The Ice Storm (1997)

In suburban New Canaan, Connecticut, 1973, middle class families experimenting with casual sex and substance abuse find their lives beyond their control.

Director:

Ang Lee

Writers:

Rick Moody (based upon the novel by), James Schamus (screenplay by)

Stars:

Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 31 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Kline	...	Ben Hood
Joan Allen	...	Elena Hood
Sigourney Weaver	...	Janey Carver
Henry Czerny	...	George Clair
Tobey Maguire	...	Paul Hood
Christina Ricci	...	Wendy Hood
Elijah Wood	...	Mikey Carver
Adam Hann-Byrd	...	Sandy Carver
David Krumholtz	...	Francis Davenport
Jamey Sheridan	...	Jim Carver
Kate Burton	...	Dorothy Franklin
William Cain	...	Ted Shackley
Michael Cumpsty	...	Philip Edwards
Maia Danziger	...	Mrs. Gadd
Katie Holmes	...	Libbets Casey

Storyline

During the 1973 Thanksgiving weekend, the Hoods are - relationship-wise, skidding out-of-control, isolated from each other; Benjamin reels from drink-to-drink, His wife, Elena's losing patience with Ben's incessant lies. Home for the holidays, their son, Paul, heads into Manhattan,in search of a rich girl from his prep school.Wendy, the teenage daughter, roams the neighborhood, exploring the liquor and lingerie of her friends' parents, looking for something - anything - new. Then, an ice storm hits, and their problems seem inconsequential, and nothing will ever be the same.

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Plot Keywords:

ice storm | virgin | swinging | wife swapping | sexual awakening | 

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Taglines:

It was 1973, and the climate was changing.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality and drug use, including scenes involving children, and for language

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

La tormenta de hielo

Filming Locations:

581 Laurel Rd, New Canaan, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,183, 28 September 1997

Gross USA:

$8,038,061

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,038,061

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Good Machine, Canal+ Droits Audiovisuels

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although events in the film occur in November, filming actually began in the late spring. This is evidenced by an abundance of greenery in the exterior shots.

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Goofs

In an early scene when Wendy and Paul are talking, one of them refers to their "parental units." This phrase became popular as the result of its use in the recurring "Coneheads" sketches on Saturday Night Live. The movie is set in 1973, however, whereas Saturday Night Live did not premiere until 1975, and the Coneheads sketches did not first air until 1977.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Train Conductor: Good morning ladies and gentlemen. This train, originating from New York's Grand Central Station, is back in service. Next stop will be New Canaan, Connecticut. New Canaan, Connecticut next stop.
Paul Hood: [narration] In issue 141 of the Fantastic Four, published in November, 1973, Reed Richards had to use his anti-matter weapon on his own son, who Aannihilus has turn into the Human Atom Bomb. It was a typical predicament for the Fantastic Four, because they weren't like other superheroes. ...

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Connections

Referenced in Wonder Boys (2000)

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Soundtracks

I Got a Name
Written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox
Published by Warner Tamerlane Publishing Corp (BMI)
Performed by Jim Croce
Courtesy of Saja Music Co.

User Reviews

Tedious exercise in dysfunction

First I should say, this movie could have been about my town and my family. I grew up in Connecticut and was 11 years old when the ice storm hit. My family was probably the typical dysfunctional unit of the 70's – emotionally clueless, parents headed for divorce (though we didn't know that yet), so I should have been able to relate to this film.

The problem with the movie is there's no humor, no humanity. It's just one dysfunctional, sad, deviant event after another. It's like someone from another planet was assigned a homework exercise to depict dysfunctional families on Earth. I couldn't relate to the characters and there was no one to like.

I'll give it 4 stars for the nice cinematography, the all-star cast, the good period sets and clothes. Although Toby Maguire gives his usual staring-into-space, deer-in-headlights, stupid-half-smile, what-am-I-supposed-to-be-doing-again? performance, I thought the rest of the cast did their best with the material – i.e. it wasn't the actors' fault!