The Majestic (2001)

Set in 1951, a blacklisted Hollywood writer gets into a car accident, loses his memory and settles down in a small town where he is mistaken for a long-lost son.

Director:

Frank Darabont

Writer:

Michael Sloane

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Martin Landau, Bob Balaban

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	Peter Appleton
Bob Balaban	...	Elvin Clyde
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Ernie Cole
Hal Holbrook	...	Congressman Doyle
Laurie Holden	...	Adele Stanton
Martin Landau	...	Harry Trimble
Brent Briscoe	...	Sheriff Cecil Coleman
Ron Rifkin	...	Kevin Bannerman
Gerry Black	...	Emmett Smith
David Ogden Stiers	...	Doc Stanton
James Whitmore	...	Stan Keller
Susan Willis	...	Irene Terwilliger
Catherine Dent	...	Mabel
Brian Howe	...	Carl Leffert / Head of the Studio
Karl Bury	...	Bob Leffert

Storyline

Peter Appleton is an ambitious young screenwriter working for HHS Studios during Hollywood's Golden Age, 1951 in particular. "Ashes to Ashes" is about to be released, and he's dating the attractive movie star, Sandra Sinclair. Just when everything seems to be going his way, it is discovered he (unwittingly) attended a Communist meeting during college when pulled there by his girlfriend at the time, and thus heavy suspicion settles over him and he'll have to stand before Congress. Afraid of what might happen if they don't, HHS cancels Appleton's contract and aborts the release date of the film. Appleton promptly begins to wallow in self-pity and spends nearly an entire night at a bar, then drives intoxicated through the streets of the California course until plummeting into a stormy river and getting knocked unconscious. Washing up on the beaches of a small town called Lawson. Although the people there are pleasant and likable, the town is depressed and lifeless due to having lost 62 ...

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Plot Keywords:

watching tv | mccarthyism | hollywood blacklist | hollywood | film industry | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes your life comes into focus one frame at a time.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and mild thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [UK] Warner Bros [Germany]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Bijou

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$72,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,366,207, 23 December 2001, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,807,266, 14 March 2002

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,317,558, 31 December 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

152 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In one scene a band plays "Stranger on the Shore", a song that wasn't published until the 1960s.

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Goofs

When Harry and Peter are in the auditorium of Majestic together for the first time and Harry is explaining the Majestic to Peter, Harry's shirt collar changes from being inside of his sweater to outside of it between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Studio Executive: What about the kid?
Studio Executive: What kid?
Studio Executive: You know, the kid who rings the bell.
Studio Executive: What kid? What bell? What are you talking about?
Studio Executive: The kid. After the mine caves in. The kid. He runs up the hill. He rings the bell to alert the town.
Studio Executive: Is that in the script? What page are we on?
Studio Executive: What if we gave the kid - a disease.
Studio Executive: A disease?
Studio Executive: A *disease*. Braces on the legs, that sort of thing.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The Hollywood executives heard in the first scene are briefly heard over the Castle Rock logo. Postcards of Lawson fall down around the opening credits.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

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Soundtracks

The Visor
from The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Written and Conducted by Bernard Herrmann
Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation / 20th Century Fox Film Scores

User Reviews

6.6/10? What absolute bull. Don't believe the low rating.

I heard bad things about this movie. I heard it wasn't well written and that Jim Carrey was a bad actor in it etc. DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT! It's not true. This movie is absolutely amazing. Jim Carrey did an excellent job at acting serious. He was 100% serious in this movie. He didn't try any facial expressions or noises he was 100% serious. He did an unforgettable role. He's even more serious than The Truman Show. The story is well put together and well written. Carrey losing his memory after a car crash in the river. The town people think he's someone that went to war and who has come back. Carrey must try to remember who he is. The people they know who he is are looking for him and will cause a lot of trouble if he doesn't find out quick. Fantastic, sweet and dramatic story. I recommend it to anyone. It is to be enjoyed by anyone. 10/10