Forty Shades of Blue (2005)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Ira Sachs

Writers:

Michael Rohatyn (writer)
Ira Sachs (writer)

Release Date:

7 December 2005 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A Russian woman living in Memphis with a much older rock-n-roll legend experiences a personal awakening when her husband's estranged son comes to visit.

Plot Keywords:

Title Spoken By Character | Number In Title

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Dina Korzun	...	Laura
Rip Torn	...	Alan James
Darren E. Burrows	...	Michael James (as Darren Burrows)
Andrew Henderson	...	Sam James
Liz Morton	...	Cindy, Babysitter
Joanne Pankow	...	Aunt Betty
Arielle Kight	...	Teenage Singer
J. Blackfoot	...	Herself
Red West	...	Duigan
Jenny O'Hara	...	Celia
Jerry Chipman	...	Shel
Mary Jean McAdams	...	Gena
Charly Kayle	...	Karin
J. Allen Scott	...	Press Photographer
Earl Randle	...	Old Timer
Charles 'Skip' Pitts	...	Himself
Don Pirl	...	Man at Peabody Bar
Stuart Greer	...	Tom Skolnick
Jennifer LaCapra	...	Woman with Tom
Lillie White	...	Minnie
Mimmye Goode	...	Nursery School Teacher
Monette McLin	...	Nursery School Parent
Paprika Steen	...	Lonni
Forrest Pruett	...	Gary, Studio Engineer
Todd Malta	...	Waiter
Charles J. Ingram	...	Ronnie, Restaurant Owner (as Charles Ingram)
John Boyd West	...	Barry
Howard Keltner	...	Salesman
Claude Phillips	...	Tennis Club Valet
Emily McKenna	...	April James (as Emily McKenna Cox)
Stan Prachniak	...	Lake Party Bartender
Archie Mitchell	...	Lake Party Reveler
Steve Potts	...	Banquet Musician
Dave Smith	...	Banquet Musician
Ronnie Williams	...	Banquet Musician
Michael Toles	...	Banquet Musician
James Spake	...	Banquet Musician (as Jim Spake)
Scott Thompson	...	Banquet Musician
Jim Dickinson	...	Lake Party Musician
Sid Selvidge	...	Lake Party Musician
Sam Shoup	...	Lake Party Musician
Tommy Burroughs	...	Lake Party Musician
Josh Driver	...	David James
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
D'Army Bailey	...	Man (uncredited)
Christy Hamilton	...	Tennis Player (uncredited)
Erica Hines	...	Party Girl (uncredited)
Laurie Johnson	...	Picnic Guest (uncredited)
Donald Meyers	...	Picnic Guest (uncredited)
Lydia Meyers	...	Picnic Guest (uncredited)
Nancy Ellen Mills	...	Banquet and Lakehouse Guest (uncredited)
Rich Parham	...	Banquet Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Ira Sachs

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Rohatyn		writer
Ira Sachs		writer

Produced by
Mary Bing	....	producer
Margot Bridger	....	producer
Adam Hohenberg	....	associate producer
Jawal Nga	....	producer
Heather Parks	....	associate producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer
Michael Rohatyn	....	associate producer
Donald Rosenfeld	....	producer
Mike S. Ryan	....	line producer
Ira Sachs	....	producer
Geoff Stier	....	executive producer
Diane von Fürstenberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Dickon Hinchliffe

Cinematography by
Julian Whatley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Affonso Gonçalves

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Teresa Mastropierro

Set Decoration by
Mylene Santos

Costume Design by
Eric Daman

Makeup Department
Gloria Belz	....	makeup designer
Janice Byrd	....	hair stylist: Rip Torn (as Janice M. Byrd)
Barbara Sanders	....	key hair designer
Cathi Thomas	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Edwards	....	post-production supervisor: New York
Jay Van Hoy	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Keith Jones	....	second assistant director (as Keith C.A. Jones)
Nicholas Owen Langholff	....	second second assistant director
Curtis Smith	....	first assistant director (as Custis A. Smith Jr.)

Art Department
Darian Corley	....	property master
Melissa A. Dunn	....	assistant to production designer
Thomas W. Gilbert	....	lead man
Frank Gray III	....	props
Emily Oliva	....	art department intern (as Emily Glasgow)
Brian Pera	....	art department intern
Spencer H. Register	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Antonio L. Arroyo	....	sound mixer (as Antonio Arroyo)
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Ryan Collison	....	foley mixer
John Gutierrez	....	boom operator
Kelly Neese	....	playback operator
Dave Paterson	....	adr editor (as David Paterson)
Mary Ellen Porto	....	dialogue editor
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Turner	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Damian Volpe	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Russomanno	....	digital artist
Keith Yurevitz	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Edward V. Bauman	....	best boy grip
Stephanie Beman	....	additional electrician
Jesus Carrillo	....	additional first assistant camera (as Jesus D. Carillo)
Kenneth R. Cole	....	additional electrician
Tracy Facelli	....	additional second assistant camera
Michael J. Grant	....	additional electrician
Beth Horton	....	second assistant camera (as S. Beth Horton)
Michael Jacobson	....	best boy electric
Greg Karamov	....	key grip (as Greg Melik-Karamov)
Josh Malloy	....	best boy electric
David Mellow	....	first assistant camera
Charlies Patrick Muir	....	additional grip
Mark Norris	....	camera department intern
Robert Oliva	....	gaffer
Bryce Southard	....	additional grip
David Mellow	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cody P. Beke	....	casting assistant: New York (as Cody Beke)
Jordan Beswick	....	local casting
Jessica Daniels	....	casting associate: New York
Lisa M. Friedrichs	....	extras casting assistant
Elizabeth Greenberg	....	casting associate: New York
Robert Saba	....	extras casting: Memphis (as Robert L. Saba)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Meriwether Nichols	....	assistant to wardrobe designer
Kelly Anne Ross	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Ian Calderon	....	post-production resource
Rachel Chancey	....	assistant editor
David Pultz	....	color timer
Katy Skjerping	....	assistant editor (as Katherine Fisher)
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher

Music Department
Dickon Hinchliffe	....	music arranger
Dickon Hinchliffe	....	music score producer
Dickon Hinchliffe	....	musical arrangement
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor (as Sue Jacobs)
David Less	....	music producer: original songs
Anne Pope	....	music editor
Anthony W. Thomas	....	musical coach: Rip Torn

Transportation Department
Wendy Martin	....	driver
Steve Moffit	....	transportation coordinator
Billy Moffitt	....	driver
Eugene Purcell	....	driver (as Gene Purcell)

Other crew
Rachel Baker	....	office/set intern
Nalla Black	....	office/set intern
Roy Bogy	....	production secretary (as Roy E. Bogy)
John Paul Clark	....	office/set intern
Jim Alan Cook	....	set production assistant
Payton Dunham	....	location manager
Jessie Flanders	....	product placement intern
Sarah Fleming	....	location assistant
Lisa M. Friedrichs	....	office production assistant
Andy Gilbert	....	catering chef
Frank Gray	....	office/set intern
Justin Gullett	....	office/set intern
Liza Hanson	....	location assistant
Marlus Harding	....	post-production accountant
Kimberly M. Hill	....	office/set intern
Stephan Horbelt	....	office production assistant
Kimberly James	....	production assistant (as Kimberly James Roachelle)
Lucas Joaquin	....	assistant to director
Loretta Johnson	....	office/set intern
Roger Kass	....	production legal: Cowan DeBaets Abrahams & Sheppard
Rona Katz	....	production insurance: D.R. Reiff & Associates
Veronica Lupu	....	script supervisor
Angela Meadows	....	set production assistant (as Angela M. Meadows)
David S. Merrill	....	location assistant (as David Merrill)
Ross Miller	....	production insurance: D.R. Reiff & Associates
Melodie Myers	....	office production assistant
E. Alden Napier	....	office/set intern
Nicki Newburger	....	production office coordinator
Bobby Nieves	....	catering chef
Jin Pak	....	title designer
Kimberly Roachelle	....	office/set intern (as Kimberly James Roachelle)
Nicholas Ross	....	location assistant (as Nick Ross)
Robert L. Seigel	....	production legal: Cowan DeBaets Abrahams & Sheppard
Brett P. Smith	....	assistant accountant
Noreen Ward	....	production accountant
Donrico Webber	....	set production assistant
Morgan Weinberg	....	office/set intern
Misti White	....	craft service
Dalton Cole Young	....	office/set intern

Thanks
Karim Ainouz	....	special thanks
John Cameron Mitchell	....	special thanks
Oren Moverman	....	special thanks
Jonathan Nossiter	....	special thanks
David Rubin	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Charlie Guidance
• Flux Films
• High Line Productions
• Tiny Dancer Films

Distributors

• Capital Entertainment (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• First Look International (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Stadtkino Verleih (2005) (Austria) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Avid Media Composer  edited with (as Avid Media Composer Adrenaline)
• Continental  production and dailies laboratory
• Cowans, DeBates, Abrahams & Sheppard  production legal
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  production insurance
• Du Art Film and Video  post-production laboratory (as DuArt Film and Video)
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post-production facility
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Sound One  sound mixing facility
• Tomkats Catering  catering (as TomKats)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

USA:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Charlie Guidance

Movie Connections:

Featured in 2006 Independent Spirit Awards (2006) (TV)

Even Trophy Girlfriends Get the Memphis Blues

"40 Shades of Blue" updates Tennessee Williams and puts his archetypal characters into the Memphis music scene. Rip Torn is like Big Daddy, here a legendary music producer (as bolstered by taking fictional credit for the classic soul songs of Bert Berns with local color provided by musical luminaries such as Jim Dickinson and Sid Selvidge) and his mannerisms recall Sam Phillips. As his son, Darren Burrows, in a hunky and magnetic return to public consciousness since TV's "Northern Exposure," recalls Brick, though here his brooding is Oedipal. Dina Korzun is a trophy girlfriend who depends on the kindness of strangers.

In a mirror image of "Laurel Canyon," which also brought a prodigal son home to a legendary music producer parent with a younger lover, co-writer/director Ira Sachs well creates believable strained family interactions. All three interact so sweetly with the lovely toddler son that it becomes clear what warmth is missing among the adults.

The production design and use of Memphis locales reinforce an industry town where Torn's "Alan James" is well-known, and a lived-in house that includes photos and portraits on the living room wall. We also see that his cohort impresarios (whose music is actually passé these days in Memphis, as shown in "Hustle & Flow" and Torn refers to in a speech that nostalgically recalls how classic soul music was a partnership between black and whites) are mostly surrounded by much younger women.

Korzun's trophy girlfriend "Laura" is the most problematical, but it's not clear if it's the script or her acting. Sometimes she is clearly in "Lost in Translation" mode, as a Russian who has no connection to Memphis music and nothing to say to the people surrounding Torn and vice versa, and she wistfully notes that when she writes in English her handwriting looks like a child's.

Sometimes her teen age babysitter has more gumption and insight than she does. The other characters are constantly asking her how she's doing and she gives a different lie each time. Other times she can speak forthrightly and stand up for her opinions, as when she insists to a friend that the father and son do not share looks or characteristics, or acknowledging that she is living better than anyone from her home. From the opening scene of her shopping in the cosmetics section of a department store as symbols of her putting on her game face, her character seems to be Sphinx-like, but Korzun does create a sympathetic portrait of a confused, trapped bird and your heart does go out to her poignant efforts to be her own woman.

The film seems to build toward a confrontation that almost happens but doesn't quite, though that might mean that the characters have made a decision about their lives, as the son chooses not to be like his father, after several scenes where he did seem to be imitating his behavior.

The lack of a climax may be realistic, but it doesn't make for effective drama.