Ironweed (film)

Infobox Film
name = Ironweed

"Ironweed" is a 1987 film directed by Argentine-born Brazilian Hector Babenco. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093277/ "Ironweed"] at the Internet Movie Database.]

The picture is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by William Kennedy, and tells the story of an alcoholic, wandering man and woman during America's Great Depression. Kennedy also wrote the screenplay.

It stars Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Carroll Baker, Michael O'Keefe, Diane Venora, Fred Gwynne, Tom Waits and Nathan Lane. The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (for Nicholson) and Best Actress in a Leading Role (for Streep).

Major portions of the film were shot on location in Albany, New York, including Jay Street at Lark Street and the Miss Albany Diner on North Pearl Street.

Plot

The film is set in the later years of the Depression.

Francis Phelan (Jack Nicholson) is a washed-up baseball player who deserted his family back in the 1920s when he accidentally dropped his son while drunk and killed him. Since then, Phelan has been a shabby barfly, living from drink to drink.

Wandering into Albany, New York, Phelan seeks out his girlfriend and drinking companion Helen Archer (Meryl Streep). The two meet up in a mission managed by Reverend Chester (James Gammon), and later in Oscar Reo's (Fred Gwynne) gin mill. Over the next few days, Phelan takes a few minor jobs to support his habit, while he thinks about the past and present.

A chance for a reconciliation with his wife Annie Phelan (Carroll Baker) is abandoned when a group of local reformers, who have baseball bats, take it upon themselves to drive the homeless out of Albany.

Cast and ratings

Infobox movie certificates
United_States = R
United_Kingdom = 15
Canada (British Columbia) =
Canada (Alberta) =
Canada (Manitoba) =
Canada (Ontario) =
Canada (Maritime) = 14A
Canada (Quebec) =
Canada (Home Video) =
Finland = K-14
Sweden = 11
Iceland = 16
Chile = 14
Argentina = 13
* Jack Nicholson as Francis Phelan
* Meryl Streep as Helen Archer
* Carroll Baker as Annie Phelan
* Michael O'Keefe as Billy Phelan
* Diane Venora as Margaret 'Peg' Phelan
* Fred Gwynne as Oscar Reo
* Margaret Whitton as Katrina Dougherty
* Tom Waits as Rudy
* Jake Dengel as Pee Wee
* Nathan Lane as Harold Allen
* James Gammon as Reverend Chester
* Will Zahrn as Rowdy Dick
* Laura Esterman as Nora Lawlor
* Joe Grifasi as Jackson
* Hy Anzell as Rosskam

Critical reception

Footnotes

External links

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