Bee Season (2005)

A wife and mother begins a downward emotional spiral, as her husband avoids their collapsing marriage by immersing himself in his 11 year-old daughter's quest to become a spelling bee champion.

Directors:

Scott McGehee, David Siegel

Writers:

Myla Goldberg (novel), Naomi Foner (screenplay) (as Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal)

Stars:

Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Flora Cross

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Gere	...	Saul
Juliette Binoche	...	Miriam
Flora Cross	...	Eliza
Max Minghella	...	Aaron
Kate Bosworth	...	Chali
Corey Fischer	...	National Spelling Bee Pronouncer
Sam Zuckerman	...	National Spelling Bee Judge
Joan Mankin	...	Ms. Bergermeyer
Piers Mackenzie	...	Dr. Morris
Lorri Holt	...	Ms. Rai
Brian Leonard	...	Mr. Julien
Jamal Thornes	...	Wiseacre Boy's Mate
Kathy McGraw	...	Regional Bee Pronouncer
John Evans	...	Regional Bee Judge
Alisha Mullally	...	Young Miriam

Storyline

Living in Oakland, California, the Naumanns are outwardly a loving, supportive family. Husband and father Saul Naumann is a Religious Studies professor, and looks to his religious training in Judaism as tenets for his family to live. He has high expectations for all members of his family. His mid-teen son, Aaron Naumann, idolizes his father, and does whatever he can to please him. His pre-teen daughter, Eliza Naumann, often feels the neglected child. So when Saul eventually learns that Eliza is participating and excelling in spelling bees, she becomes the focus of his life as he believes that letters in the form of words will lead to answers to the universe. That change in focus to Eliza makes Aaron now feel the neglected one, he who strikes out quietly in his own way with the help of Chali, a young woman he meets. But the person who has felt the most pressure within Saul's way of life is his wife, Miriam Naumann, a microbiologist. She converted from Catholicism to Judaism when she ...

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Plot Keywords:

spelling | spelling bee | 11 year old | secret | judaism | 

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Taglines:

Family isn't just about talking. It's about understanding.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, a scene of sensuality and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [Brazil] 20th Century Fox [France]

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

23 November 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

La huella del silencio

Filming Locations:

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Oakland, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$120,544, 13 November 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,180,560, 2 February 2006

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,251,789, 2 February 2006

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bee Season Productions Inc., Fox Searchlight Pictures, Bona Fide Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jonathan Murphy auditioned for the part of Aaron Naumann.

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Goofs

When Aaron goes to Church, after the priest says "This is the Lamb of God...etc" Catholics should answer: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed". People in the Church do not respond to the priest, but go directly to receive Communion, and it is very clear that the ceremony going on is Catholic

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Quotes

[first lines]
National Spelling Bee Pronouncer: Number 14. Eliza Naumann, Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California. "Oppidan".
Eliza: "Oppidan".
[sighs]
Eliza: [narrating] My father told me once that words and letters hold all the secrets of the universe. That in there shapes and sounds, I could find everything and see beyond myself, to something special. Perfect. My father told me once that I could reach the ear of God.

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Connections

Referenced in Live with Kelly and Ryan: Episode dated 14 November 2005 (2005)

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Soundtracks

I'll Be Near You
Written & Produced by Andy Chase, Adam Schlesinger, Dominique Durand and Peter Nashei
Performed by Ivy
IVY performs courtesy of Nettwerk America LLC

User Reviews

A movie untrue to its novel

It's true.. the book is always better than the movie. I thought that this movie was very disappointing to watch after having reading the book.

The movie moves too fast, though I can understand because of time limit, to actually give the viewers the concepts that the book gives. A lot of details and events are cut from the book that is important to the story as a whole. The script seems undeveloped, and the actors/actresses carried out their character with mediocre performances.

Saul (Richard Gere) is somewhat true to his character. The only thing he is obsessed with is to enable Eliza to communicate with God. He does this in a way that is the most true to novel.

Aaron's (Max Minghella) appearance is very different from that described in the book. He is described as a pale and scrawny young man, who is incapable of getting dates and is a social outcast. His search for a new religion seems unreasonable and spontaneous in the movie, and I thought it didn't really capture his true character.

Miriam's (Julliete) kleptomania is weird in both the book and the movie. Her actions in the book seems more reasonable when I knew her purposes for doing it. In the movie I thought it was a very random thing for her to do.

Eliza (Flora Cross) is a young actress, and is limited to what she can do. Her acting is very mediocre at best, and does not convince me of Eliza that is in the novel.

Chali, which I am surprised to see, have been transformed from a middle-aged man into a young blond girl. I can understand why they did that, but that just adds to the falseness of Aaron's character.

Overall I think the movie is an average depiction of Bee Season. I can't say that they did a nice job of sticking to the plot. It's almost impossible to transform a novel into a movie with everything in the book.