Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005)

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

12 January 2006 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

When destiny leads, love follows.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Dance | Baker | Appointment | Black Eye | Therapy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Ballroom Dancing (Hong Kong: English title) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature situations and language.

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12A | Argentina:13 | South Korea:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Eagle Rock, California, USA

Company:

Shoreline Entertainment

Trivia:

Elden Henson played two parts in this film, one being Samson, the other as young Steve Mills. The flashbacks are from a 1990 short film of the same name and Elden played the role of Steve as a 12 year old boy.

Quotes:

Chatty Redhead: So, you're like a dead wives club.
Rafael Horowitz: Well, I don't think you could call it a club, per se.
Chatty Redhead: But, all of your wives are dead.
Rafael Horowitz: No, unfortunately for me mine is still alive and kicking.

Movie Connections:

References The Great Escape (1963)

Soundtrack:

Azure Heaven

A guy who's lost his wife winds up at a dance school and learns to fall in love again.

This movie got it right where a bunch of other movies have gotten it totally wrong. Most movies about grieving and loss gloss over what it really feels like to lose someone, but Hotchkiss' really makes you feel how alone Frank is after losing his wife before you see him begin to learn how to let go and move on. The cast in this movie (John Goodman, Danny Devito, Marisa Tomei, Donnie Wahlberg, Sean Astin) is stronger than most big budget Hollywood movies (Robert Carlyle is really amazing here!) but this isn't an 'indie' film with boring camera shots and amateurish productions, it's very stylishly shot and incredibly well-done all around. Best of both worlds.