IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
26K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
- Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
- Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
- Stars
- Awards
- 11 wins & 17 nominations
Videos1
Tristan Mack Wilds
- Zach Tayloras Zach Taylor
- (as Tristan Wilds)
Renee Ford Clark
- Dollas Doll
- (as Renée Clark)
Sharon Conley
- Violetas Violet
- (as Sharon Morris)
- Director
- Writers
- Gina Prince-Bythewood(screenplay)
- Sue Monk Kidd(novel)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens, a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father T-Ray, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping. —Fox Searchlight Pictures
- Taglines
- Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters
- Genre
- Certificate
- K-11
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaAlicia Keys learned to play the cello in 4 weeks for this part.
- GoofsThe story takes place in 1964. Throughout the story, June wears a silk-screen NAACP t-shirt. Silk-screened t-shirts did not exist until the issuance of a patent for the garment screen printing machine in 1969.
- Quotes
Zach Taylor: Miss August told me about you being here helping out. She didn't mention anything about you being white.
Lily Owens: Maybe she didn't notice.
- Alternate versionsHome video versions (DVD and Blu-ray) include both the original theatrical version and the extended director's cut of 114 minutes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards (2009)
- SoundtracksHippy Hippy Shake
Written by Chan Romero (as Robert L. Romero)
Performed by The Swinging Blue Jeans
Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd.
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music
Top review
A very fine film
This movie is probably classified as a woman's empowerment film. I suppose it is that, especially for Black woman.
I'm not a woman, much less a Black woman. Still, I found this movie to be a uniformly fine creation. It has everything I want in a movie: clearly defined and well-developed characters played by actors - or, in this case, actresses - who know how to deliver carefully modulated and developed performances. The story is about how a young white girl learns to stand on her own feet, but the most interesting parts of the movie are definitely those that develop the various black characters.
I never looked at my watch once during this movie, much less went out to refill my popcorn. This is what movies are supposed to be - presentations of interesting characters participating in an interesting and involving story - but too seldom are.
Even if you're a white guy, this movie has a lot to offer.
I'm not a woman, much less a Black woman. Still, I found this movie to be a uniformly fine creation. It has everything I want in a movie: clearly defined and well-developed characters played by actors - or, in this case, actresses - who know how to deliver carefully modulated and developed performances. The story is about how a young white girl learns to stand on her own feet, but the most interesting parts of the movie are definitely those that develop the various black characters.
I never looked at my watch once during this movie, much less went out to refill my popcorn. This is what movies are supposed to be - presentations of interesting characters participating in an interesting and involving story - but too seldom are.
Even if you're a white guy, this movie has a lot to offer.
helpful•64
- richard-1787
- Nov 21, 2008
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- The Secret Life of Bees
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $11,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $37,770,162
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,527,799
- Oct 19, 2008
- Gross worldwide
- $39,952,437
- Runtime
- 1h 54min
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
- 2.39 : 1
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