The Whole Wide World (1996)

In Texas in the 1930s, young schoolteacher Novalyne Price meets a handsome, eccentric, interesting young man named Robert Howard. He's a successful writer - of the pulp stories of 'Conan ... See full summary »

Director:

Dan Ireland

Writers:

Novalyne Price Ellis (memoir One Who Walked Alone), Michael Scott Myers (screenplay)

Stars:

Vincent D'Onofrio, Renée Zellweger, Ann Wedgeworth

6 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Robert E. Howard
Renée Zellweger	...	Novalyne Price
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Mrs. Howard
Harve Presnell	...	Dr. Howard
Benjamin Mouton	...	Clyde Smith
Helen Cates	...	Enid
Leslie Buesing	...	Ethel (as Leslie Berger)
Chris Shearer	...	Truett
Sandy Walper	...	Mammy
Marion Eaton	...	Woman on Bus
Dell Aldrich	...	Mrs. Hemphill (as Dell F. Aldrich)
Libby Villari	...	Etna Reed Price
Michael Corbett	...	Booth Adams
Antonia Bogdanovich	...	Teacher
Elizabeth D'Onofrio	...	Mrs. Smith

Storyline

In Texas in the 1930s, young schoolteacher Novalyne Price meets a handsome, eccentric, interesting young man named Robert Howard. He's a successful writer - of the pulp stories of 'Conan the Barbarian'; she's an aspiring one. A friendship develops into a sort of courtship. Based on a memoir by Novalyne Price.

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Plot Keywords:

corn stalk | courtship | friendship | writer | 1930s | 

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Taglines:

A true story about the true love of the greatest pulp fiction writer of all time.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for a substantial amount of mild language and mature thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 December 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alle Liebe dieser Welt

Filming Locations:

Paramount Theatre - 713 Congress, Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,300,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,318, 22 December 1996, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$136,933, 5 January 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineville,The Kushner-Locke Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Bastrop, Texas, home that stood in for the home of Robert Howard, was the World War II residence of Judge C. B, Maynard, a Major in the J.A.G. office at U.S. Army training center Camp Swift. On 6 October 1942, a G.I. trainee who had been institutionalized before induction kidnapped and choked to death the judge's eight-year-old daughter. Apprehended immediately in a stolen car. he was found guilty at court martial and sentenced to hang. He was executed 19 March 1943. The Maynard family left Bastrop later.

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Goofs

The door of the car that won't start shuts itself.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Novalyne Price: I met Bob Howard today. My old sweetheart, Clyde, brought him over.

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Crazy Credits

During her interview on "Inside the Actor's Studio", Renee Zellweger revealed that the end credit for Woofgang Zellweger was an inside reference to her dog, "Woof."

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Connections

Referenced in The Velocity of Gary (1998)

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Soundtracks

Rue Parisienne
Composed by Gerhard Trede (as Victor Cavini)
Courtesy of Associate Production Music

User Reviews

This is Perfection

Before I saw this movie a few years ago, I had never heard of "Robert E Howard". Since then, I've educated myself on who Robert E Howard was...and who Novalynn was. He was extraordinary and she drank him up. It's incredible that someone took her book and made a movie out of the story. Even more incredible is how perfectly it was all orchestrated. The characters were fantastic (Especially Vincent DiOnofrio). The script was great, the filmwork was beautiful, the timing was right on. I will never grow tired of this movie. And I'll continue to turn it onto whoever comes over to my house and hasn't seen it yet. The Whole Wide World is a masterpiece!