If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000)

Trio of stories about lesbian couples in three different decades.

Directors:

Jane Anderson, Martha Coolidge

Writers:

Jane Anderson, Sylvia Sichel (teleplay)

Stars:

Vanessa Redgrave, Marian Seldes, Paul Giamatti

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 9 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Edith Tree (segment "1961")
Marian Seldes	...	Abby Hedley (segment "1961")
Paul Giamatti	...	Ted Hedley (segment "1961")
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Alice Hedley (segment "1961")
Jenny O'Hara	...	Marge Carpenter (segment "1961")
Marley McClean	...	Maggie Hedley (segment "1961")
Donald Elson	...	Sam (segment "1961")
Susan Mosher	...	Nurse June (segment "1961")
Lisa Welti	...	Nurse Trish (segment "1961")
Jill Brennan	...	Nurse Betty (segment "1961")
C.J. Bates	...	Nurse Murphy (segment "1961") (as C J Bates)
Michelle Williams	...	Linda (segment "1972")
Chloë Sevigny	...	Amy (segment "1972")
Nia Long	...	Karen (segment "1972")
Natasha Lyonne	...	Jeanne (segment "1972")

Storyline

Semi-follow up of the first "If These Walls Could Talk" with three segments set in the same house, but with different occupants which spans nearly 40 years. While the first film delt with women and the topic of abortion, this deals with women and the topic of lesbianism.

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Plot Keywords:

lesbian | lesbian bar | college | feminism | lesbian couple | 

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Taglines:

Women love women

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 March 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

If These Walls Could Talk 2

Filming Locations:

1972 Canyon Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Team Todd

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in 1961, 1972 and 2000.

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Quotes

Kal: I've got sperm!

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Connections

Features The Children's Hour (1961)

User Reviews

Starts strong, gets weaker as it goes

Three tales of lesbian couples having different struggles across three different time periods. In the sixties a lifelong lesbian couple who have never come out find the difficulties that occur due to them having no legal connection to one another. In the seventies a university student who is a feminist faces her friends' disapproval when she falls for a stereotypical `butch john' lesbian. In the nineties an openly gay couple decide to try for child and start looking for sperm.

I first heard of this film because I always have time for anything that Nia Long does. This caught my eye on her CV and when it came on TV I watched it. I wasn't sure what to expect but most of it works quite well. As the stories are pretty distinct (the only connection being the house) so I'll deal with them so. The first is easily the best and is the most emotionally involving. It is a little too happy and unreal at the start but the tragic situation that Edith finds herself in because of her love is very moving. The second story is a little less real to me as it deals with a problem within the lesbian community (of which I have no experience to speak of). It is less moving and also a little more explicit and may satisfy those who are only interested in lesbians in terms of male arousal! I don't think it is very sexual or overly done but I didn't think there was too much need for it - regardless of the participants sexuality I didn't think it really added to the subject. However the story again is pretty good and is interesting as it is not an issue I was aware of.

The final story is the most optimistic but also the weakest. The `issue' is a lot less serious and the film treats it as such with the whole segment being very light-hearted and bright. It doesn't really add anything to the film and doesn't fit with the first two segments. The cast are pretty much all good. In the first part Redgrave is excellent and her plight is made very real by the strength of her performance. In the second film Sevingy steals the show easily with a good performance. In the third DeGeneres happily underplays and isn't `zany' or `wacky', she is funny but not in an annoying way. Stone is weak because her character simply doesn't fit with her body - far too youthful and carefree to suit Stone. The support add to the feel that this is full of `stars' with Perkins, Giamatti, Long, King and others all doing OK in support.

Overall this film starts strong but gets progressively weaker as it goes, with the final section being quite frivolous compared to the emotion of the opening. It is an interesting film but it doesn't quite work as well as it should have done.