''Hope'' is a 1997 American historical drama

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

directed by

Goldie Hawn Goldie Jeanne Hawn (born November 21, 1945) is an American actress, dancer, producer, and singer. She rose to fame on the NBC sketch comedy program ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (1968–1970), before going on to receive the Academy Award and Go ...

. The film stars

Christine Lahti Christine Ann Lahti (born April 4, 1950) is an American actress and filmmaker. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1984 film '' Swing Shift''. Her other film roles include '' ...And Justice for All'' (19 ...

Jena Malone Jena Laine Malone (; born November 21, 1984) is an American actress, musician, and photographer. Known for her roles in both independent films and mainstream blockbuster features, she has received numerous accolades, including nominations for a ...

, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey D. Sams, and J. T. Walsh. It is set amid the early 1960s paranoia manufactured by the Cuban Missile Crisis and the growing restlessness of the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional racial segregation, discrimination, and disenfranchisement throughout the Unite ...

. The film received positive reviews from critics, with Malone and Walsh being nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, respectively, for their performances.

Plot

Kate is a young intelligent girl, living in dreary small town in the early 1960s. She lives an ordinary life with her mother, a stroke victim, and her Uncle Ray, who owns a theater. Everything changes when a 8 year old black boy dies in a fire in Uncle Ray's theater.

Cast

* Alissa Alban as Mrs. Schifflett * Rodger Boyce as Judge Patterson * Brady Coleman as Cecil Thompson * Connie Cooper as Mrs. Tabor *

Haylie Duff Haylie Katherine Duff (born February 19, 1985) is an American actress, singer and songwriter, and the older sister of American singer and actress Hilary Duff. She is best known for her roles as Sandy Jameson in the television series '' 7th Heave ...

as Martha Jean Pruitt * Lauryn Pithey-Petrie as Talitha DuPree * Gil Glasgow as Sheriff * Nik Hagler as Fire Marshal Tabor * Ira "Bud" Haynie as Bailiff *

as Emma Percy * Chris Lane as Sylvester Potter * Linda Longserre as Mother At Theater *

as Lilly Kate Burns * Alex Morris as Porter Johnson * Mozelle Moses-Felder as Josephine *

Lee Norris Lee Michael Norris (born September 25, 1981) is an American actor, best known for his roles as Stuart Minkus on ''Boy Meets World'' and its spin-off '' Girl Meets World'', as well as Marvin "Mouth" McFadden on ''One Tree Hill One Tree Hill ma ...

as Billy October * Catherine O'Hara as Muriel MacSwain * J. Suzanne Rampe as Emma Stunt Double * Jeffrey D. Sams as Jediah Walker * Charles Sanders as Emery Gill * Hope Shiver as Mrs. Monroe * Joe Stevens as Flint * Harold Suggs as Old Man Scruggs *

Mary Ellen Trainor Mary Ellen Trainor (July 8, 1952 – May 20, 2015) was an American character actress best known for her roles as LAPD psychiatrist Dr. Stephanie Woods in the '' Lethal Weapon'' films, newscaster Gail Wallens in '' Die Hard'' and '' Ricochet'', ...

as Maize Burns * J. T. Walsh as Ray Percy * Eric Bennett Weems as Lonnie Tabor * Brandi Werlinger as Talitha's Friend * Bill Wise as Deputy Sheriff * Kevin Jamal Woods as Cleavell Monroe

Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

on the film began in June 1997. The story is set in a fictional

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

town, but was filmed in three towns in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

Release

The film premiered on

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

on October 19, 1997. It was released on VHS by

Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Vide ...

Reception

Critical response

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised

's direction and the performances of the cast. Ray Richmond of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote that Hawn "embodies a surprising maturity and assurance directing this tearjerker" and "also benefits in ''Hope'' from some terrific acting support via principals

, Jeffrey D. Sams, J. T. Walsh and Catherine O'Hara; all are at the top of their game, and it's a tribute to Hawn that they are." He concluded his review with, "Hawn displays an impressive knack for imagery, and for allowing her cast the freedom to shine." Steven Linan of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' noted that Hawn "has the distinct advantage of working with a very good cast." Scott D. Pierce of '' Deseret News'' stated that "''Hope'' is very nicely mounted, with plenty of money thrown into the production." Chris Kaltenbach of ''

The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, it is currently owned by T ...

'' called the film "a quiet, thoughtful, well-acted piece of work filled with what its title suggests."

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0119312 1997 films 1997 drama films 1997 television films 1990s historical drama films American historical drama films Civil rights movement in television American drama television films Films about families Films about racism in the United States Films about the Cuban Missile Crisis Films scored by Steve Porcaro Films set in 1962 Films set in Mississippi Films shot in Texas Historical television films Films about mother–daughter relationships TNT Network original films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films