IMDb RATING
7.0/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
Colette Hughes, a lawyer championing patients' rights, represents Eleanor Riese, a psychiatric patient who unexpectedly impacts Colette's workaholic tendencies.Colette Hughes, a lawyer championing patients' rights, represents Eleanor Riese, a psychiatric patient who unexpectedly impacts Colette's workaholic tendencies.Colette Hughes, a lawyer championing patients' rights, represents Eleanor Riese, a psychiatric patient who unexpectedly impacts Colette's workaholic tendencies.
- Awards
- 5 nominations
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe story was first mentioned to Helena Bonham Carter 13 years ago, with Helena playing the role of Collette and Susan Sarandon playing Eleanor.
- GoofsDuring one scene of this film set in the 1980s, a jogger is running through a park in a Pistons #33, the jersey of Grant Hill--who didn't start playing until 1994.
- Quotes
Colette Hughes: I first met Eleanor Riese as her lawyer, but soon--because Eleanor was Eleanor--Eleanor became my friend. And soon, because Eleanor was Eleanor, she became my protector, my guardian, my worst critic, and my greatest support.
- Crazy creditsEleanor Riese died on April 6, 1991 of a kidney infection resulting from the side effects of antipsychotic medication. She was 47 years old.
- SoundtracksSugartime
(uncredited)
Written by Odis 'Pop' Echols and Charlie Phillips
Performed by The McGuire Sisters
Featured review
Inevitably, some will avoid a film about mental illness and patients' rights for fear of it being "worthy" or "depressing". And, sure, this is undoubtedly the kind of story that used to be packaged for "disease of the week" telemovies. What elevates "55 Steps" above that lowly status is an extraordinary performance by Helena Bonham Carter as Eleanor Riese. It's not only a detailed, sensitive and touching portrayal of a woman with mental illness, but a smart, masterful exercise in calibrating a performance that balances both drama and comedy so that a difficult and potentially alienating subject becomes entertaining and ultimately uplifting. It takes an actor with incredible skill and range to pull off such a feat, and Bonham Carter is one of only a handful who could do it. That in the past few years she's also convincingly played roles as disparate as Elizabeth Taylor and Madame Thenardier demonstrates what a remarkable actor HBC has become. But this may be her best performance yet. Well worth seeing.
- How long is 55 Steps?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- €7,500,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 55 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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