A Prairie Home Companion (2006)

A look at what goes on backstage during the last broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show, where singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty, a country music siren, and a host of others hold court.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Garrison Keillor (screenplay), Garrison Keillor (story),

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Meryl Streep

3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marylouise Burke	...	Lunch Lady
Woody Harrelson	...	Dusty
L.Q. Jones	...	Chuck Akers
Tommy Lee Jones	...	The Axeman
Garrison Keillor	...	GK
Kevin Kline	...	Guy Noir
Lindsay Lohan	...	Lola Johnson
Virginia Madsen	...	Dangerous Woman
John C. Reilly	...	Lefty
Maya Rudolph	...	Molly
Tim Russell	...	Stage Manager
Sue Scott	...	Makeup Lady
Meryl Streep	...	Yolanda Johnson
Lily Tomlin	...	Rhonda Johnson
Tom Keith	...	Himself - Sound Effects Man

Storyline

"A Prairie Home Companion", hosted by humorist Garrison Keillor, is a down home radio variety show recorded and performed live in front of an audience in a theater in St. Paul, Minnesota. A show from another era, "A Prairie Home Companion" has been canceled. The regulars are performing on the last show, including Dusty & Lefty, singing/guitar playing cowboys with a risqué sense of humor, and the Johnson Girls, a sister singing duo of Rhonda and Yolanda who have a penchant for talking over each other. As the show goes on, the regulars, backstage, talk about their lives in relation to the show. Other goings-on include Yolanda and others trying to convince her shy somber daughter, Lola, to sing on this last show. As all this goes on, a mysterious woman in a white trench coat who is on a mission wanders around the theater, while the show's dim security guard, Guy Noir, who usually has nothing to do security-wise, follows.

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Plot Keywords:

singing | cowboy | radio | backstage | st. paul minnesota | 

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Taglines:

Radio like you've never seen it before.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for risque humor

Details

Official Sites:

Bac Films [fr] Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Norwegian

Release Date:

9 June 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Praire Home Companion - Bastidores da Rádio

Filming Locations:

Fitzgerald Theater - 10 Exchange Street E., St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£75,355 (UK) (5 January 2007)

Gross:

£75,355 (UK) (5 January 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Picturehouse Entertainment, GreeneStreet Films, River Road Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was originally going to be titled 'The Last Broadcast'.

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Goofs

While Guy Noir sits at his desk, there is an "On Air" sign common to radio and TV stations. It is switched on, that is to say, the light bulb in the "On Air" sign is switched on. In a later scene the radio show is still on the air, but the sign is switched off. Technically, it should still be on, whenever a microphone is open in the studio.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Radio Announcer: Market reports today, barrows and gilts uh two hundred twenty to two hundred sixty pounds, they're lower at forty dollars uh sows are steady three hundred five hundred pounds thirty four to thirty seven dollars going over to feeder cattle, beef steers - one hundred twenty to one hundred fifty dollars and two hundred to three hundred
[fade out]

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Crazy Credits

There is a credit for Sign Painter in the film, although it does not appear on the official site.

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Connections

Spoofs The Maltese Falcon (1941)

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Soundtracks

"Independence Rag"
Music by Pat Donohue & Andy Stein
Performed by The Guys All-Star Shoe Band

User Reviews

Great musical comedy!

I just saw this movie last weekend at the SXSW film festival. I thought it was a wonderfully funny film. I might be a little partial since she is one of my favorites, but Meryl Streep was superb! The rest of the cast-Lohan, Tomlin, Kline, Reilly, Madsen, Harrelson-were all great as well. The movie actually felt like a documentary almost because the dialogue and activity was so real. Kline's character is hilariously out of place and the dialogue between the other actors is a riot. The jokes were great and the whole movie was really funny. The whole theater clapped at the end of the film. This is definitely another Altman great, I just wish he had won a real Oscar and not the honorary one!