles	...	Stick Peters
Luis Garcia	...	Cowboy (as Luis Esteban Garcia)
Miguel Pérez	...	Miguel
Diane Delano	...	Mrs. Spruill
Lucas Elliot Eberl	...	Trot Spruill
Sean Jones	...	Bo Spruill
Richard Crowe	...	Mr. Latcher
Neva Howell	...	Mrs. Darla Latcher
Liz Byler	...	Libby Latcher
Donna Denley	...	Mrs. Watson
Don Pirl	...	Mr. Watson
Silas Weir Mitchell	...	Jimmy Dale
Kiersten Warren	...	Stacy Dale
John Boyd West	...	Jackie Moon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cody Block	...	Percy Latcher (uncredited)
John Grisham	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Carlos Moreno Jr.	...	Voice (uncredited)
Caroline Scott	...	Town girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfonso Arau

Writing credits
Patrick Sheane Duncan		(teleplay)
John Grisham		(novel)
John Grisham

Produced by
Cameron Johann	....	associate producer
Brent Shields	....	co-executive producer
Richard Welsh	....	executive producer
Gordon Wolf	....	line producer

Original Music by
Ruy Folguera

Cinematography by
Xavier Pérez Grobet		(director of photography) (as Xavier Perez Grobet)

Film Editing by
Scott Vickrey

Casting by
Lynn Kressel

Production Design by
Edward Pisoni

Art Direction by
Linwood Taylor

Set Decoration by
Cynthia La Jeunesse		(as Cynthia M. LaJeunesse)

Costume Design by
Hope Hanafin

Makeup Department
Angela Levin	....	key makeup artist
Alicia M. Tripi	....	head hair stylist (as Alicia Tripi)
Sandy Jo Johnston	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Beka Wilson	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Andrea Lapins	....	post-production supervisor
Gordon Wolf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Donald P.H. Eaton	....	first assistant director (as Donald Eaton)
Lynn Wegenka	....	second assistant director
John R. Saunders	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Michael Ryan	....	general foreman
John Sanders	....	property master
Jeffrey Schlatter	....	construction coordinator
Dave Kennedy	....	painter (uncredited)
Keith Wall	....	prop buyer (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Benson	....	supervising sound effects editor
Kevin Patrick Burns	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Kevin Burns)
Itzhak Magal	....	production sound mixer
Todd Orr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ryan Darden	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Matt Dubin	....	mixing recordist (uncredited)
Carey Milbradt	....	foley mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Walter Kiesling	....	special effects supervisor
Michael Schorr	....	special effects coordinator (as Mike Shorr)

Visual Effects by
Robert D. Bailey	....	visual effects supervisor
David Emerson	....	optical and digital line-up (uncredited)
Michelle Massie	....	visual effects production manager (uncredited)
Chris Zapara	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunt coordinator (as Steve Lambert)
Brian Avery	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Rob Chidester	....	grip
Eddie Evans	....	key grip
Mike Moyer	....	chief lighting technician
Steve Anderson	....	dolly grip: "a" camera (uncredited)
Henry Cline	....	camera operator (uncredited)
David J. Duren	....	electrician (uncredited)
Tracy Facelli	....	film loader (uncredited)
Lisa Guerriero	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)
Jeremy Kirkland	....	video assistant (uncredited)
Kevin B. May	....	electrician (uncredited)
Darryl Wilson	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Jeff Wolf	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jo Doster	....	location casting
Kathleen Tomasik	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Jobst	....	costume supervisor
Rachel Myers	....	costume assistant
Jim Alan Cook	....	costumer (uncredited)
Karan Doherty	....	costumer (uncredited)
L. Kellie Hicks	....	on-set costumer (uncredited)
Alexa M. Stone	....	assistant costume designer: Los Angeles (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Tristan M. Brighty	....	assistant editor (as Tristan Brighty)
Scott Ostrowsky	....	mastering colorist

Music Department
Gustavo Borner	....	music editor
Gustavo Borner	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Donald Binder	....	driver
Monte Emery	....	picture car department
Shane Summers	....	transportation coordinator
Tom Moore	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Paul D. Boydston	....	location manager (as Paul Boydston)
Wayne Damore	....	script supervisor
Gregory Gray	....	production secretary
Carol Kravetz	....	production coordinator
Wendy Price	....	production accountant
Brian Deas	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Melissa Elliott	....	title designer (uncredited)
Johanna Klingenberger	....	payroll master (uncredited)
Kim McCray	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Carlos Moreno Jr.	....	voice looping (uncredited)
Joel T. Rose	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jarin Rossiter	....	production office assistant (uncredited)
Jason Speck	....	production team (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
• Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions
• McGee Street Productions
• Unknown

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2003) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• NHK (2005) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Filmtools  expendables
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Reel Chefs Catering  catering
• Tomkats Catering  catering

Also Known As:

"Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Painted House (#52.3)" - USA (anthology series)
"John Grisham's A Painted House" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials) | Brazil:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Clarkedale, Arkansas, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

The town scenes were filmed in Lepanto, AR and many residents of the city served as extras in the movies.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the soda fountain worker give the customer a fountain drink, the seltzer from the spigot comes out brown. Seltzer is clear. All fountain drinks, including Coca Cola, required a squirt of flavored syrup then the cup was held under the fountain spigot. The clerk would push the handle back for a pressurized squirt to mix the clear seltzer and syrup then would pull the handle forward to fill the glass.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Hallmark Hall of Fame" (1951)

Nicely done story of hard times in 1950s Arkansas

In Arkansas during the Korean War, 10-year-old Luke Chandler lives with his parents and grandparents on a farm where cotton is the primary crop. To pick the cotton, the family must hire 'hill people' and Mexicans. The hill people do not get along particularly well with those who look down on them, and sometimes they get into fights. Hank Spruill is especially prone to getting in trouble. One day in the house, he makes demands of Luke and, figuring Luke looks down on him, points out that at least his house is painted, while to Luke's family, paint is a luxury. Later in the movie, part of the house has been mysteriously painted. The prime suspect is Hank's disabled brother Trot, who can't work in the fields.

Luke witnesses a fight Hank gets into that results in a death. He is afraid to tell the truth since Hank doesn't like him anyway, but the police officer who investigates appears satisfied with the explanation of self-defense. Hank's teenage sister appears to be falling for Luke at first, but later she is seen with Cowboy, one of the Mexicans, and Hank already despises Cowboy.

The hard life on the farm is made even worse by several weather events during the second half of the movie. The promise of better times ahead is suggested when Luke's cousin shows up in a brand new Buick (Luke has never even been in a car, only trucks). His spoiled rich wife can't believe people have to live like this and is horrified by having to use an outhouse (This was one of my favorite scenes; Kiersten Warren is so good in roles like this). Also, the whole town is excited by a new thing called television and the idea of actually being able to watch the World Series. Luke is a Cardinals fan, but he gives up his dream of a Cardinals jacket for something more important.

This is almost a family movie. There are two violent scenes that result in deaths (both witnessed by Luke; the second time, the person responsible threatens Luke's mother if he tells). People get into fights a lot in this environment, but the others are no big deal. Other possible red flags for parents: the birth of a child to an unwed mother, and the identification of a possible father. Other than these incidents, this movie could be acceptable viewing for the entire family.

This movie was well done, and I thought the performances by many of the actors were good. I especially liked Luke's grandfather, who could be stern but tender. Not everyone has an easy life, and those of us who had it too soft can learn a lot from a movie such as this.