''Grey Gardens'' is a 2009 American
biographical drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...
television film about the lives of
Edith Bouvier Beale/"Little Edie", played by
Drew Barrymore, and her mother
Edith Ewing Bouvier/"Big Edie", played by
Jessica Lange. Co-stars include
Jeanne Tripplehorn as
Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A p ...
(Little Edie's cousin) and
Ken Howard as
Phelan Beale (Little Edie's father). The film, directed by
Michael Sucsy
Michael Sucsy (born February 14, 1973) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for directing the HBO film ''Grey Gardens'' and ''The Vow''.
Early life and education
Sucsy was raised in Connecticut and New Y ...
and co-written by Sucsy and
Patricia Rozema, flashes back and forth between various events and dates ranging from Little Edie as a young
débutante in 1936 moving with her mother to their
Grey Gardens estate through the filming and premiere of the actual 1975 documentary ''
Grey Gardens''.
Filming began on October 22, 2007, in
the Hamptons. It premiered on
HBO on April 18, 2009.
The film was nominated for 17
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
s, winning six including
Outstanding Made for Television Movie,
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (for Lange) and
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (for Howard). It was also nominated for three
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
, winning two for
Best Miniseries or Made for Television Movie and
Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film (for Barrymore). It was also nominated for two
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
for
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, winning one (for Barrymore). The film also won the 2009
Television Critics Association Award for
Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials.
Plot
The film is based on the life stories of the eccentric paternal aunt and first cousin of
Jackie Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...
, both named Edith Bouvier Beale. The elder
Edith Bouvier Beale was the sister of Jackie Kennedy's father
John Vernou Bouvier III and was referred to as "Big Edie",
her daughter was referred to as "Little Edie". The Beale women were members of NYC high society, but in their later years, withdrew from the New York City life, taking shelter at their
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
summer home/estate
Grey Gardens. The house eventually fell into a state of disrepair that gave the Beale women notoriety.
Phelan Beale (husband of "Big Edie" and father of "Little Edie"), eventually divorced "Big Edie." In the movie, "Little Edie" decides to move to New York to pursue a career in acting (as well as an ill-fated romance with high-profile married man,
Julius 'Cap' Krug). Her father frankly tells her that she has to find a husband to support her lifestyle. "Little Edie" sadly and slowly realizes her fate is to remain her mother's companion at Grey Gardens. The two women become reclusive and known around town as the highly eccentric proprietors of Grey Gardens, which has become decrepit and full of stray animals taken in by the Beale women. The plot includes the filming of the documentary ''
Grey Gardens'' by
Albert and David Maysles
Albert Maysles (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) and his brother David Maysles (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987; ) were an American documentary filmmaking team known for their work in the Direct Cinema style. Their best-known films i ...
as well as flashback events in the Beales' past, including their arrival at the estate, the disintegration of Big Edie's marriage, and Little Edie's failed attempts to have her own life and find independence.
After Phelan Beale dies, the two sons tell their mother, Big Edie, that there is little money and she should sell the estate and move to Florida. The house was in her name and this was her home. She was going nowhere. Grey Gardens became a health hazard, overrun with cats and also infested with raccoons. Health officials condemned the home and newspaper articles ran blaming Jackie Kennedy. Jackie goes to the home in a chauffeur-driven limousine for a visit. Jackie and her sister, Lee, pay for the cleanup and restoration of the Hamptons home. Mom and daughter grow old together. The documentary is finished and Little Edie attends the premiere, wearing a surprise gift from her mother.
The movie ends with Little Edie singing "
Tea for Two" at the Reno Sweeney cabaret in
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
, and the quote, "My mother gave me a truly priceless life."
Cast
*
Drew Barrymore as
'Little' Edith Bouvier Beale
*
Jessica Lange as
'Big' Edith Bouvier Beale
*
Jeanne Tripplehorn as
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A p ...
*
Ken Howard as
Phelan Beale
*
Kenneth Welsh
Kenneth Welsh, (March 30, 1942 – May 5, 2022) was a Canadian film and television actor. He was best known as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle in ''Twin Peaks'', for his roles in the films '' The Day After Tomorrow'', ''Adoration'', '' S ...
as
Max Gordon
*
Arye Gross as
Albert Maysles
*
Justin Louis
Louis Ferreira (born Luís Ferreira; born 20 February 1966) is a Canadian actor. Ferreira is known for his roles in ''Stargate Universe'' as Colonel Everett Young, serial killer Ray Prager in the first season of '' Durham County'', FBI Assistant ...
as
David Maysles
*
Daniel Baldwin as
Julius Krug
*
Malcolm Gets as George 'Gould' Strong
* MD Shaidur Rahaman as Rollo
* Louis Grise as Young Buddy Beale
* Joshua Peace as Adult Buddy Beale
* Neil Babcock as Young Phelan Beale Jr.
* Ben Carlson as Adult Phelan Beale Jr.
* Olivia Waldriff as Young Jackie Bouvier
* Neil Girvan as Concierge
Production
Michael Sucsy said that he used
primary source
In the study of history as an academic discipline, a primary source (also called an original source) is an artifact, document, diary, manuscript, autobiography, recording, or any other source of information that was created at the time under ...
s to flesh out the story including letters and journals kept by Little Edie. He also interviewed family members and friends including Lois Wright who lived in the house and wrote her own book about the events. Albert Maysles is credited as a source in the movie. Sucsy said that the house facade as well as the interior were created from blueprints. Sucsy said that an aerial shot of the house circa 1936 was historically accurate on the placement of the house in relation to other mansions in
East Hampton at the time (although requiring
CGI enhancements to create the illusion).
[Grey Gardens DVD – 2009 – HBO – Audio commentary with executive producers Michael Sucsy, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Rachael Horovitz] As with many movies based on historical events, some events in the Beales' lives, such as the timing of Big Edie and Phelan's divorce, were shifted to make a more coherent story.
The entire film was shot in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, with most of the shots in metropolitan
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
. The Valley Halla Estate in
Rouge Park was the setting of exterior shots of Grey Gardens. Waterfront shots were on Centre Island in the
Toronto Islands. Hotel shots were at the
Fairmont Royal York
The Fairmont Royal York, formerly and still commonly known as the Royal York, is a large historic luxury hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located along Front Street West, the hotel is situated at the southern end of the Financial District, in ...
. Studio work was done at Toronto Film Studios.
The aerial shot of
The Pierre was licensed from ''
An Affair to Remember
''An Affair to Remember'' is a 1957 American romance film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. Filmed in CinemaScope, it was distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is considered among the most romantic films of all ti ...
''.
Post-production was done in New York and Los Angeles. The DVD commentary was done in the same studio where the Maysles mixed the original documentary.
Reception
Critical response
The movie has been lauded by many critics. Review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
reports that 100% out of 10 professional critics gave the film a positive review.
Grey Gardens
''Rotten Tomatoes''. Flixster. Retrieved 5 July 2012. Ben Lyons from '' At the Movies'' raved: "Drew Barrymore is fantastic in this film." ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' critic Peter Travers also raved: "The script hits a few bumps, but Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are magnificent as the bizarro Beales. Barrymore is a revelation. Aging into her 60s and transformed in voice and bearing, she finds Edie's unquenchable spirit. Brava."
Awards and nominations
Soundtrack
The Academy Award
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning composer Rachel Portman provided the film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...
. In addition to Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the album includes vocal performances by the movie's lead actresses, Jessica Lange (on "We Belong Together
"We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. "W ...
" and " I Won't Dance" sung with Malcolm Gets) and Drew Barrymore (on " Tea for Two").
Track list
Additional credits
See also
* ''Grey Gardens'' (documentary)
* ''Grey Gardens'' (musical)
* Grey Gardens (estate)
Grey Gardens is a 14-room house at 3 West End Road and Lily Pond Lane in the Georgica Pond neighborhood of East Hampton, New York. It was the residence of the Beale family from 1924 to 1979, including mother and daughter Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale ...
Notes
References
External links
*
*
''Barrymore Enters "The Monastery Of Edie"''; NPR Fresh Air's Terry Gross interviews Drew Barrymore in-depth about her work in ''Grey Gardens''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grey Gardens
2009 television films
2009 films
2009 biographical drama films
2000s American films
2000s English-language films
2000s female buddy films
American biographical drama films
American drama television films
American female buddy films
Beale family
Best Miniseries or Television Movie Golden Globe winners
Biographical television films
Bouvier family
Cultural depictions of American women
Cultural depictions of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Cultural depictions of socialites
Films about films
Films about mother–daughter relationships
Films directed by Michael Sucsy
Films scored by Rachel Portman
Films set in New York (state)
Films shot in Toronto
Flower Films films
HBO Films films
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie winners