James Foley (director)
James Foley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 28, 1953 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | May 6, 2025 (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Peter Percher[1] |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1984–2018 |
James Foley (December 28, 1953 – May 6, 2025) was an American film director. His films include At Close Range, Glengarry Glen Ross, and the two sequels to Fifty Shades of Grey: Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018).
Early life and education
[edit]Foley was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, on December 28, 1953, but grew up in Staten Island, New York, the son of a lawyer.[2] He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a flagship school of the SUNY system, in 1974, with a degree in psychology.[2] While he initially planned to become a doctor, he decided to pursue filmmaking instead, and went on to earn an MFA in film study and production from the University of Southern California in 1979.[2] During his final year there, director Hal Ashby noticed his student film when it was projected on the wall during a film-school projection party and urged him to write something for Ashby's newly formed production company. The company went broke before Foley finished writing, but the stamp of approval was enough to get his career started with his first directing gig on the low budget 1984 teen drama Reckless. In his own assessment, Foley said: “Because Hal Ashby had hired me, I became viable in that weird calculus of Hollywood just because someone else who was respected thought that I was viable”.[3]
Career
[edit]In 1984, Foley made his directorial debut with Reckless, which starred Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah.[4] His 1986 film At Close Range was entered into the 36th Berlin International Film Festival.[5]
In 1990, he wrote and directed After Dark, My Sweet, an adaptation of the Jim Thompson novel of the same name. Film critic Roger Ebert included the film as part of his Great Movies list saying, "After Dark, My Sweet is the movie that eluded audiences; it grossed less than $3 million, has been almost forgotten, and remains one of the purest and most uncompromising of modern film noir. It captures above all the lonely, exhausted lives of its characters."[6] He directed Glengarry Glen Ross, based on the play of the same name by David Mamet, in 1992.[7] The Chamber was based on the novel of the same name by author John Grisham. The Corruptor, his action film starring Chow Yun-Fat and Mark Wahlberg, was released in 1999.[8]
His 2003 film, Confidence, starred Edward Burns.[9] He directed Perfect Stranger, a thriller film starring Halle Berry, in 2007.[10]
Foley also directed for television, including 12 episodes of the Netflix series House of Cards.[11]
He often collaborated with cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchía, having made five films with him, as well as Madonna's "Live to Tell" music video.
Death
[edit]Foley died from brain cancer at his home in Los Angeles on May 6, 2025, at the age of 71.[2][12][13]
Filmography
[edit]Film
- Reckless (1984)
- At Close Range (1986)
- Who's That Girl (1987)
- After Dark, My Sweet (1990) (Also writer)
- Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
- Two Bits (1995)
- The Chamber (1996)
- Fear (1996)
- The Corruptor (1999)
- Confidence (2003)
- Perfect Stranger (2007)
- Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
- Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Television
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Twin Peaks | Episode "Wounds and Scars" |
| 1997 | Gun | Episode "The Shot" |
| 2004 | Hollywood Division | TV movie |
| 2013 | Hannibal | Episode "Sorbet" |
| 2013–2015 | House of Cards | 12 episodes |
| 2014 | Red Zone | TV movie |
| 2015 | Wayward Pines | Episode "The Truth" |
| 2016 | Billions | Episodes "Short Squeeze" and "The Deal" |
Music videos
[edit]Besides the film Who's That Girl (1987),[14] Foley directed the following music videos for Madonna (under the pseudonym "Peter Percher"):[1]
- "Live to Tell" (1986)
- "Papa Don't Preach" (1986)
- "True Blue" (1986)
Foley was also the best man at Madonna's wedding to Sean Penn, although as of 2025, they were not on speaking terms.
Awards and nominations
[edit]- Berlin Film Festival
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | At Close Range | Golden Bear Award | Nominated |
- Deauville American Film Festival
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Glengarry Glen Ross | Critics Award | Nominated |
- Golden Raspberry Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Who's That Girl | Worst Director | Nominated |
| 2018 | Fifty Shades Darker | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Fifty Shades Freed | Nominated |
- Phoenix Film Festival
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Career as director and screenwriter | Copper Wing Tribute | Won |
- Venice Film Festival
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Glengarry Glen Ross | Golden Lion | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b McIntosh, Steven (May 9, 2025). "Fifty Shades director James Foley dies aged 71". BBC News. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Petri, Alexandra E.; Levien, Simon J. (May 8, 2025). "James Foley, Who Directed 'Glengarry Glen Ross,' Dies at 71". The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ Free, Erin (February 9, 2022). "Unsung Auteurs: James Foley". FilmInk.com.au. FilmInk Magazine. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
- ^ Maslin, Janet (February 3, 1984). "The Screen – Reckless". The New York Times. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "Berlinale: 1986 Programme". Berlinale. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
- ^ Ebert, Roger (March 13, 2005). "After Dark, My Sweet movie review (1990)". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ Scarano, Ross (July 3, 2014). "Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) – The 100 Best Movies Streaming on Netflix Right Now". Complex. Archived from the original on July 21, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
- ^ Levy, Emanuel (March 11, 1999). "Review: 'The Corruptor'". Variety. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ Fuchs, Cynthia (April 24, 2003). "Confidence (2003)". PopMatters. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (April 13, 2007). "Perfect Stranger". The Guardian. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
- ^ "James Foley". IMDb. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (May 8, 2025). "James Foley Dies: Director Of 'Fifty Shades' Sequels, 'Glengarry Glen Ross', 'House Of Cards', & Madonna Projects Was 71". Deadline. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ Gardner, Chris (May 8, 2025). "James Foley, Director of 'Glengarry Glen Ross,' 'House of Cards' and 'Fifty Shades,' Dies at 71". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
- ^ "Who's That Girl". AFI Catalog. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
External links
[edit]- James Foley at IMDb
- James Foley at the TCM Movie Database
- Peter Percher discography at Discogs
