Grey Gardens (2009) (TV)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Michael Sucsy

Writers (WGA):

Michael Sucsy (teleplay) and
Patricia Rozema (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

18 April 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

True glamour never fades

Plot:

Based on the life stories of the eccentric aunt and first cousin of Jackie Onassis (both named Edith...

Plot Keywords:

Eccentric | Kitten | Filmmaking | Piano | Head Scarf

Awards:

Won 6 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 11 nominations

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale
Jessica Lange	...	Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Jacqueline 'Jackie O.' Kennedy Onassis
Ken Howard	...	Phelan Beale
Kenneth Welsh	...	Max Gordon
Arye Gross	...	Albert Maysles
Justin Louis	...	David Maysles
Daniel Baldwin	...	Julius 'Cap' Krug
Malcolm Gets	...	George 'Gould' Strong
Louis Grise	...	Young Buddy (as Louis Gries&eacute')
Joshua Peace	...	Adult Buddy
Neil Babcock	...	Young Phelan Jr.
Ben Carlson	...	Young Phelan Jr.
Olivia Waldriff	...	Young Jackie
Neil Girvan	...	Concierge

Runtime:

USA:104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Centre Island, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Et Cetera Films

Trivia:

Drew Barrymore has stated in many interviews that she stayed very close to Little Edie's character throughout filming, shutting herself off from the outside world and from friends.

Quotes:

'Little' Edith Bouvier Beale: Well, mother and I are very entertaining, that's true...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

How Do I Rate With You

From documentary to film

Well, you can't go wrong using Big and Little Edie as subject matter, be it in a documentary, a movie, or a musical. This beautifully photographed and opulent "Grey Gardens," starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Big and Little Edie, again demonstrates what compelling people they were.

Not having seen any documentary yet, or the musical, which had some powerful emotions expressed in the music ("Another Winter in a Summer Town" as an example), I can only go by this particular "Grey Gardens." The story of the Beales is sad, harrowing, frustrating, and sometimes funny. Both women are magnificent in their roles, particularly Lange, though my understanding is that the real Big Edie was a much better singer than shown here. Barrymore makes a stunning young Edie, living in New York and trying to make it as an actress and captures the mature woman - it's quite a stretch, too.

What's missing here is exactly what happened to these two beautiful and wealthy women, and I'm not sure it's covered in any other material about them. Why didn't Big Edie remarry? Why didn't Edie "The Body Beautiful" Beale get a rich husband? Why did the other children allow them to live the way they did? Was Little Edie untalented, or could she have had success as an actress? Were they always mentally unstable or eccentric or make each other that way? I don't know after watching "Grey Gardens," though I'm sure Lange and Barrymore made some decisions about those things in order to play their roles.

The nice thing about "Grey Gardens," for me, anyway, is that Little Edie finally got what she wanted in life - fame (well, notoriety), the ability to perform, money, and a warm place to live. I'm happy about that for her. I just wish I knew more about the psychology that led up to all of it.