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The Straight Story

  • 19991999
  • GG
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
90K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,790
829
Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
An old man makes a long journey by lawnmower to mend his relationship with an ill brother.
Play trailer1:58
1 Video
99+ Photos
BiographyDrama
An old man makes a long journey by lawnmower to mend his relationship with an ill brother.An old man makes a long journey by lawnmower to mend his relationship with an ill brother.An old man makes a long journey by lawnmower to mend his relationship with an ill brother.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
90K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
5,790
829
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • David Lynch
    • Writers
      • John Roach
      • Mary Sweeney
    • Stars
      • Richard Farnsworth
      • Sissy Spacek
      • Jane Galloway Heitz
    Top credits
    • Director
      • David Lynch
    • Writers
      • John Roach
      • Mary Sweeney
    • Stars
      • Richard Farnsworth
      • Sissy Spacek
      • Jane Galloway Heitz
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 479User reviews
    • 160Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 18 wins & 40 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:58
    Trailer

    Photos163

    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Sissy Spacek and Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth, Joseph A. Carpenter, Ed Grennan, Jack Walsh, and Donald Wiegert in The Straight Story (1999)
    Sissy Spacek and Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Sissy Spacek and Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth and Wiley Harker in The Straight Story (1999)
    Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story (1999)
    David Lynch and Mary Sweeney in The Straight Story (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Farnsworth
    Richard Farnsworth
    • Alvin
    Sissy Spacek
    Sissy Spacek
    • Rose
    Jane Galloway Heitz
    • Dorothy
    Joseph A. Carpenter
    • Bud
    Donald Wiegert
    • Sig
    Tracey Maloney
    • Nurse
    Dan Flannery
    Dan Flannery
    • Doctor Gibbons
    Jennifer Edwards-Hughes
    • Brenda
    Ed Grennan
    • Pete
    Jack Walsh
    • Apple
    Max the Wonder Dog
    • Farm Dog
    Gil Pearson
    • Bus Driver
    Barbara June Patterson
    • Woman on Bus
    Everett McGill
    Everett McGill
    • Tom the John Deere Dealer
    Anastasia Webb
    • Crystal
    Matt Guidry
    • Steve
    Bill McCallum
    Bill McCallum
    • Rat
    Barbara E. Robertson
    Barbara E. Robertson
    • Deer Woman
    • (as Barbara Robertson)
    • Director
      • David Lynch
    • Writers
      • John Roach
      • Mary Sweeney
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Richard Farnsworth was terminally ill with bone cancer during the shooting of the film, which had caused the paralysis of his legs as shown in the film. He actually took the role out of admiration for Alvin Straight, and astonished his co-workers with his tenacity during production. Because of the pain of his disease, Farnsworth committed suicide the following year, at the age of 80.
    • Goofs
      Alvin is shown crossing the Mississippi River at Lansing heading westward (into Iowa), instead of eastward into Wisconsin.
    • Quotes

      Alvin: I'd give each one of 'em a stick and, one for each one of 'em, then I'd say, 'You break that.' Course they could real easy. Then I'd say, 'Tie them sticks in a bundle and try to break that.' Course they couldn't. Then I'd say, "That bundle... that's family."

    • Crazy credits
      Walt Disney Pictures Presents: A film by David Lynch
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Instinct/The Loss of Sexual Innocence/Limbo (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      The Most Requested Song
      (From Strange Tales of the Late West)

      Written by Middlejohn & John Neff

      By Arrangement with Maui Zone Records & Tapes

    User reviews479

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Great story
    This is not a movie for fans of the usual eerie Lynch stuff. Rather, it's for those who either appreciate a good story, or have grown tired of the run-of-the-mill stuff with overt sentimentalism and Oprah-ish "This is such a wonderful movie! You must see it!"-semantics (tho' she IS right, for once!).

    The story unfolds flawlessly, and we are taken along a journey that, I believe, most of us will come to recognize at some time. A compassionate, existentialist journey where we make amends för our past when approaching ourt inevitable demise.

    Acting is without faults, cinematography likewise (occasionally quite brilliant!), and the dialogue leaves out just enough for the viewer to grasp the details od the story.

    A warm movie. Not excessively sentimental.
    helpful•110
    15
    • ThiMoN
    • Jun 10, 2003

    FAQ1

    • Is this based on a true story?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 3, 1999 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • France
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Проста історія
    • Filming locations
      • Grotto of the Redemption - 300 N. Broadway, West Bend, Iowa, USA
    • Production companies
      • Asymmetrical Productions
      • Canal+
      • Channel Four Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,203,044
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $92,312
      • Oct 17, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,416,569
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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