The Secret Life of Bees (2008)

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.

Director:

Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writers:

Gina Prince-Bythewood (screenplay), Sue Monk Kidd (novel)

Stars:

Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah

12 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dakota Fanning	...	Lily Owens
Queen Latifah	...	August Boatwright
Jennifer Hudson	...	Rosaleen Daise
Alicia Keys	...	June Boatwright
Sophie Okonedo	...	May Boatwright
Paul Bettany	...	T. Ray Owens
Hilarie Burton	...	Deborah Owens
Tristan Mack Wilds	...	Zach Taylor (as Tristan Wilds)
Nate Parker	...	Neil
Shondrella Avery	...	Greta
Renee Ford Clark	...	Doll (as Renée Clark)
Sharon Conley	...	Violet (as Sharon Morris)
Nicky Buggs	...	Cressie
Jasmine Burke	...	Sugar Girl
Emma Sage Bowman	...	Young Lily

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.

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Plot Keywords:

insect in title | f rated | racism | cake | neglected child | 

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Taglines:

Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Vida Secreta das Abelhas

Filming Locations:

Watha, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,527,799, 17 October 2008, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$37,766,350, 22 February 2009

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,947,322, 27 May 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Overbrook Entertainment, Donners' Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min (director's cut) 110 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby (as Dolby Stereo) SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alicia Keys learned to play the cello in 4 weeks for this part.

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Goofs

When Lily and Rosaleen are drinking their Cokes on the grass outside the Boatwright house, you see Rosaleen drink the last of the soda, but you can clearly hear the liquid flowing back into the bottle.

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Quotes

Lily Owens: [to T. Ray] My whole life has been nothing but a hole, where my mother should have been. It always left me aching, but I never thought about what it did to you.

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Alternate Versions

Home video versions (DVD and Blu-ray) include both the original theatrical version and the extended director's cut of 114 minutes.

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Anne Hathaway/The Killers (2008)

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Soundtracks

Come See About Me
(1964)
Written by Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland and Eddie Holland (as Edward Holland,
Jr.)
Performed by The Supremes
Courtesy of Motown Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Open your heart and the Bees will fill it with honey

I don't go around throwing 10's around for movie ratings, but I extremely impressed by this movie. The emotional and visual scope offered by the story, the cinematography, and the acting, gave all viewers with eyes to see and ears to hear, a wonderful treat. I'm sure not everyone loves this particular type of movie, but if you haven't been desensitized by the CGI and special effects of many of today's movies, you'll appreciate the very core of this movie, which is the human struggle - especially the depiction of the search for identity, and the need to give and received compassion from those living on this big blue marble together with us. A reminder of the racism of a not too far distant time, and the timeless theme of love, death, friendship, and compassion, add the effective seasoning that helps us all relate in some very tangible way to this movie. Enjoy it with someone you care about, and taste the honey.