Beloved (1998)

Based on the book by Toni Morrison, in which a slave is visited by the spirit of a mysterious young woman

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writers:

Toni Morrison (novel), Akosua Busia (screenplay)

Stars:

Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, Yada Beener

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Yada Beener	...	Denver aged 9
Emil Pinnock	...	Howard aged 14
Calen Johnson	...	Buglar aged 13
Oprah Winfrey	...	Sethe
Beah Richards	...	Baby Suggs
Danny Glover	...	Paul D
Kimberly Elise	...	Denver
Jude Ciccolella	...	Schoolteacher
Kessia Embry	...	Amy Denver (as Kessia Kordelle)
Dashiell Eaves	...	Schoolteacher's Nephew
LisaGay Hamilton	...	Younger Sethe (as Lisa Gay Hamilton)
Tyler Hinson	...	Baby Beloved
Brian Hooks	...	Young Paul D
Hill Harper	...	Halle
Thandie Newton	...	Beloved

Storyline

After Paul D. finds his old slave friend Sethe in Ohio and moves in with her and her daughter Denver, a strange girl comes along by the name of "Beloved". Sethe and Denver take her in and then strange things start to happen...

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Plot Keywords:

spirit | farm | freedom | slavery | ohio | 

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Taglines:

The past has a life of its own.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violent images, sexuality and nudity

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Agapimeni

Filming Locations:

Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve, Mason County, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,165,551, 18 October 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$22,852,487

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harpo Films, Clinica Estetico, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

172 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some exteriors set in 19th century Cincinnati were actually filmed on 3rd St in the Old City section of Philadelphia.

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Goofs

A mixing bowl that Sithe was using in the begining breaks when the ghost attacks for the last time. It's whole again in the scene where she is picking the ice towards the end.

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Quotes

Paul D: [after becoming more and more suspicious of Beloved] Sethe. Sethe, baby, we were starting to feel a little like a family ourself, till she come along.
Sethe: Is that what got your teeth on edge?
Paul D: It's a feeling in me. I can't place it. It's her.
Sethe: You wanna feel something? Feel what it feel like to be a colored woman, roaming the roads, and anything God made liable to jump on you. Feel that!
Paul D: I know every bit of that, Sethe. I wasn't born yesterday, and I never mistreated a woman in my life.
Sethe: Well, that ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Smart Guy: It Takes Two (1999)

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Soundtracks

Amar El Madhbouh: Hassen El Ayari
Performed by Hayarti Noumi Ozirgadi
Courtesy of Yazoo Records

User Reviews

Beautiful, haunting, and denied the praise it deserves

Beloved is one of the best movies of the last decade. I have read many, many reviews which seem to have been written by those who have little to no idea of just how complex and difficult Toni Morrison's original novel can be. Of course Beloved (the movie) will be long, and of course it will be emotionally draining and even confusing - the book was! That said, I loved the novel and the film version of it, which follows the original material almost verbatim. (To try and change the story would be to tamper needlessly with a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning book). I am no Oprah nut but she obviously had a deep respect and understanding for the story, which is evident in her surprisingly understated acting. Thandie Newton was simply amazing; I am glad I watched the film if for nothing else than the chance to see her performance (which, to be honest, has helped a key facet of the book make sense for me). The production design is flawless, and, as always, Jonathan Demme proves he's more than above average as a director. If you like pulp trash and want your movies dumb, loud, and shallow, avoid the movie version of Beloved. But if you're looking for a magnificently acted and gorgeously produced film, see this movie the first chance you get. I'm very glad I did.