Mr. and Mrs. Bridge
| Mr. & Mrs. Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | James Ivory |
| Produced by | Ismail Merchant |
| Written by | Ruth Prawer Jhabvala |
| Based on | Mrs. Bridge and Mr. Bridge by Evan S. Connell |
| Starring | Paul Newman Joanne Woodward Blythe Danner Simon Callow Kyra Sedgwick Robert Sean Leonard Margaret Welsh Austin Pendleton Saundra McClain Diane Kagan Gale Garnett Remak Ramsay Robert Westernberg John Bell Marcus Giamatti Robert Levine |
| Music by | Richard Robbins Jacques Offenbach ("Barcarolle" & "Can Can") |
| Cinematography | Tony Pierce-Roberts |
| Editing by | Humphrey Dixon |
| Distributed by | Cineplex Odeon Films Miramax Films |
| Release date(s) | November 23, 1990 |
| Running time | 126 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge is a 1990 Merchant Ivory film based on the novels by Evan S. Connell of the same name. It is directed by James Ivory, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and produced by Ismail Merchant.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film tells the story of a traditional family living in the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri, during the 1930s and 1940s. The Bridges grapple with changing mores and expectations. Mr. Bridge, played by Paul Newman, is a lawyer who resists his children's rebellion against the conservative values he holds dear. Mrs. Bridge, played by Joanne Woodward, labors to maintain a Pollyanna view of the world against her husband's emotional distance and her children's eagerness to adopt a world view more modern than her own.
The movie features Blythe Danner as Mrs. Bridge's troubled friend, Simon Callow as a foreign psychiatrist the Bridges find unsavory, Saundra McClain as the Bridges' maid, and, as the Bridge children, Kyra Sedgwick, Robert Sean Leonard, and Margaret Welsh. It was filmed entirely on location in Kansas City, Paris, France, and Ottawa, Canada. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress (Joanne Woodward).
[edit] Cast
- Paul Newman as Walter Bridge
- Saundra McClain as Harriet
- Joanne Woodward as India Bridge
- Margaret Welsh as Carolyn Bridge
- John Bell as Douglas Bridge (as a boy)
- Kyra Sedgwick as Ruth Bridge
- Simon Callow as Dr. Alex Sauer
- Remak Ramsay as Virgil Barron
- Addison Myers as Man at Businessmen's Table
- Roger Burget as Man at Businessmen's Table
- Blythe Danner as Grace Barron
- Austin Pendleton as Mr. Gadbury
- Gale Garnett as Mabel Ong
- Al Christy as Judge
- Joe Tinoco as Plaintiff
- Ben Stephenson as Law Clerk
- Diane Kagan as Julia
- Alison Sneegas as Band Vocalist
- Mark Yonally as Youth at High School Dance
- Buck Baker as Scoutmaster
- Robert Sean Leonard as Douglas Bridge (grown-up)
- Danny Cox as Country Club Steward
- Robyn Rosenfeld as Genevieve
- Roch Leibovici as Watch Seller on the Quai
- Hubert Saint-Macary as Copyist in the Louvre
- Laurence Goua as Principal Can-Can Dancer
- The Nicolodis as Moulin Rouge Tumblers
- Judy Judd as First Bridge Player
- Nora Denney as Second Bridge Player
- Robert Levine as Avrum Rhinegold
- Charles Perkins as Jazz Musician
- Allen Monroe as Jazz Musician
- Richard Ross as Jazz Musician
- Milton Abel as Jazz Musician
- Spencer Keesee as Couperin
- Marcus Giamatti as Gil Davis
- Robin Humphrey as Bridal Gown Lady
- Kathy Quinn-Byrne as Paquita
- John Anthony as Rod
- Jennifer Conforti as Rod's Girl
- Tom Hall as Aztec Room Waiter
- Joanne Carr as Prison Matron
- Robert Westenberg as Ruth's Boyfriend
- Florence Hall as The Barrons' Maid
- Lee Lambert as Corporal Cipkowski
- Jocelyn Hamilton as Florist's Assistant
- Andy Knott as Flower Shop Owner
- Melissa Newman as Young India at the Pool
- Linden Ashby (uncredited)
- Malachy McCourt as Dr. Forster (uncredited)
- Richard Alan Nichols as Italian Man
- Salvatore Licata as young child (uncredited)
[edit] Awards
1990 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
- Won : Best Screenplay for Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
- Won : Best Actress for Joanne Woodward
1991 Kansas City Film Critics Circle
- Won : Best Actress for Joanne Woodward
1991 Academy Awards
- Nominated : Best Actress in a Leading Role for Joanne Woodward
1991 Golden Globes
- Nominated : Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for Joanne Woodward
1991 Independent Spirit Awards
- Nominated : Best Female Lead for Joanne Woodward
