Elsa & Fred (2014)

A withdrawn senior experiences life in new ways when he begins spending time with the free-spirited woman who lives across the hall.

Director:

Michael Radford

Writers:

Marcos Carnevale (original screenplay), Marcela Guerty (original screenplay)

Stars:

Shirley MacLaine, Christopher Plummer, Marcia Gay Harden

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shirley MacLaine	...	Elsa
Christopher Plummer	...	Fred
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Lydia
Wendell Pierce	...	Armande
Jared Gilman	...	Michael
Erika Alexander	...	Laverne
Chris Noth	...	Jack
Scott Bakula	...	Raymond
George Segal	...	John
Reg Rogers	...	Alec
James Brolin	...	Max
Sam Medina	...	Taxi Cab Driver
Jackie Tuttle	...	Receptionist
Michael Hartson	...	Dance School Director
Deanna Rashell	...	Laura (as Deanna Meske)

Storyline

"Elsa and Fred" is the story of two people who at the end of the road, discover that it's never too late to love and make dreams come true. Elsa has lived for the past 60 years dreaming of a moment that Fellini had already envisaged: the scene in 'La Dolce Vita' at the Fontana di Trevi. The same scene without Anita Ekberg in it, but with Elsa instead. Without Marcello Mastroianni but with that love that took so long to arrive. Fred has always been a good man who did everything he was supposed to do. After losing his wife, he feels disturbed and confused and his daughter decides that it would be best if he moves into a smaller apartment where he ends meeting Elsa. From that moment on, everything changes. Elsa bursts into his life like a whirlwind, determined to teach him that the time he has left to live -- be it more or less -- is precious and that he should enjoy it as he pleases. Fred surrenders to Elsa's frenzy, to her youth, to her boldness, to her beautiful madness. And this is ...

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Plot Keywords:

elderly man | elderly woman | american remake | american remake of spanish film | american remake of argentinian film | 

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Taglines:

It's never too late.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Elsa (Shirley MacLaine) is obsessed with the Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" and its stars Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg. In reality, Shirley MacLaine co-starred with Mastroianni in "Used People" in 1992 and with Ekberg in "Artists and Models" in 1955 and in "Woman Times Seven" in 1967. MacLaine also starred in "Sweet Charity" in 1969, a musical version of Fellini's "Nights of Cabiria" made in 1957.

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Quotes

Elsa Hayes: Life is long, and when you've lived so many years, and you do things, and you don't think when you're doing them, that they matter all that much. And then one day you wake up and you realize that you managed quite a bit, and so much so that you can't even remember all of it.

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Connections

Features La Dolce Vita (1960)

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Soundtracks

Shake It
Written by James Longford (ASCAP) and Adam Longlands (BMI)
Performed by James Langford
Courtesy of Cutting Edge Music (Holdings) Limited

User Reviews

A fantasy for seniors

A delightful, charming, warm, funny, sad, inspiring and lovable film! We loved it. But then we're seniors. Younger folks just might not "get it." But there is so much that is so good here, not the least of which is the wonderful chemistry between Christopher Plummer and Shirley Maclaine. They are superb to-gether and exhibit a special "something" that goes beyond their formidable individual acting talents. I don't know why it was shot in New Orleans. The city plays no part in the story. Indeed if you were not familiar with the St. Charles streetcar which trundles across the screen repeatedly and needlessly, you might not even know it is New Orleans. But aside from such minor nitpicking on my part, it is a tremendously warm and human movie with two superbly crafted characters played by two brilliant stars. Good entertainment for anybody. Essential entertainment for anybody over 65!

Details

Country:

USA Canada Mexico Puerto Rico

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Elsa and Fred

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$65,275, 9 November 2014

Gross USA:

$285,863

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$753,975

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cuatro Plus Films, Defiant Pictures, Creative Andina

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1