Grey Gardens (2009 film)

Grey Gardens
Written by	Michael Sucsy Patricia Rozema
Directed by	Michael Sucsy
Starring	Drew Barrymore Jessica Lange Jeanne Tripplehorn Malcolm Gets Daniel Baldwin Ken Howard Arye Gross Justin Louis
Theme music composer	Rachel Portman
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
Production
Producer(s)	Lucy Barzun Donnelly Rachael Horovitz Albert Maysles David Coatsworth Michael Sucsy
Cinematography	Mike Eley
Editor(s)	Alan Heim Lee Percy
Running time	104 minutes
Production company(s)	Locomotive Films Flower Films
Distributor	HBO Films
Budget	$12 million[1]
Release
Original network	HBO
Original release	April 18, 2009 (2009-04-18)

Grey Gardens is a 2009 American made-for-television biographical drama 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 (Little Edie's cousin) and Ken Howard as Phelan Beale (Little Edie's father). The film, directed by Michael Sucsy 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 for the HBO film began on October 22, 2007 in Toronto.^[2] It first aired on HBO on April 18, 2009.

The film won the 2009 Television Critics Association award for Outstanding Achievement Movies, Miniseries, and Specials. It was also nominated for 17 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (Lange) and Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie (Howard). It was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Made for Television Movie and Best Actress in a Made for Television Movie (Barrymore). Lange was also nominated in this category.

Plot

The film is based on the life stories of the eccentric paternal aunt and first cousin of Jackie Kennedy, 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 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 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, over run 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 Hampton's 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, and the quote, "My mother gave me a truly priceless life."

Cast

Production

Michael Sucsy said that he used primary sources 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.^[3] 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).^[4] 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, with most of the shots in metropolitan Toronto. 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. Studio work was done at Toronto Film Studios.^[5]

The aerial shot of The Pierre was licensed from An Affair to Remember.^[4]

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.^[4]

Reception

Soundtrack

Grey Gardens: Music composed by Rachel Portman
Soundtrack album by Various artists
Released	May 5, 2009 (2009-05-05) (US) June 2, 2009 (2009-06-02) (Overseas)
Label	Varèse Sarabande UMG (distribution)
Producer	Stewart Lerman

The Academy Award-winning composer Rachel Portman provided the film score. In addition to Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the album includes vocal performances by the movie's lead actresses, Jessica Lange (on "We Belong Together" and "I Won't Dance" sung with Malcolm Gets) and Drew Barrymore (on "Tea for Two").

See also

• Grey Gardens (musical)
• Grey Gardens (documentary)
• Grey Gardens (estate)

References

External links

• Official website
• Grey Gardens on IMDb
• Barrymore Enters "The Monastery Of Edie"; NPR Fresh Air's Terry Gross interviews Drew Barrymore in-depth about her work in Grey Gardens