Bastard Out of Carolina (1996)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Anjelica Huston

Writers (WGA):

Dorothy Allison (book)
Anne Meredith (teleplay)

Release Date:

15 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Difficult tale of poor, struggling South Carolinian mother & daughter, who each face painful choices with their resolve and pride...

Plot Keywords:

Child Drinking Alcohol | Cigarette Smoking | Funeral | Waitress | Hospital

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Anney Boatwright
Ron Eldard	...	Glen Waddell
Glenne Headly	...	Aunt Ruth
Lyle Lovett	...	Wade
Jena Malone	...	Ruth Anne 'Bone' Boatwright
Dermot Mulroney	...	Lyle Parsons
Christina Ricci	...	Dee Dee
Michael Rooker	...	Uncle Earle
Diana Scarwid	...	Aunt Raylene
Susan Traylor	...	Alma
Grace Zabriskie	...	Granny
Richard Todd Sullivan	...	Travis
Pat Hingle	...	Mr. Waddell
Lindley Mayer	...	Reese
Jamison Stewart	...	Grey
Timothy Stewart	...	Garvey
Kelsey Elizabeth Boulware	...	Bone at age 4
Jeffrey Pillars	...	Truck Driver
Rick Warner	...	Young Clerk
Joe Maggard	...	Man at Cafe
D.L. Anderson	...	Woman at Cafe
Nelson George	...	Justice of the Peace
Gene Dann	...	Worker
Jim Gloster	...	Intern
Derin Altay	...	Mrs. Parsons
Suellen Yates	...	Mr. Waddells Wife (as Sue Ellen Yates)
Sonny Shroyer	...	Sheriff
Jerry Winsett	...	Brother Calvin
J.C. Quinn	...	Officer
Laura Dern	...	Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Janice McQueen Ward	...	Neighbor (uncredited)

Directed by
Anjelica Huston

Writing credits (WGA)
Dorothy Allison		(book)
Anne Meredith		(teleplay)

Produced by
Amanda DiGiulio	....	producer
Gary Hoffman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Van Dyke Parks

Cinematography by
Anthony B. Richmond

Film Editing by
Éva Gárdos

Casting by
John Brace
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Nelson Coates
Van Broughton Ramsey

Set Decoration by
Burton Rencher

Costume Design by
Van Broughton Ramsey

Makeup Department
Patti Brand	....	assistant makeup artist
Susan Buffington	....	assistant hair stylist
Julie Hewett	....	key makeup artist
Medusah	....	key hair stylist (as Medusah Aulenta-Spira)
Nikoletta Skarlatos	....	makeup artist
Rita Troy	....	assistant hair stylist
Bernard Williams	....	assistant hair stylist
Dana Williams	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Amanda DiGiulio	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy M. Bourne	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Tim Bourne)
Hilbert Hakim	....	second second assistant director
Lynn Wegenka	....	second assistant director
Mary Ellen Woods	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Peter Battistelli	....	construction coordinator
Danya Browder	....	art department coordinator
Sean Christopher	....	set dresser
Valerie Fann	....	art department buyer
Alex Ferguson	....	set dresser
John France	....	set dresser
Steve George	....	assistant propmaster (as Steven H. George)
Kevin Hardison	....	set designer
Michael D. Harrell	....	assistant props
David E. Harshbarger	....	property master
Susan Jones	....	assistant props
Stephanie Macomber Kern	....	scenic
Christopher Mahan	....	on-set dresser
Joe Malys	....	storyboard artist
Bob Osterman	....	charge scenic
Chester A. Spier	....	lead man
Birdie Talanca	....	construction buyer
Mike Underwood	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Peter Bentley	....	sound mixer
Peter Bergren	....	sound editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phil Hadaway	....	adr engineer
David Hankins	....	supervising sound editor
John A. Merten	....	sound recordist
Brooke Satrazemis	....	sound assistant
Ron Sistare	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Lorenzo Hall	....	special effects assistant
Greg Hull	....	special effects supervisor
Jeff Johnson	....	special effects assistant
Gus Ramsden	....	special effects assistant
E.W. Shipper	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
John Copeman	....	stunts
Dale Frye	....	stunts
David Paul Lord	....	stunts (as David Lord)
Dean Mumford	....	stunt coordinator
Charles Page	....	stunts
Michele Waitman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Aldridge	....	first assistant camera
Ryan Bartsch	....	grip
Logan R. Berkshire	....	key grip
Joe D'Alessandro	....	director of photography: second unit
Henry E. Ezzell III	....	best boy grip
Bill Finger	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	dolly grip
Gerald D. Hatchell	....	grip
Billy Hendricks	....	electrician
Adam Hinson	....	electrician
Michael Jarocki	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Michael A. Jones	....	electrician
Terry D. Long	....	electrician
Jack McCollum	....	best boy electric
Mick McNeely	....	gaffer
Jeff Moore	....	camera operator
Jonathan 'Chunky' Richmond	....	second assistant camera
Tim Rook	....	grip
Derek Smith	....	camera loader

Casting Department
Lisa Mae Fincannon	....	casting: North Carolina
Regan Forman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eliza Diggs	....	seamstress
Sonny Merritt	....	costume supervisor
Natalie Nye	....	seamstress
Alice Powell	....	seamstress
Jonny Pray	....	set costumer
Nina Proctor	....	set costumer
Nava R. Sadan	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Tracy Curtis	....	first assistant film editor
Stephanie Laing	....	post-production coordinator (as Stephanie Cone)
Sharon McGeeney	....	negative cutter
Bob McMillian	....	color timer
Ken Woodburn	....	second assistant film editor

Music Department
Todd Hayen	....	composer: additional music
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator
Robin Urdang	....	music supervisor
Richard Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Michael Coady	....	driver
Donell Crumpler Jr.	....	transportation co-captain (as Donell Crumpler)
Tyler C. Daum	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Jones	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Peter Paul Basler	....	production assistant (as Peter Basler)
David Curtis	....	production assistant
Louis Anthony Difelice	....	location manager
Robin Drinkwater	....	script supervisor: second unit
Alyce Fahsholtz	....	assistant production coordinator
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Chad Graves	....	production assistant
Bass Hampton	....	assistant location manager
Therese Honeycutt	....	craft service
Stone Lyons	....	production assistant
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach
Daniella Milton	....	assistant: Ms. Huston
Fay Moss	....	auditor
Thomas Parris	....	production assistant
Nina Proctor	....	shop supervisor
Thom Rainey	....	script supervisor
Shannon Rippy	....	production coordinator
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Alicia Rudd	....	animal wrangler
Lisa G. Shillingburg	....	first assistant accountant
Tara Nicole Weyr	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• Fine Films (2001) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (Canada)
• Out of Carolina Productions
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera package
• Todd-AO Studios  post-production sound

MPAA:

Rated R for strong depiction of sexual and violent abuse, including a rape scene involving a young girl.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:(Banned) (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating on appeal) | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Japan:R-15 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:Unrated | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Whiteville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Showtime Networks

Goofs:

Anachronisms: (00:12:57) Dermot Mulroney's character (Lyle Parsons) is driving along a road past a modern looking house with a very modern looking red truck parked in the driveway.

Quotes:

Anney Boatwright: Not my kids. I was never gonna have my girls know what it was like. I was never gonna have them go hungry or cold or scared. Never, you hear me? Never!

Soundtrack:

Trials, Troubles, Tribulations

Jena Malone's superb performance near perfection

Knowing that the movie deals with the multiple abuse of a young girl, I first read a long interview with Jena Malone, who plays 10 year old Bones, about her role in the movie and the relationship with both her mother and the film crew. I was assured that she is a strong girl and understood the role she played.

When she was little Bones' own daddy swings her around and around in a beautiful scene by a lake. There are sparkles on the water and in her eyes. But tragedy takes her daddy away, and for, what must have been a few years, she sits in the back of her car cuddling her little sister and waiting for her mother to get off shift at the cafe she worked at. Her mom gets married to a man who is pathetic, and at the same time angry, violent and ultimately a monster of cruelty to little Bones. Early on, he sexually abuses her in the car as they wait outside the hospital for her mother to give birth. Jena Malone played her part to perfection. Her pain, crooked smile, perfect cracker accent, defiance and fear drilled itself into my heart. I could feel her hopelessness and at the same time the flashes of joy when she was free to sing, as well as the love and protection she felt for her little sister.

The relationships between the characters were fully developed. While I cheered when Bones' stepfather was beat up, I still had a hard time hating him as much as I should. Bones' mother, although a sympathetic character who loved her babies, I may not forgive, at least from the time she carried Bones out of the hospital.

Altogether a ten star movie.