Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005)

A widowed man's life turns upside down when he embarks on a journey to find a dying man's long lost love.

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers:

Randall Miller (short film "Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School"), Randall Miller (screenplay),

Stars:

John Goodman, Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Goodman	...	Steve Mills
Elden Henson	...	Young Steve Mills / Samson
Robert Carlyle	...	Frank Keane
Sean Astin	...	Kip Kipling
Teresa Johnston	...	Kate Collmary
Kelley Parker	...	Young Lisa Gobar
Michael Bower	...	Tommy Tanksley (as Michael Ray Bower)
Chance Michael Corbitt	...	Peter Jelliffe
Joshua Horowitz	...	Kenny Dulin
Philip Perlman	...	Civil Defense Man (as Phil Perlman)
Maria Parkinson	...	Miss Parkinson
Karlyn Michelson	...	Lucy (as Karlyn Hayley Michelson)
Camryn Manheim	...	Lisa Gobar
Octavia Spencer	...	Ayisha Lebaron
Marisa Tomei	...	Meredith Morrison

Storyline

Dance is a very powerful drug, if embraced judiciously; to reap its rewards, one must shoulder its challenges with intrepid countenance. Frank Keene, a grieving baker in a near catatonic state, happens on a car accident. The loquacious and insightful victim, Steve Mills, is on his way to an appointment in Pasadena with a years-ago acquaintance; he asks Frank to go in his place. It's a dance class. Frank goes, to find Steve's friend. The story moves back and forth among Steve's childhood, the scene of the accident, and the aftermath of Frank's first Lindy hop. Black eyes, group therapy, loneliness, boys being boys, roads not taken, and saying good-bye color the story.

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Plot Keywords:

dance | therapy | black eye | appointment | baker | 

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Taglines:

When destiny leads, love follows.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature situations and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 2006 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Ballroom Dancing

Filming Locations:

Eagle Rock, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$92,668 (USA) (31 March 2006)

Gross:

$247,141 (USA) (9 June 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shoreline Entertainment, Unclaimed Freight Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The flashback scenes are taken from the short film Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School.

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Goofs

When practicing the waltz, one boy counts off 1-2-3-4. The waltz is a three count.

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Quotes

Marienne Hotchkiss: Dance is a very powerful drug Mr. Keane. If embraced judiciously, it can exorcise demons, access deep seated emotions and color your life in joyous shades of brilliant magenta that you never knew existed. But, one must shoulder its challenges with intrepid countenance if one is ever to reap its rewards.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

"Zip Gun Bop"
(1991)
Written by Mando Dorame/Eddie Nichols
Published by Dorame Music (ASCAP)/Zip Gun Music (ASCAP)
Performed by Royal Crown Revue
Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records/Warner Strategic Marketing

User Reviews

enjoyed this movie!

saw it last nite at a complimentary screening. it was well worth seeing if only for robert carlyle's performance alone! he was absolutely extraordinary! i found mary steenburgen very affected, though, & was consciously aware that she was acting! i can't understand all the positive comments about her performance in this movie, though i absolutely adore her in other things (she was so great in joan of arcadia on TV, for example). i liked the interweaving of past & present & the way story lines played out & were connected eventually. it was well told. it integrated pathos with humor & had many unexpected touches. some of the acting was like caricature - e.g., donny wahlberg's, & i did not enjoy that type of aspect whenever it occurred. but on the whole i felt this was a well crafted film of value and substance. i'm glad i saw it.