The Bridges of Madison County (1995)

Photographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson, for four days in the 1960s.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Richard LaGravenese (screenplay), Robert James Waller (novel)

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Robert Kincaid
Meryl Streep	...	Francesca Johnson
Annie Corley	...	Carolyn Johnson
Victor Slezak	...	Michael Johnson
Jim Haynie	...	Richard Johnson
Sarah Zahn	...	Young Carolyn (as Sarah Kathryn Schmitt)
Christopher Kroon	...	Young Michael
Phyllis Lyons	...	Betty
Debra Monk	...	Madge
Richard Lage	...	Lawyer Peterson
Michelle Benes	...	Lucy Redfield
Alison Wiegert	...	Child #1
Brandon Bobst	...	Child #2
Pearl Faessler	...	Wife
R.E. 'Stick' Faessler	...	Husband

Storyline

The path of Francesca Johnson's future seems destined when an unexpected fork in the road causes her to question everything she had come to expect from life. While her husband and children are away at the Illinois state fair in the summer of 1965, Robert Kincaid happens turn into the Johnson farm and asks Francesca for directions to Roseman Bridge. Francesca later learns that he was in Iowa on assignment from National Geographic magazine. She is reluctant seeing that he's a complete stranger and then she agrees to show him to the bridges and gradually she talks about her life from being a war-bride from Italy which sets the pace for this bittersweet and all-too-brief romance of her life. Through the pain of separation from her secret love and the stark isolation she feels as the details of her life consume her, she writes her thoughts of the four-day love affair which took up three journals. The journals are found by her children after the lawyer was going over Francesca's will and ...

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Plot Keywords:

bridge | love | farm | photographer | housewife | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for some sexuality and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 June 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Bridges of Madison County

Filming Locations:

W Green St & John Wayne Dr, Winterset, Iowa, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,519,257, 4 June 1995

Gross USA:

$71,516,617

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$182,016,617

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Amblin Entertainment, Malpaso Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

135 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the fight scene, Robert cries a little bit and turns his back to the camera, so we don't see him. When shooting the scene, Meryl Streep asked Clint Eastwood why he was filming it like that, if by doing so he was missing the opportunity to shine as an actor. Eastwood replied that the scene worked better without seeing Robert cry directly. Streep was then amazed and have praised the director's talent for thinking more about the moment than his chance to shine as an actor.

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Goofs

The handwriting on the note that Francesca writes on the dressing table is different to the handwriting on the note that she attaches to the bridge.

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Quotes

Francesca: I had thoughts about him I hardly knew what to do with, and he read every one. Whatever I wanted, he gave himself up to, and in that moment everything I knew to be true about myself was gone. I was acting like another woman, yet I was more myself than ever before.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Top Ten: Kennedy Era Movies (2011)

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Soundtracks

Blue Gardenia
Written by Bob Russell and Lester Lee
Performed by Dinah Washington
Courtesy of Mercury Records
By Arrangement with PolyGram Special Markets

User Reviews

A mature, believable, and truly moving love story

I admire the likes of Woody Allen, Chaplin and Clint Eastwood (just to name a few), who possess(ed) the chops to write, direct AND act. They're complete artists, and I wish I could be like that (I'll be already too happy if I can ever achieve my life passion of writing and directing, though, since my acting would be less convincing than Owen Wilson playing Hamlet).

Even though Eastwood didn't write this (Richard LaGravenese did it beautifully, based on a novel by Robert James Waller), he does a good job in front of the camera while also directing this human encounter between a photographer (played by himself) and an Italian housewife (Meryl Streep, magnificent) in 1960s Iowa. Their four days together would change their lives forever.

The premise doesn't sound too original, but Eastwood wonderfully captures all the raw emotions between these people, who seem throughly genuine, alive, and passionate. Lennie Niehaus' beautiful music score helps enhance the romantic atmosphere, and the slow pace is never a bore since it's necessary to make you live those brief but special moments with them. From westerns to female boxers to jazz musicians to war dramas, Clint Eastwood knows how to tell a good story, and "The Bridges of Madison County" ranks among his best. 10/10.