Grey Gardens (2009)

The lives of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith, aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Director:

Michael Sucsy

Writers:

Michael Sucsy (teleplay), Patricia Rozema (teleplay)

Stars:

Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Jeanne Tripplehorn

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 31 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Drew Barrymore	...	Little Edie
Jessica Lange	...	Big Edie
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Jackie O.
Ken Howard	...	Phelan Beale
Kenneth Welsh	...	Max Gordon
Arye Gross	...	Albert Maysles
Louis Ferreira	...	David Maysles (as Justin Louis)
Daniel Baldwin	...	Julius 'Cap' Krug
Malcolm Gets	...	George 'Gould' Strong
Louis Grise	...	Young Buddy (as Louis Grisé)
Joshua Peace	...	Adult Buddy
Neil Babcock	...	Young Phelan Jr.
Ben Carlson	...	Adult Phelan Jr.
Olivia Waldriff	...	Young Jackie
Neil Girvan	...	Concierge

Storyline

In 1973, documentary filmmaking brothers Albert Maysles and David Maysles decide to change the focus of their latest project from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to her aunt and older cousin, mother and daughter Edith Bouvier Beale - called Big Edie - and Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale, who were found living in squalor and isolation in the longtime family mansion, Grey Gardens, in East Hampton, New York. Through flashbacks starting in 1936, the path mother and daughter take from their socialite past to the time that the Mayles brothers show their completed film is shown. Big Edie's husband/Little Edie's father, Phelan Beale, controlled the family money, which included providing singing lessons to Big Edie with musician Gould Strong, with who she had more than a musical interest. Big Edie saw herself as a singer, first and foremost. Mother and father also controlled Little Edie's life, they who wanted her to stay at Grey Gardens rather than pursue her dream of becoming a professional ...

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Plot Keywords:

new york city | singing | filmmaking | eccentric | documentary filmmaking | 

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Taglines:

True glamour never fades

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

HBO

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alithini polyteleia

Filming Locations:

Centre Island, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films,Specialty Films (II),Locomotive

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In New York, Little Edie lives in the Barbizon Hotel, an apartment building on East 63rd Street for young single women. In one scene, Little Edie sneaks Cap into her room because of the Barbizon's strict ban on male visitors. Parents often choose the Barbizon for their daughters in the city for that reason. Other famous women who lived at the Barbizon while starting out in New York City include Joan Crawford, Grace Kelly, Candice Bergen, and author Sylvia Plath, whose protagonist in 'The Bell Jar' lived in a place much like the Barbizon.

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Quotes

'Little' Edith Bouvier Beale: Mother wanted me to come out in a kimono, so we had quite a fight.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, where the American Humane Society's traditional credit is displayed, Little Edie's voice adds "No animals were harmed in the making of this movie."

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Connections

Features An Affair to Remember (1957)

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Soundtracks

Glow Worm
Written by Paul Lincke, Johnny Mercer and Lilla Cayley Robinson
Performed by The Mills Brothers
Courtesy of 'anwood Records

User Reviews

I have SEEN the full unedited version of this !!

I have to say that I was as dubious about this project as anyone Else...

Some one was remaking a documentary as a drama ?!? when the documentary may be the most perfect movie I have ever seen ?!? But in all seriousness this movie takes the subject firmly in hand and KNOCKS IT OUT OF THE PARK !!! ITS Brilliant !!! First off you can tell it was written by a true lover of the original, secondly Drew and Jessica are almost indistinguishable from there real counterparts.

I cant say more with out giving stuff away but this my be the best thing I have seen in years !

As Lil Edie would say ...."Its Absolutely Terrific"