The Grass Harp (1995)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Charles Matthau

Writers (WGA):

Truman Capote (novel)
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Love is a chain of love... as nature is a chain of life.

Plot:

After his mother's death, Collin Fenwick goes to live with his father's cousins, the wealthy, avaricious...

Plot Keywords:

Maid | Judge | Americana | Aunt | Voice Over Narration

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Piper Laurie	...	Dolly Talbo
Sissy Spacek	...	Verena Talbo
Walter Matthau	...	Judge Charlie Cool
Edward Furlong	...	Collin Fenwick
Nell Carter	...	Catherine Creek
Jack Lemmon	...	Dr. Morris Ritz
Mary Steenburgen	...	Sister Ida
Sean Patrick Flanery	...	Riley Henderson
Joe Don Baker	...	Sheriff Junius Candle
Charles Durning	...	Reverend Buster
Roddy McDowall	...	Amos Legrand
Grayson Fricke	...	Young Collin
Scott Wilson	...	Eugene Fenwick
Bonnie Bartlett	...	Mrs. Buster
Mia Kirshner	...	Maude Riordan

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:PG | Australia:G | Spain:T | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Wetumpka, Alabama, USA

Company:

Charles Matthau-Jerry Tokofsky-John Davis Productions

Trivia:

The seventh pairing out of ten movies of comic actors and great friends Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau.

Quotes:

Mrs. Peters: Shame on you Dolly Talbo, sittin up in that tree like a drunken Indian, smoking on cigarettes like a common... Floozy
Mrs. Buster: Floozy
Catherine Creek: Preacher lady don't you be callin Ms. Dolly here no floozy now, why I come down there and slap you bow-legged.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hollywood Remembers Walter Matthau (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

JOSHUA FOUGHT THE BATTLE OF JERICHO

Marvelous adaptation with magnificent performances.

This is a technically perfect adaptation of Capote's stunning story based upon partially on his own experiences. Laurie is all things Dolly should be: ethereal, giddy, of understated intelligence, committed, etc. Spacek had to stretch to play the cold-hearted sister, but that's what great actors do. It is leisurely paced, but that's totally in keeping with the story. Music, sets, and all are done with precision and with plenty of soul. Matthau and Lemmon have no scenes together, and for a change, Matthau plays the ethically superior character. Edward Furlong is perfect as the story's protagonist, and Mary Steenburgen steals each scene in which she appears.

I recommend this movie highly to all who enjoy character development and Southern-US Americana.