Angels in America 

Playwright Tony Kushner adapts his political epic about the AIDS crisis during the mid-1980s and centers the story around a group of separate but connected individuals.

Stars:

Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 57 wins & 42 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Al Pacino	...	Roy Cohn 7 episodes, 2003
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Harper Pitt 7 episodes, 2003
Jeffrey Wright	...	Mr. Lies / ... 7 episodes, 2003
Justin Kirk	...	Prior Walter / ... 7 episodes, 2003
Ben Shenkman	...	Louis Ironson 7 episodes, 2003
Meryl Streep	...	Hannah Pitt / ... 7 episodes, 2003
Patrick Wilson	...	Joe Pitt 6 episodes, 2003
Emma Thompson	...	Nurse Emily / ... 6 episodes, 2003
James Cromwell	...	Roy's Doctor 5 episodes, 2003
Brian Markinson	...	Martin Heller 5 episodes, 2003
Robin Weigert	...	Mormon Mother 4 episodes, 2003
Melissa Wilder	...	Louis's Sister 4 episodes, 2003
David Zayas	...	Super 4 episodes, 2003
Fatima Da Silva	...	Cousin Doris 4 episodes, 2003
Kevin 'Flotilla DeBarge' Joseph	...	Singer in Church 4 episodes, 2003
Sterling Brown	...	Orderly 4 episodes, 2003
Florence Kastriner	...	Louis' Mother 4 episodes, 2003
Lisa LeGuillou	...	Nurse 4 episodes, 2003
Howard Pinhasik	...	Louis' Father 4 episodes, 2003
Shawn Bartels	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Brian Dougherty	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Mary Esbjornson	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Barbara Fusco	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Serafina Martino	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Steven Edward Moore	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Christopher Schuman	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Reldalee Wagner	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003
Matthew Yohn	...	Mennonite Choir Members 4 episodes, 2003

Storyline

God has abandoned Heaven. It's 1985: the Reagans are in the White House and Death swings the scythe of AIDS. In Manhattan, Prior Walter tells Lou, his lover of four years, he's ill; Lou bolts. As disease and loneliness ravage Prior, guilt invades Lou. Joe Pitt, an attorney who is Mormon and Republican, is pushed by right-wing fixer Roy Cohn toward a job at the Justice Department. Both Pitt and Cohn are in the closet: Pitt out of shame and religious turmoil, Cohn to preserve his power and access. Pitt's wife Harper is strung out on Valium, aching to escape a sexless marriage. An angel invites Prior to be a prophet in death. Pitt's mother and Belize, a close friend, help Prior choose.

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Plot Keywords:

death | loneliness | valium | heaven | angel | 

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Taglines:

The messenger has arrived.

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Official Sites:

HBO

Country:

USA Italy

Language:

English Hebrew Aramaic Yiddish French

Release Date:

7 December 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Angels in America

Filming Locations:

Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avenue Pictures, HBO Films, Panorama Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

352 min (6 parts)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The opening credit sequence features an "angel's-eye view" of the continental United States; the camera moves though the clouds from the west coast to the east showing prominent landmarks in a number of major U.S. cities. These include: the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California; the Salt Lake (LDS) Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah; the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri; the Sears Tower (now known as the Willis Tower) in Chicago, Illinois; and finally the skyline of New York City, ending at the Angel of the Waters sculpture on top of the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park.

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Goofs

When Belize pulls Roy away from Joe in the hospital hallway, Roy's hand jumps from Joe's shirt to down at his side between shots.

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Quotes

Roy Cohn: AIDS. Homosexual. Gay. Lesbian. You think these are names that tell you who a person sleeps with, but they don't tell you that.
Henry: No?
Roy Cohn: No. Like all labels they tell you one thing, and one thing only: Where does an individual so identified fit into the food chain, the pecking order? Not ideology or sexual taste, but something much simpler: clout. Not who I fuck or who fucks me, but who will come to the phone when I call, who owes me favors. This is what a label refers to. Now to someone who does ...

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Crazy Credits

Person Generally in Charge of Everything Aaron Geller

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Elementary School Musical (2010)

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Soundtracks

Shall We Gather At The River?
(hymn written in 1864)
Music and Lyrics by Robert Lowry (1826-1899)
Performed by Meryl Streep and choir

User Reviews

shocked

I am by far the youngest to submit a comment about "Angels in America" and I must say that all the negative comments are ridiculous. I have never been so moved by a film since I watched "David and Lisa." The acting was superb and the script was beyond beautiful. I can not for the LIFE of me understand why people would be offended by the film. With all the homosexuality aside, the direction, cinematography, and writing has been the best that I have seen to EVER come out of HBO let alone a Miniseries. Why can't any of you who hated the movie so much step back and appreciate it for what it really is, a great piece of art.

"Angels in America" was inspiring, touching, and beautiful and I wish they made it longer!