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IMDbPro

Lee Daniels' The Butler

Original title: The Butler
  • 20132013
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 12m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
115K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,579
11
Forest Whitaker in Lee Daniels' 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
7 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
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
115K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,579
11
  • 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
    • 382User reviews
    • 308Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 16 wins & 55 nominations total

    Videos7

    Faith Trailer
    Trailer 2:03
    Faith Trailer
    The Butler
    Trailer 2:32
    The Butler
    We Are Martin Luther King Jr. | Supercut
    Clip 1:12
    We Are Martin Luther King Jr. | Supercut
    "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

    Photos104

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

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    Storyline

    Edit

    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 reviews382

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    It could have been much better
    Although the movie is based on a true story, a story that is very interesting, the producers couldn't leave it alone. Instead, they tampered with it so much that they made such an interesting story, uninteresting.

    The only bright spot in the movie is Forest Whitaker. Given what he had to work with, he did a superb job of playing Eugene Allen. Allen was a humble man and Whitaker captures that humility. Originally, Denzel Washington was selected to play the part but it is unlikely that Washington, as good an actor as he is, could portray a humble man.

    One of he big weaknesses in the film was the supporting cast. Oprah Winfrey was miscast as the butlers wife. That really distracted from Goines. Oprah came across as much too strong a personality as if the film was centered around her instead of Goines and her acting was mediocre. In real life, the story was about Allen, and not about his wife, but Oprah made the film as much about her as Allen. There are two explanations for writing the story to include Oprah. Either, the producers wanted her star power, or more likely, they needed her money to produce the film and had to cast her in the movie to get it.

    Other than the strong performance by Whitaker, about the redeeming thing about the movie is that at least viewers are aware of the basic theme of the story, as fictionalized as it is, is that there was a butler of color that served eight presidents, was invited by one president to an official dinner, and got to see a man of color elected president. But we all could have learned that if it had been made a TV documentary rather than a crappy movie.
    helpful•90
    74
    • jackjack-2
    • Aug 19, 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
      • August 16, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • 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
      2 hours 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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