Fool for Love (1985)

May is waiting for her boyfriend in a run-down American motel, when an old flame turns up and threatens to undermine her efforts and drag her back into the life that she was running away from. The situation soon turns complicated.

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Sam Shepard (play), Sam Shepard (screenplay)

Stars:

Sam Shepard, Kim Basinger, Harry Dean Stanton

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sam Shepard	...	Eddie
Kim Basinger	...	May
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Old Man
Randy Quaid	...	Martin
Martha Crawford	...	May's Mother
Louise Egolf	...	Eddie's Mother
Sura Cox	...	Teenage May
Jonathan Skinner	...	Teenage Eddie
April Russell	...	Young May
Deborah McNaughton	...	The Countess
Lon Hill	...	Mr. Valdes

Storyline

May is waiting for her boyfriend in a run-down American motel, when an old flame turns up and threatens to undermine her efforts and drag her back into the life that she was running away from. The situation soon turns complicated.

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Plot Keywords:

based on play | motel | double life | porch swing | woman in slip | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1986 (France)

Also Known As:

Extraña pasión

Filming Locations:

El Dorado, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$55,637, 8 December 1985, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$836,156

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The motel building set looked so real that passers-by dropped in to book a room. Told that it was not a real motel, they then asked if they could get a meal at the adjacent restaurant, whom they were then also told was also a movie set.

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Quotes

May: Do you want me to finish the story, Eddie?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Jacob's Ladder/Waiting for the Light/Tune in Tomorrow.../Vincent & Theo (1990)

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Soundtracks

Honky Tonk Heroes
Written by Billy Joe Shaver
Performed by Waylon Jennings
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

May vs. Eddie

Adapted from Sam Shepard's play, this movie retains many play-like elements such as a relatively fixed setting (a roadside 50's motel in the Southwest) and extensive, intriguing dialogues. A woman "May" is hounded by a man "Eddie" (played by Sam Shepard). She tries to hide from him in the out-of-the-way motel, but he finds her. The film explores the history of their relationship, mainly from their childhoods, that has led them to this point. It's very easy to feel sympathy for the characters and to understand that their dysfunctional present relationship is a result of past events out of their control. We mainly watch them fight, make up, fight, make up and so on. One image that stands out in my mind, is of Eddie hauling May over his shoulder kicking and screaming, taking her somewhere she doesn't want to go.

The soundtrack is also perfect soulful country with vocals by a lesser known artist "Sandy Rogers". She has this country doll voice that almost yodels at some points in the album! This is the kind of movie that will stay lodged in some part of your brain/soul. In other words, go see it!