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IMDbPro

The Whales of August

  • 19871987
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
The Whales of August (1987)
Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.
Play trailer2:18
1 Video
76 Photos
Drama
Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.Two aged sisters reflect on life and the past during a late summer day in Maine.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
4.9K
YOUR RATING
    • Lindsay Anderson
    • David Berry(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bette Davis
    • Lillian Gish
    • Vincent Price
    • Lindsay Anderson
    • David Berry(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Bette Davis
    • Lillian Gish
    • Vincent Price
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 63User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:18
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos76

    Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Vincent Price, and Ann Sothern in The Whales of August (1987)
    Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Vincent Price, and Ann Sothern in The Whales of August (1987)
    The Whales of August (1987)
    Bette Davis and Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Bette Davis and Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish in The Whales of August (1987)
    Lillian Gish and Vincent Price in The Whales of August (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bette Davis
    Bette Davis
    • Libby Strong
    Lillian Gish
    Lillian Gish
    • Sarah Webber
    Vincent Price
    Vincent Price
    • Mr. Maranov
    Ann Sothern
    Ann Sothern
    • Tisha Doughty
    Harry Carey Jr.
    Harry Carey Jr.
    • Joshua Brackett
    Frank Grimes
    Frank Grimes
    • Mr. Beckwith
    Margaret Ladd
    Margaret Ladd
    • Young Libby
    Tisha Sterling
    Tisha Sterling
    • Young Tisha
    Mary Steenburgen
    Mary Steenburgen
    • Young Sarah
    Frank Pitkin
    • Old Randall
    Mike Bush
    • Young Randall
      • Lindsay Anderson
      • David Berry(screenplay) (play)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Screen legend Lillian Gish was 93 when she co-starred in this film, making her the oldest actress ever to feature in a leading role.
    • Goofs
      When the radio (or wireless) is switched on in order for Libby to listen to her favourite programme, the sound of the broadcast is heard immediately as though it were a modern transistor or digital radio. But the film is set in the mid-1950s during the era of valve wireless receivers (see also the prop used in the scene), meaning that the ladies would have to wait for several seconds while the set warms up before the programme could be heard.
    • Quotes

      Libby Strong: Photographs fade. Memories live forever.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The Sicilian/Prince of Darkness/No Man's Land/The Glass Menagerie/The Whales of August (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Roses of Picardy
      (uncredited)

      Music by Haydn Wood

      Lyrics by Frederick Edward Weatherly

    User reviews63

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Timeless grace and beauty
    Lindsay Anderson's The Whales of August stars silent film legend Lillian Gish, in her 95th year, and Bette Davis, 79, as widowed sisters, one warm and supportive, the other cold and cantankerous, who have been coming to a small cottage on the Maine seacoast for sixty years. Every August, they watch the journey of the whales passing in the nearby waters together but the sense is that this may be their last summer together. Knowing that their time is limited, the siblings attempt to resolve long-standing differences but face many obstacles. The Whales of August takes place during the course of a single day and the camera stays mostly inside the house except to follow the sisters on occasional walks to the ocean. It all sounds static but there is a great deal of emotion churning beneath the surface.

    Libby (Davis) is nearly blind and very difficult to live with, always talking about how her life is over. Her sister Sarah (Gish) on the other hand is the polar opposite. She is sweet in her sisterly devotion to taking care of Libby and avoiding getting drawn into her moods (she always calls her dear). She brushes her hair, fixes breakfast for her, gets her clothes together and tends to the garden. "Busy, busy, busy" is how Libby talks about her and irritatingly calls her Say-rah throughout the film. Ms. Davis looks gaunt but her face shows a strength that is as craggy as the seacoast rocks. The film also features Vincent Price as Mr. Maranov, a down on his luck but charming Russian refugee whom Libby suspects is trying to worm his way in with them, and Haray Caray, Jr. as Joshua Brackett, a handyman who is forever making a racket in the house.

    Also featured is Ann Sothern as Trish, a friend and neighbor who is close to convincing Sarah to leave Libby's care to her daughter until she remembers how Libby supported her when her own husband died. Sarah draws every ounce of emotion from a lovely scene in which she celebrates her 46th wedding anniversary by having an imaginary conversation with Philip, her long deceased husband. "Forty-six years, Phillip", she tells him. "Forty-six red roses; forty-six white. White for truth--red for passion. That's what you always said - passion and truth; that's all we need. I wish you were here, Phillip." Another moving sequence is when Libby brushes her face with a lock of her husband's hair while sitting alone in her bedroom.

    I had heard that The Whales of August was little more than a vehicle for two aging stars to sing their swan song; however, I found the screenplay by David Berry to gracefully complement the performances with an emotional honesty that captures the truth of the characters. Not a great deal happens in The Whales of August but that is often true of life. It is a gentle and civilized character study that lets us know it is never too late to bury long-standing grievances and open a picture window to possibility. It may be elegant and old fashioned in its style but it has a grace and beauty that is timeless.
    helpful•67
    2
    • howard.schumann
    • May 10, 2004

    FAQ5

    • What is 'The Whales of August' about?
    • Is 'The Whales of August' based on a book?
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 19, 1987 (France)
      • United States
      • MGM
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Portland, Maine, USA
    • Production companies
      • Nelson Entertainment
      • Alive Films
      • Circle Associates
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 30 minutes
      • Stereo

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