Cradle Will Rock (1999)

A true story of politics and art in the 1930s U.S., focusing on a leftist musical drama and attempts to stop its production.

Director:

Tim Robbins

Writer:

Tim Robbins

Stars:

Hank Azaria, Rubén Blades, Joan Cusack

5 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hank Azaria	...	Marc Blitzstein
Rubén Blades	...	Diego Rivera
Joan Cusack	...	Hazel Huffman
John Cusack	...	Nelson Rockefeller
Cary Elwes	...	John Houseman
Philip Baker Hall	...	Gray Mathers
Cherry Jones	...	Hallie Flanagan
Angus Macfadyen	...	Orson Welles
Bill Murray	...	Tommy Crickshaw
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Countess Constance La Grange
Susan Sarandon	...	Margherita Sarfatti
Jamey Sheridan	...	John Adair
John Turturro	...	Aldo Silvano
Emily Watson	...	Olive Stanton
Bob Balaban	...	Harry Hopkins

Storyline

In 1930s New York Orson Welles tries to stage a musical on a steel strike under the Federal Theater Program despite pressure from an establishment fearful of industrial unrest and red activity. Meanwhile Nelson Rockefeller gets the foyer of his company headquarters decorated and an Italian countess sells paintings for Mussolini.

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Plot Keywords:

1930s | theatre | depression | union | play | 

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Taglines:

On 12.10.99, make history.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

21 January 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Abajo el telón

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$32,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,998, 12 December 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,899,970, 23 April 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cradle Productions Inc., Havoc, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The three-toned art-deco console radio seen in an office sequence is a Midwest Radio Model B-16 from 1936.

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Goofs

In the opening exterior NYC street sequence following Olive, just as John Turturro's credit is supered, a window mounted air conditioner is visible in the alleyway behind. While home air conditioning was introduced in 1928, it was extremely rare until after World War II, and it's not clear the design shown was available at the time.

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Quotes

Tommy Crickshaw: If you guys are going to kill my joke at least kill it right.

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Crazy Credits

This film was edited on old fashioned machines.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Instinct/The Loss of Sexual Innocence/Limbo (1999)

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Soundtracks

Don Giovanni
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

User Reviews

Deserves more praise than it gets

This may suffer from having a few too many plot lines and characters (Emily Watson, for example, is a role too far), but most of what's there is excellent. Bill Murray is as good as he has been recently in Rushmore and Lost in Translation, and the Cusacks are at their best. This is a film that lingers with you after you've seen it, and gives a fascinating insight into a turbulent time.