The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

Director:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writers (WGA):

Gina Prince-Bythewood (screenplay)
Sue Monk Kidd (novel)

Release Date:

17 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters

Plot:

set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother...

Plot Keywords:

South Carolina | Sister | Beekeeping | American South | Domestic Violence

Awards:

10 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Dakota Fanning	...	Lily Owens
Queen Latifah	...	August Boatwright
Jennifer Hudson	...	Rosaleen Daise
Alicia Keys	...	June Boatwright
Sophie Okonedo	...	May Boatwright
Paul Bettany	...	T. Ray Owens
Hilarie Burton	...	Deborah Owens
Tristan Wilds	...	Zach Taylor
Nate Parker	...	Neil
Shondrella Avery	...	Greta
Renee Ford Clark	...	Doll (as Renée Clark)
Sharon Conley	...	Violet (as Sharon Morris)
Nicky Buggs	...	Cressie
Jasmine Burke	...	Sugar Girl
Emma Sage Bowman	...	Young Lily
Emily Alyn Lind	...	Young Lily
Addy Miller	...	Young Lily
Taylor Kowalski	...	Teenager
Bob Hungerford	...	Frank Posey
Richard Todd Sullivan	...	Mechanic
Chris Moore	...	Posey's Buddy
Bill Oberst Jr.	...	Sheriff Gaston
Cullen Moss	...	Young White Policeman (as Cullen Dean Moss)
Walt Elder	...	Driver
Dan Beene	...	Mr. Kirven
Joe Chrest	...	Mr. Forrest
Robin Mullins	...	Miss Lacy
Tom Conder	...	White Man #1
Jay Pearson	...	White Man #3
Dan Cox	...	Sheriff Brooks
Quentin Kerr	...	Police Officer
Kimberly Bailey	...	(voice)
Doug Burch	...	(voice)
Cathy Cavadini	...	(voice) (as Catherine Cavadini)
Lanei Chapman	...	(voice) (as Lanai Chapman)
Barbara Harris	...	(voice) (as Barbara Iley)
Amad Jackson	...	(voice)
Tommy Lamey	...	(voice)
Terence Mathews	...	(voice)
Jeremy Maxwell	...	(voice)
Alan Oppenheimer	...	(voice)
Richard Penn	...	(voice) (as Richard W. Penn)
Noreen Reardon	...	(voice)
Cheryl Tyre Smith	...	(voice) (as Cheryl Tyre-Smith)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linwood Mooring	...	Onlooker (uncredited)
Lindsey Sherrin	...	Teen (uncredited)

Directed by
Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writing credits (WGA)
Gina Prince-Bythewood		(screenplay)
Sue Monk Kidd		(novel)

Produced by
Ed Cathell III	....	co-producer
James Lassiter	....	producer
Ewan Leslie	....	co-producer
Joe Pichirallo	....	producer
Jada Pinkett Smith	....	executive producer
Aldric La'auli Porter	....	co-producer (as Aldric Porter)
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer
Will Smith	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Rogier Stoffers		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Terilyn A. Shropshire

Casting by
Aisha Coley
Craig Fincannon
Lisa Mae Fincannon
Mark Fincannon

Production Design by
Warren Alan Young

Art Direction by
William G. Davis
Alan Hook

Set Decoration by
James Edward Ferrell Jr.

Costume Design by
Sandra Hernandez

Makeup Department
Shutchai Tym Buacharern	....	key makeup department head (as Tym Shutchai Buacharen)
Kari Delaney	....	assistant hair stylist
Camille Friend	....	hair department head
Lumas Hamilton Jr.	....	hair stylist: Queen Latifah (as Lumas Hamilton)
Julie Kristy	....	makeup: Queen Latifah
Rick Pour	....	assistant makeup
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist: Dakota Fanning
Kelly Caldwell	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)
Jason Willis	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker: Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson (uncredited)

Production Management
Ed Cathell III	....	unit production manager
Elizabeth Fox	....	post-production supervisor
Preston L. Holmes	....	unit production manager (as Preston Holmes)
Dale Williams	....	assistant unit production manager
Mike Crawford	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Avery Galligan	....	second second assistant director
Aldric La'auli Porter	....	first assistant director (as Aldric Porter)
Joe Roddey	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kip Bartlett	....	on-set dresser (as Kip A. Bartlett)
Charles Bibbs	....	creator: Black Madonna artwork
Charles Biting	....	propmaker (as Charles Bitting)
Tracy Breyfogle	....	art department production assistant (as Tracey Breyfogle)
John Bromell	....	set dresser (as John T. Bromell)
Danielle Couture	....	art department coordinator
Peter Durand	....	scenic painter
Thurston Edwards	....	buyer
Craig Gilmore	....	illustrator
George W. Harding III	....	key greens (as George Harding III)
Carl Hector	....	greensman (as Carl F. Hector)
Chester Lee Henderson Jr.	....	set dresser
Chris Holcombe	....	scenic painter
Margie McLamb Holowaty	....	buyer (as Margie Hallowaty)
Vincent E. Immordino	....	greensman (as Vincent Immordino)
Tom Jones Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Doug Kelejian	....	set dresser (as Douglas Kelejian)
Randy Kenan	....	foreman
Gerard Kern	....	gang boss
Andy Krish	....	greensman
Alicia Lowe	....	construction buyer
David Lyons	....	standby greens
Michael Marcelli	....	greensman
Alex McCarroll	....	set designer
James D. Nelson	....	set dresser (as James D. Nelson)
Paul Oliver	....	lead scenic (as Paul W. Oliver)
James F. Oñate	....	paint foreman (as James Oñate)
John C. Powell	....	gang boss
Steve Roberts	....	greensman
John Sanders	....	property master
Jason Scruggs	....	propmaker
Roger Scruggs	....	construction foreman (as Roger Scruggs Sr.)
Chris Shader	....	property assistant (as Christopher 'Shady' Shader)
Michael Shapiro	....	greensman (as Michael A. Shapiro)
'Jungle Jim' Shaughnessy	....	on-set dresser (as James Shaughnessy)
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	leadman (as Polar Bear Shaw)
Barbara S. Shelton	....	standby painter (as Barbara Seinfeld)
Larry C. Shepard	....	paint gang boss
Bob Smith	....	set dresser
Greg Spencer	....	foreman (as Greg W. Spencer)
Michael H. Ward	....	assistant art director (as Mike Ward)
Ernie Watson	....	propmaker
John Weeks	....	sculptor
Eric West	....	set dresser (as Eric B. West)
Dana White	....	greensman
Jesse Williams	....	propmaker
Duane Williamson	....	assistant property master
James Gambino	....	typesetting (uncredited)
Jason Williamson	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound re-recordist
Julie Altus	....	adr recordist
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Jeremy Balko	....	sound editor
Bridget Devaney-Nierenberg	....	sound intern
Jenny Elsinger	....	cable person
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Foye	....	foley mixer
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound designer
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound supervisor
Todd Niesen	....	sound editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound editor
James Peterson	....	boom operator
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Carl Rudisill	....	production sound mixer (as Carl S. Rudisill)
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Phillip Young	....	assistant sound editor (as Phillip J. Young)
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Cameron O. Galloway	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Hugo Jeffreys	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)
Ross Wissbaum	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Beavis	....	special effects technician
Phil H. Fravel	....	special effects technician
Stephen Lanier	....	special effects coordinator
William Purcell	....	special effects technician
Morgan McMath Rogers	....	special effects technician (as Morgan M. Rogers)

Visual Effects by
Casey Allen	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Ian Backer	....	production assistant: Hammerhead Productions
Daniel Chuba	....	executive producer: Hammerhead Productions (as Dan Chuba)
Trent Claus	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Aliza Corson Chameides	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Victor DiMichina	....	visual effects producer: Pixel Magic
Jamie Dixon	....	visual effects supervisor
Kevin Fisher	....	2d artist: Pixel Magic
Gilbert Gonzales	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Deborah Hiner	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Les Hunter	....	visual effects producer: Hammerhead Productions
Chris Ingersoll	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Justin Jones	....	compositing supervisor: Hammerhead Productions (as Justin Other Jones)
Kelly Rae Kenan Green	....	visual effects coordinator: Hammerhead Productions (as Kelly Kenan)
Benjamin Kutsko	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX (as Ben Kutsko)
Didier Levy	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Jeff Mailes	....	2d artist: Pixel Magic
Shira Mandel	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Richard Matsushita	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Mamie McCall	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor: Pixel Magic
Daniel Mellitz	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Joel Merritt	....	artist: Hammerhead Productions
Fatima Mojaddidy	....	system administrator: Hammerhead Productions
Paolo Moscatelli	....	cg supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Thomas Nittmann	....	visual effects producer: Lola VFX
Brian Nugent	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Clark Parkhurst	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Sean Wallitsch	....	inferno artist: Lola VFX
Edson Williams	....	visual effects supervisor: Lola VFX
Manny Wong	....	animation supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Ryan Zuttermeister	....	visual effects associate producer: Lola VFX
Ryan Beadle	....	digital i/o (uncredited)
Samuel M. Dabbs	....	lead title designer (uncredited)
Michele Ferrone	....	visual effects producer (uncredited)
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Tina Mckissick	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunt coordinator
Valerie N. Robinson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Steven Allen	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Troy Blischok	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael Bonsignore	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
George Bozeman II	....	company grip
Joe D'Alessandro	....	camera operator (as Joseph C. D'Alessandro)
Michael A. Jones	....	best boy electric
Charles Laughon	....	video assist (as Charles 'Chaz' Laughon)
Jordan Lindsay	....	assistant video assist
Matt Malloy	....	company electric (as Matthew Malloy)
Nicole Jannai Martinez	....	loader (as Nicole Martinez)
John McIntyre	....	second assistant camera
Cristiano Palermi	....	company electric
Brian Powell	....	company electric
Robert M. Powell	....	company grip
Bob Shober	....	company grip (as Robert N. Shober)
Steve Skinner	....	best boy grip
Tommy Ray Sullivan	....	gaffer
Dascious Thomas	....	key grip
Dan Turek	....	first assistant camera (as Daniel Turek)
Jack Vollers	....	company electric
Jessica Ward	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Bo Webb	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jamie Baglio	....	electrician (uncredited)
Neil Boone	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Matt Doll	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kim Coleman	....	additional casting
Tara Feldstein	....	extras casting
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Jackie Sollitto	....	casting associate
Meredith Young	....	extras casting
Amy Cohen	....	casting assistant (uncredited)
Christian Kaplan	....	executive in charge of casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Leigh Leverett	....	costume supervisor
Joyce Marling	....	key set costumer
Natalie Nye	....	seamstress (as Natalie J. Nye)
Anne K. Osborne	....	seamstress (as Anne K. Osbourne)
Alice Powell	....	tailor
Dawn M. Williams	....	set costumer
Jessica Williamson	....	set costumer
Eulyn Womble	....	set costumer (as Eulyn C. Hufkie-Womble)
Jeanie Baker	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)
Natasha Konowalow	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Nina Schelich	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
David Todd Davies	....	digital conforming and opticals: PostWorks Los Angeles
Elizabeth Fox	....	post supervisor
David Friedman	....	editorial production assistant
Scott Gregory	....	digital film colorist: PostWorks Los Angeles
Michael L. Holland	....	digital intermediate producer: PostWorks Los Angeles
Kenny Marsten	....	associate editor
Heather J. Morrison	....	assistant editor (as Heather Morrison)
Harry Muller	....	color timer
Tim Safarik	....	colorist: dailies
Tahj Gautier	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)
Faust Pierfederici	....	digital preview colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Johnny Britt	....	vocalist
Linda Cohen	....	music supervisor
Laura Epstein	....	cello coach: New York
John Fee	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Mark Isham	....	musician: piano solos
Lewis Jones	....	assistant music engineer
Zoe Keating	....	musician: cello
Philip Klein	....	music preparation
Kathy Meyer	....	cello coach: North Carolina
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Jennifer Nash	....	temp music editor
Cindy O'Connor	....	assistant to composer
Tyler Parkinson	....	assistant music engineer
Tyler Parkinson	....	electronic pre-recordist
Conrad Pope	....	supervising orchestrator
Simon Rhodes	....	score recordist
Curtis Roush	....	supervising music editor
L. Jimmy Sneed	....	musician: guitar (as L.J. Sneed)
Jill Streater	....	music preparation
Erik Swanson	....	score recordist
Clifford J. Tasner	....	orchestrator
Rosemary Warren-Green	....	orchestra leader (as Rose Warren-Green)

Transportation Department
Lance Owens	....	driver: Queen Latifah (as Lancelot Owens)
Scott Siler	....	transportation captain (as Russell Scott Siler)
Tim J. Walters	....	transportation coordinator
Russell l Byrd	....	driver: cast (uncredited)
Linda Pickett	....	driver (uncredited)
Kim Smallwood	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Mark A. Alcala	....	security: Queen Latifah
Ryan Bennett	....	production assistant (as Ryan 'Flash' Bennett)
LaWanda Black	....	executive assistant: Queen Latifah (as La Wanda Black aka 'LB')
Jen Brett	....	production secretary
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Jan Cerwonka	....	studio teacher
Michele Cusick	....	production assistant
Jack Dubnicek	....	assistant: Lauren Shuler Donner
Philippe Gallichet	....	caterer: Cinema Catering (as Phillipe Gallichet)
Reva Grantham	....	craft service
Casey Grimes	....	bee assistant
Bass Hampton	....	location manager
Barbara Efthymiou Harris	....	assistant production coordinator
Brian Hicks	....	assistant: Joe Richirallo
Meg Lansaw	....	location production assistant (as Margaret W. Lansaw)
Vikki Lewis	....	craft service
Kathy Liska	....	executive assistant: Lauren Shuler Donner
Richard Lyons	....	theatrical consultant: Queen Latifah
Natalie Mathes	....	post-production accountant
Jenna Mazer	....	accounting clerk
Shaun M. McGovern	....	production accountant (as Shaun McGovern)
Shaun M. McGovern	....	production auditor (as Shaun McGovern)
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach
Natasha Parker	....	assistant: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Thomas Parris	....	assistant location manager (as Thomas Paris)
Thom Rainey	....	script supervisor
Michael Ray	....	craft service
Nicholas Raynor	....	catering assistant: Cinema Catering
Matthew Richards	....	catering assistant: Cinema Catering
Valerie N. Robinson	....	production assistant (as Valerie Robinson)
Jeremy Sanchez	....	post-production accounting assistant
Jonathan Stanley	....	production assistant
Kelly Stultz	....	payroll accountant (as Kelly Brett Stultz)
Rachael Tartell	....	assistant location manager (as Rachael Tartel)
Lena Waithe	....	assistant: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Pamela Williamson	....	assistant auditor
Caleb Womble	....	production coordinator (as J. Caleb Womble)
Julian I. Wooten	....	bee keeper
Carolyn Barrett	....	photo double (uncredited)
John Calvin Byrd	....	assistant publicist (uncredited)
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach: adr (uncredited)
Ava DuVernay	....	production publicist (uncredited)
D.R. Farquharson	....	project manager: Deluxe Digital Cinema (uncredited)
Gary Glushon	....	assistant: James Lassiter (uncredited)
Will Griffin	....	production assistant additional (uncredited)
Kasey Kiser	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Katarzyna 'Kait' Malec	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Thurston Pope	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Thanks
Johnny Griffin	....	the producers wish to thank: for their assistance
Bill Lewis	....	the producers wish to thank: for their assistance
Guy J. Louthan	....	the producers wish to thank for their assistance
Paul Sanchez	....	the producers wish to thank for their assistance
Bill Vassar	....	the producers wish to thank: for their assistance

Production Companies

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents) (a News Corporation company)
• Overbrook Entertainment
• Donners' Company
• Dune Entertainment III (made in association with)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Belgium) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Celebrated Women of Color Film Collection Vol. 1)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Hammerhead Productions (visual effects) (as Hammerhead Productions Inc.)
• Lola Visual Effects (visual effects) (as Lola VFX)
• Pixel Magic (visual effects)
• Custom Film Effects (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  score recorded and mixed by
• Arista Records  acknowledgement: Jennifer Hudson appears courtesy of; by arrrangement of Sony BMG Music Entertainment
• Cinema Catering  catering
• City National Bank  financing
• Deluxe Digital Media  post-production facilities
• Electric Picture Solutions  editorial services
• Gallagher Entertainment  insurance
• Global Entertainment Partners  post-production facilities
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty
• J Records  acknowledgement: Alicia Keys appears courtesy of; by arrrangement of Sony BMG Music Entertainment
• Kodak  motion picture film
• Liquid Soul Media  marketing and promotion (uncredited)
• Lyndon Johnson Library  courtesy: The Civil Rights Act Signing footage (as Lyndon B. Johnson Library)
• Mad Hatter Studios  score recorded and mixed by
• Movie Movers  star trailers (uncredited)
• North Carolina Film Office  thanks
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Post Creations  foley recording services
• Postworks LA  digital intermediate
• Right Lobe Design Group  main and end titles
• Sessions Payroll Management  extras payroll services (uncredited)
• Sublime Sound  post-production sound services (as Sublime Sound, LLC)
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recorded at (as Todd AO Hollywood)
• Twentieth Century Fox  courtesy: "Surf Party" footage and poster
• Twentieth Century Fox  courtesy: "Thunder Island" poster
• Willow and Oak  author: motion picture
• Wilmington Camera  cranes and dollies

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence

Runtime:

USA:114 min (director's cut) | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby (as Dolby Stereo) | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44411) | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Argentina:13 | Mexico:B | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Watha, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

Jennifer Hudson said in an interview that director Gina Prince-Bythewood had sent her to a store to get several items and while she was there, the staff and the customers verbally and racially abused her. The incident was, in fact staged by actors under Bythewood's direction in order for Hudson to get the feel of a racially tense environment, the time and setting of the film, and to help her with her characterization.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lily and Zach are kissing, Lily's hair keeps moving back and forth from behind her ear to the side of her face depending on the camera angle.

Quotes:

Lily Owens:[First lines] I killed my mother when I was four years old. She was all I ever wanted and I took her away.

Movie Connections:

References Surf Party (1964)

Soundtrack:

Doncha Know (Sky Is Blue)

Very nice, pleasant movie

I surprisingly enjoyed the movie more than I thought and would give it a solid 7. It was well scripted, the filming was fantastic, and the acting was good - it was a very pleasant movie. I read the book, so I knew what the plot was about, so no surprises there (although I wish it included one detail that was in the book about the shooting). There was nothing truly spectacular or exciting to give it an 8 (but nothing truly spectacular happens in the book either, so the movie couldn't really change that), but nothing terrible/poor script/poor acting, which you usually find a bit of in a 6 or 6.5 stars. I saw it in the theater and it was the perfect "girls night out" movie. Also good for mother/daughter. Otherwise, wouldn't pay $10 to see it. It would be a great rental - see once and return.