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The Butler

  • 20132013
  • K-12K-12
  • 2h 12min
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
112K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,617
45
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Forest Whitaker in The Butler (2013)
As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.
Play trailer2:03
6 Videos
99+ Photos
BiographyDrama

As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and Ameri... Read allAs Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.As Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.

IMDb RATING
7.2/10
112K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,617
45
  • Director
    • Lee Daniels
  • Writers
    • Danny Strong
    • Wil Haygood(article: "A Butler Well Served by This Election")
  • Stars
    • Forest Whitaker
    • Oprah Winfrey
    • John Cusack
Top credits
  • Director
    • Lee Daniels
  • Writers
    • Danny Strong
    • Wil Haygood(article: "A Butler Well Served by This Election")
  • Stars
    • Forest Whitaker
    • Oprah Winfrey
    • John Cusack
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 369User reviews
    • 314Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 16 wins & 54 nominations total

    Videos6

    Faith Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Faith Trailer
    The Butler
    Trailer 2:32
    The Butler
    "70s Dance Scene"
    Clip 1:09
    "70s Dance Scene"
    "The White House Called Him"
    Clip 0:40
    "The White House Called Him"
    Exclusive Featurette
    Featurette 3:07
    Exclusive Featurette
    There's One Movie David Oyelowo Wishes He Could Refilm
    Video 2:38
    There's One Movie David Oyelowo Wishes He Could Refilm

    Photos100

    Oprah Winfrey in The Butler (2013)
    Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard in The Butler (2013)
    Oprah Winfrey in The Butler (2013)
    Oprah Winfrey in The Butler (2013)
    Oprah Winfrey in The Butler (2013)
    Dana Gourrier and Oprah Winfrey
    Lenny Kravitz and Dana Gourrier
    John Cusack, Alex Manette, and Colin Walker in The Butler (2013)
    Cuba Gooding Jr., Forest Whitaker, Lenny Kravitz, James Marsden, Colman Domingo, Minka Kelly, and Chloe Barach in The Butler (2013)
    Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Isaac White, and Michael Rainey Jr. in The Butler (2013)
    The Butler (2013)
    Vanessa Redgrave and Michael Rainey Jr. in The Butler (2013)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Cecil Gainesas Cecil Gaines
    Oprah Winfrey
    Oprah Winfrey
    • Gloria Gainesas Gloria Gaines
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Richard Nixonas Richard Nixon
    Jane Fonda
    Jane Fonda
    • Nancy Reaganas Nancy Reagan
    David Banner
    David Banner
    • Earl Gainesas Earl Gaines
    Michael Rainey Jr.
    Michael Rainey Jr.
    • Cecil Gaines (8)as Cecil Gaines (8)
    LaJessie Smith
    LaJessie Smith
    • Abrahamas Abraham
    Mariah Carey
    Mariah Carey
    • Hattie Pearlas Hattie Pearl
    Alex Pettyfer
    Alex Pettyfer
    • Thomas Westfallas Thomas Westfall
    Vanessa Redgrave
    Vanessa Redgrave
    • Annabeth Westfallas Annabeth Westfall
    Aml Ameen
    Aml Ameen
    • Cecil Gaines (15)as Cecil Gaines (15)
    Clarence Williams III
    Clarence Williams III
    • Maynardas Maynard
    John P. Fertitta
    John P. Fertitta
    • Mr. Jenkinsas Mr. Jenkins
    • (as John Fertitta)
    Jim Gleason
    Jim Gleason
    • R.D. Warneras R.D. Warner
    Isaac White
    Isaac White
    • Charlie Gaines (10)as Charlie Gaines (10)
    David Oyelowo
    David Oyelowo
    • Louis Gainesas Louis Gaines
    Joe Chrest
    Joe Chrest
    • White Usheras White Usher
    Colman Domingo
    Colman Domingo
    • Freddie Fallowsas Freddie Fallows
    • Director
      • Lee Daniels
    • Writers
      • Danny Strong
      • Wil Haygood(article: "A Butler Well Served by This Election")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    Cecil Gaines was a sharecropper's son who grew up in the 1920s as a domestic servant for the white family who casually destroyed his. Eventually striking out on his own, Cecil becomes a hotel valet of such efficiency and discreteness in the 1950s that he becomes a butler in the White House itself. There, Cecil would serve numerous US Presidents over the decades as a passive witness of history with the American Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum even as his family has troubles of its own. As his wife, Gloria, struggles with her addictions and his defiant eldest son, Louis, strives for a just world, Cecil must decide whether he should take action in his own way. —Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
    butlerpresidentcivil rightsdomestic servantcivil rights movement160 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • One quiet voice can ignite a revolution
    • Genres
      • Biography
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • K-12
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The character of Cecil Gaines was based on Eugene Allen, who served as White House butler for over 30 years and 8 presidents: Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. Much of the detail is fictionalized for this movie.
    • Goofs
      When Cecil talks to Louis at the bus station, as Louis leaves for college, they walk through a motion-activated bi-part sliding door. The scene is set between 1957 and 1961. The first automatic sliding doors were invented in 1960, and were activated by stepping on a floor mat. Motion sensors were developed in the late 1980s.
    • Quotes

      Cecil Gaines: America has always turned a blind eye to what we done to our own. We look out to the world and judge. We hear about the concentration camps but these camps went on for two hundred years right here in America.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Butler: An American Story (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Piano Concerto in A Minor Op. 54-1
      Written by Robert Schumann

      Performed by The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra

      Conducted by Kenneth Klein

      Gerald Robbins, piano

      Courtesy of MSR Classics

      By Arrangement with Fine Gold Music

    User reviews369

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    If you have the guts
    Go see this movie..It shook me to my core..As a white person I've never been more ashamed in my life..And saddened.. We are in the midst of racial struggle for equal rights right now..I sat in a packed theater with all white old people and you could've heard a pin drop.. It felt like a Forest Gump movie but with the racial history of our country as the topic.. and it was NOT a pretty picture. Thank you for doing this movie Lee, it is something we all need to see as Americans and we all have to face that we still have MAJOR racial bigotry. It must NOT be tolerated! I am white, 63 yrs old, born in Miami Fl and living in LA. Please go see this and then go about being an agent of change..we need to move on to better things and stamp out racism in America..it has NO place here..and we should all be ashamed of it's existence and allowing it to persist.. The cameos were priceless and OPRAH, (tho I am not a fan) was incredible!
    helpful•152
    94
    • nancygoldsen
    • Aug 22, 2013

    FAQ1

    • Why was this movie rated so long by the Oscars. I thought 12 Years a Slave was good but not better than The Butler

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 25, 2013 (Finland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lee Daniels' The Butler
    • Filming locations
      • Houma, Louisiana, USA
    • Production companies
      • Follow Through Productions
      • Salamander Pictures
      • Laura Ziskin Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $116,632,095
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $24,637,312
      • Aug 18, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $177,313,795
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 12min
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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