How to Make an American Quilt (1995)

Bride-to-be Finn Dodd hears tales of romance and sorrow from her elders as they construct a quilt.

Director:

Jocelyn Moorhouse

Writers:

Whitney Otto (novel), Jane Anderson (screenplay)

Stars:

Winona Ryder, Ellen Burstyn, Anne Bancroft

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kaelynn Craddick	...	Young Finn
Sara Craddick	...	Young Finn
Kate Capshaw	...	Sally
Adam Baldwin	...	Finn's Father
Winona Ryder	...	Finn
Dermot Mulroney	...	Sam
Ellen Burstyn	...	Hy
Anne Bancroft	...	Glady Joe
Maya Angelou	...	Anna
Alfre Woodard	...	Marianna
Lois Smith	...	Sophia
Jean Simmons	...	Em
Kate Nelligan	...	Constance
Denis Arndt	...	James
Rip Torn	...	Arthur

Storyline

Finn is a young graduate student, finishing a master's thesis, and preparing for marriage to her fiance Sam. But thoughts of the end of the free life, and a potential summer fling, intrude. She goes home to her grandmother, where, over the making of her wedding gift by a group of quilting-bee friends, laughter, bickering, love, and advice lead her toward a more open-eyed examination of her course.

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Plot Keywords:

title directed by woman | younger version of character | love | marriage | wedding | 

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Taglines:

There's beauty in the patterns of life.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for a scene of drug use, some sensuality and nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Recuerdos de amores pasados

Filming Locations:

11840 W. Telegraph Rd., Santa Paula, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$23,574,130

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$41,174,130

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Tamala Jones.

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Goofs

When Finn meets Leon at the pool for the first time, she sometimes is shown to be wearing a towel around her waist, and other times there's no towel...(during the same conversation)

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Quotes

Finn: Young lovers seek perfection. Old lovers learn the art of sewing shreds together and of seeing beauty in a multiplicity of patches.

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Connections

Referenced in Biography: Winona Ryder (2008)

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Soundtracks

Riffin' at the Ritz
Written by William Miller
Performed by Benny Goodman

User Reviews

A magical journey - nothing more, nothing less

The thing with American Quilt, which you will especially notice if you have already read the book, is that it has a lot of contents to deal with in the ranges of a feature film. But Jocelyn Moorehouse obviously wanted to pack all the magic of the small stories of the women into this film, she wanted an entire quilt, full of bits and parts. It is only when understanding this that one can fully appreciate this wonderful piece. Fynn, escaping her partner and the life (marriage) probably unfolding before her, stays with her grandmother and -aunt for the summer. The serious young eccentric, a worried, messed-up hippie girl, confronts her future, her past and her present (dealing with gorgeous Johnathon Schaech chasing her with smiles and strawberries), when she dives into the life- and love stories told to her by the women in her grandmother´s quilting circle. The rest is magic. See the torture of love, the journeys of women and the revelations of grief and new beginnings, see what they hold dear, what will always stay with them, and learn what Fynn eventually comes to terms with: That life is not about perfection, it´s about balance, about putting the small things together, just like a quilt. So, okay, mechanically, Moorhouse really doesn´t have enough time for subtlety, and some characters and developments literally just fly by without any diving in. This will lead people to saying it´s superficial, but it´s not: It´s a journey, like looking out of a car window in another country: Just peeks. Bits. Parts. Parts of a quilt the movie leaves you to put together. If you do, like I did, it´s so moving and inspiring. Warm. The music of THE one-and-only Thomas Newman, the beautiful Winona Ryder, the charismatic ladies, the land, full of secrets and peace. This is what makes it special. Fast, but special. And the final highpoint, a literal "storm" that blows everything apart yet puts everything together, is a cinematic masterpiece, proof of heartfelt, imaginative work of both the writer and the director. They´re actually dreaming an ending together - just take this lovely movie in and stop bickering about reality. If you ask me.