Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993)

Two lonely, retired septuagenarians, an unkempt, hard-drinking Irish sea captain, and a fussy, well-mannered Cuban barber form an uneasy friendship.

Director:

Randa Haines

Writer:

Steve Conrad

Stars:

Robert Duvall, Richard Harris, Shirley MacLaine

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Duvall	...	Walter
Richard Harris	...	Frank
Shirley MacLaine	...	Helen Cooney
Sandra Bullock	...	Elaine
Micole Mercurio	...	Bernice
Marty Belafsky	...	Ned Ryan
Harold Bergman	...	Sleeper
Piper Laurie	...	Georgia
Ed Amatrudo	...	Henry's Dad
Jag Davies	...	Henry
Rudolph X. Herrera	...	Umpire
Persephone Felder	...	Woman in Stands
Stephen G. Anthony	...	Leo Peetes
Greg Paul Meyers	...	Sid Showenstein
Aquilla Owens	...	First Girl in Park

Storyline

Frank, a retired Irish seaman, and Walter, a retired Cuban barber, are two lonely old men trapped in the emptiness of their own lives. When they meet in a park Frank is able to start a conversation after several attempts. They begin to spend time together and become friends. But because of their different characters they often quarrel with each other and finally seperate after Frank misbehaves to Walter's friend Elaine.

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Plot Keywords:

title directed by female | f rated | barber | septuagenarian | park | 

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Taglines:

...and other lies your friends let you get away with.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brydekamp med Hemingway

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Beach, Oxnard, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,871, 19 December 1993

Gross USA:

$278,720

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$278,720

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Loyda Ramos auditioned for the role of Elaine, the character played by Sandra Bullock in the film. Bullock and Ramos appeared in Speed (1994).

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Goofs

At one of the Little League games, one of the players gets picked off of first base is picked off after taking too big a lead. Leads are prohibited in Little League.

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Quotes

Frank: You gotta have a partner to dance.

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Connections

Referenced in Extended Outlook: The Script (2006)

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Soundtracks

Chess Anyone?
from "The Thomas Crown Affair"
Written by Michel Legrand

User Reviews

9/10

In life, one of the simple pleasures for me is getting a haircut, closing your eyes and feeling someone's massaging fingers on your scalp, snipping your wet hair, in the caring hands of an old pro. I came to this fifteen minutes in -- I hope I didn't miss anything crucial -- but in a way, the movies we watch having missed a portion are always more interesting. This is a just a small, easy slice-of-life drama -- a perfect example of a "good little movie," the kind to watch on a Sunday afternoon with someone you love. An actor who never stops taking chances and a master of understatement, Robert Duvall slides into his role of a humble, honorable, respecting Cuban so perfectly here and he's complemented by excellent work from Richard Harris, as the well-meaning but coarse drunken loudmouth ex-sailor in the park he befriends out of a need to simply not be alone anymore. Because of their mastery, we grow so attached to these fully-formed characters that it honestly hurts to leave.

The film is exceptionally well-paced, and written with fresh dialogue and immensely touching observances. There's a scene where Duvall learns his favorite waitress is moving away (Sandra Bullock, with appropriate charm), and the expression on his face and hesitance in his speech rips your heart clean out. Then there's the buried disappoint on his face when he sees her reaction to the farewell gift of vodka suggested by Harris. Where Duvall has his junior league baseball games and poignant dancing in his apartment (alone), Harris gets positively hostile towards a woman (Piper Laurie) in a movie theater (where he works, thanks to a spiffy haircut by Duvall) and Shirley MacLaine, also in his housing complex. The plot is thin but in the meandering vignettes there are superb moments, like Harris accosting Duvall in the street about his fantasy of dancing (whether it comes true, you'll have to watch), or later, Duvall insisting that Harris be a well-dressed gentleman at all times. The sentimental score and old time Cuban music enhance the movie; it's quiet and wonderful -- the years may fly by, but the summer days are nice and slow. 9/10