''The Grass Harp'' is a 1995 American comedy-drama film based on the novella by

Truman Capote Truman Garcia Capote ( ; born Truman Streckfus Persons; September 30, 1924 – August 25, 1984) was an American novelist, screenwriter, playwright and actor. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, ...

; the screenplay was the final work of Oscar-winning screenwriter

Stirling Silliphant Stirling Dale Silliphant (January 16, 1918 – April 26, 1996) was an American screenwriter and Film producer, producer. He is best remembered for his screenplay for ''In the Heat of the Night (film), In the Heat of the Night'', for which he w ...

. The film was directed by

Charles Matthau Charles Marcus Matthau (born December 10, 1962) is an American actor, director, producer, and writer. He is the son of actor Walter Matthau and actress/author Carol Grace. Matthau gained recognition for his directorial work encapsulating humanity ...

, and starred

Piper Laurie Piper Laurie (born Rosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films ''The Hustler'' (1961), '' Carrie'' (1976), and '' Children of a Lesser God'' (1986), all of which brought her Academy Award no ...

Sissy Spacek Mary Elizabeth Spacek (; born December 25, 1949) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for four Briti ...

, the director's father

Walter Matthau Walter Matthau (; born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, comedian and film director. He is best known for his film roles in '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957), ''King Creole'' (1958) and as a coach of a ...

Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered equally proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, Lemmon was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in dramedy pictures, leadin ...

Edward Furlong Edward Walter Furlong (born August 2, 1977) is an American actor. He won Saturn and MTV Movie Awards for his breakthrough performance at age 13 as John Connor in James Cameron's '' Terminator 2: Judgment Day''; which was followed by a mini-seq ...

, and

Nell Carter Nell Carter (born Nell Ruth Hardy; September 13, 1948 – January 23, 2003) was an American singer and actress. Carter began her career in 1970, singing in the theater, and later crossed over to television. She was best known for her role as Ne ...

. Piper Laurie won the Best Supporting Actress award from the Southeastern Film Critics Association for her work on the film.

Plot

Set in a small 1940s Alabama town, the film follows Collin Fenwick (Edward Furlong) as he is sent to live with his father's maiden cousins, the sweet Dolly (Piper Laurie) and the overbearing Verena (Sissy Spacek), following the death of his mother. He soon discovers that the Talbo household is anything but normal. After also losing his father, Collin grows to be close to Dolly and maid Catherine (

), and becomes acquainted with the eccentric townspeople, from the gossip-loving barber (

Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 4 October 1998) was a British actor, photographer and film director. He began his acting career as a child in England, and then in the United States, in ''How Green Was My Valley'' (1 ...

) to a traveling

evangelist Evangelist may refer to: Religion * Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels * Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ * Evangelist (Anglican Church), a c ...

with 15 illegitimate offspring (

Mary Steenburgen Mary Nell Steenburgen (; born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in 1978 Western comedy film ''Goin' ...

). To escape Verena's oppression, Dolly, Collin, and Catherine run away to an old tree house in the woods. Their rebellion sparks a series of events that changes their lives and the entire town, as well.

Cast

as Dolly Talbo is a gentle eccentric, Verena's sister *

as Verena Talbo is a controlling entrepreneur with most of the town in her pocket, and Dolly's sister *

as Collin Fenwick is an orphan sent to live with Dolly and Verena *

as Catherine Creek is a quick-witted house maid and Dolly's friend *

as Judge Charlie Cool is a former judge attempting to find meaning in his retirement years and Dolly's love interest *

as Amos Legrand is the effeminate town barber and gossip *

as Dr. Morris Ritz is a confidence man who charms Verena *

as Sister Ida is a good-hearted traveling "evangelist" *

Sean Patrick Flanery Sean Patrick Flanery (born October 11, 1965) is an American actor, author, and martial artist. He is known for playing Connor MacManus in ''The Boondock Saints'' (1999) and its sequel '' The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day'' (2009), Greg Sti ...

as Riley Henderson is Collin's friend and eventual competitor for the affections of Maude *

Joe Don Baker Joe Don Baker (born February 12, 1936) is an American character actor and a life member of the Actors Studio. He established himself as an action star with supporting roles as a mysterious cowboy drifter in ''Guns of the Magnificent Seven'' (196 ...

as Junius Candle is the town sheriff * Scott Wilson as Eugene Fenwick is Colin's father, who leaves him with Dolly and Verena after the death of his wife *

Mia Kirshner Mia Kirshner (born January 25, 1975) is a Canadian actress, writer and social activist. She is known for television roles as Mandy in '' 24'' (2001–2005), as Jenny Schecter in ''The L Word'' (2004–2009), as Amanda Grayson in '' Star Trek: D ...

as Maude Riordan is Collin's "love interest" *

Charles Durning Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...

as Reverend Buster *

Bonnie Bartlett Bonnie Bartlett (born June 20, 1929) is an American actress. Her career spans seven decades, with her first major role being on a 1950s daytime drama, ''Love of Life''. Bartlett is known for her role as Grace Snider Edwards on the Michael Lando ...

as Mrs. Buster *

Doris Roberts Doris May Roberts ( Green; November 4, 1925 – April 17, 2016) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades of television and film. She received five Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild award during her acting career, which bega ...

as Mrs. Richards * Ray McKinnon as Charlie Cool, Jr.

Development and production

''The Grass Harp'' feature film was based on

's 1951 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. The screenplay was written by

and Kirk Ellis. Silliphant's previous credits include '' In the Heat of the Night'', ''

The Towering Inferno ''The Towering Inferno'' is a 1974 American disaster film directed by John Guillermin and produced by Irwin Allen, featuring an ensemble cast led by Paul Newman and Steve McQueen. It was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from the novels '' The Towe ...

'', and '' The Poseidon Adventure''. The film was directed by Charles Matthau, son of Walter Matthau. It was filmed on location in Wetumpka, Alabama.

Reception

''The New York Times'' review of the film stated that the actors' performances were "uniformly expert, sharp renderings of distinctive individuals" and that Charles Matthau had "managed to set them in a landscape specifically distant and atmospheric". The ''Los Angeles Times'' review called it a beguiling film and one that "celebrates rebirth and renewal but within a tough-minded view of life that never allows it to lapse into a fairy tale". ''Variety'' called it a "sensitive screenplay adaptation" and noted the film's "wonderful ensemble cast". Despite generally good reviews, the film did poorly at the box office. With an estimated budget of $9 million, the film grossed only roughly $1.5 million in ticket sales.

References

External links

Official websiteNew York Times review of The Grass Harp
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grass Harp, The 1995 films Films shot in Alabama Films set in Alabama American comedy-drama films 1995 comedy-drama films Davis Entertainment films Films scored by Patrick Williams Films set in the 1940s Films based on American novels Films based on works by Truman Capote Films produced by John Davis 1990s English-language films Films directed by Charles Matthau 1990s American films