Schiffsmeldungen (2001)

An emotionally beaten man with his young daughter moves to his ancestral home in Newfoundland to reclaim his life.

Director:

Lasse Hallström

Writers:

Annie Proulx (based on the novel by) (as E. Annie Proulx), Robert Nelson Jacobs (screenplay)

Stars:

Kevin Spacey, Julianne Moore, Judi Dench

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Spacey	...	Quoyle
Julianne Moore	...	Wavey Prowse
Judi Dench	...	Agnis Hamm
Cate Blanchett	...	Petal
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Tert Card
Scott Glenn	...	Jack Buggit
Rhys Ifans	...	Beaufield Nutbeem
Gordon Pinsent	...	Billy Pretty
Jason Behr	...	Dennis Buggit
Larry Pine	...	Bayonet Melville
Jeannetta Arnette	...	Silver Melville
Robert Joy	...	EMS Officer
Alyssa Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle
Kaitlyn Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle
Lauren Gainer	...	Bunny Quoyle

Storyline

An inksetter in New York, Quoyle (Kevin Spacey) returns to his family's longtime home, a small fishing town in Newfoundland, with his young daughter, Bunny (Alyssa, Kaitlyn, and Lauren Gainer), after a traumatizing experience with her mother, Petal (Cate Blanchett), who sold her to an illegal adoption agency. Though Quoyle has had little success thus far in life, his shipping news column in the newspaper "The Gammy Bird" finds an audience, and his experiences in the town change his life. Then he meets the widow Wavey Prowse (Julianne Moore).

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Plot Keywords:

newspaper | pantyhose | ship | wake | husband wife relationship | 

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Taglines:

You'll never guess what you'll find inside...

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

12

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jason Behr put on fifteen pounds for his role as Dennis Buggit.

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Goofs

At a point in the film, Quoyle's hands are bandaged from frostbites and the bandages are later removed as he recovers. However, later when he suddenly wakes up during the stormy night (towards the end of the film), the bandages are again visible on his hands although he doesn't wear them neither in previous nor in the following scene.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Quoyle: [father teaching him literally to sink or swim]
[voice-over]
Quoyle: I used to imagine that I'd been given to the wrong family at birth, and that somewhere in the world my real people longed for me. From where my father stood, my failure to dog-paddle was only the first of many failures. Failure to speak clearly, failure to sit up straight, failure to make friends every time we moved to another dreary upstate town. In me, my father recognized a failed life. His own.

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Connections

References Shining (1980)

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Soundtracks

What's Your Name
Written by Gary Rossington & Ronnie Van Zant
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Courtesy of MCA Records
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

stunning

It's rare to see a movie made with such tender loving care. Director Hallstrom gathered the best cast and crew he could find for this film. The cinematography is glorious - I can't believe Oliver Stapleton isn't up for every award in the world. Kevin Spacey turns in the best performance of his career as a brutalized man, Cate Blanchett is her usual chameleon self as his trashy girlfriend, Julianne Moore is perfection as the woman who helps him heal, and Judi Dench is funny and touching as his aunt. Hers is a role without a huge amount of lines but tons of substance. Only a master could have given the character such depth.

The Shipping News has poignancy, humor and a great deal of beauty. What it has above all else is atmosphere - Hallstrom's feel for the Newfoundland shipping village, the simple lives led there and the friendships made is truly awe-inspiring.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 March 2002 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Schiffsmeldungen

Filming Locations:

Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,205,174, 30 December 2001

Gross USA:

$11,434,216

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,690,441

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1