Why Do Fools Fall in Love (film)
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- For the 1956 song by Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, see Why Do Fools Fall in Love (song)
| Why Do Fools Fall in Love | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | Gregory Nava |
| Produced by | Executive Producers: Mark Allan Harold Bronson Gregory Nava Producers: Paul Hall Stephen Nemeth |
| Written by | Tina Andrews |
| Starring | Halle Berry Vivica A. Fox Lela Rochon Larenz Tate |
| Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
| Cinematography | Edward Lachman |
| Editing by | Nancy Richardson |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | August 28, 1998 |
| Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7,500,000 |
| Official website | |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Why Do Fools Fall in Love is an American 1998 romantic drama, directed by Gregory Nava. The screenplay was written by Tina Andrews.[1]
The film stars Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon and Larenz Tate.
The motion picture is a biographical film of the brief but intense life of singer Frankie Lymon, who was part of the R&B group Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers for one year. Moreover, the film highlights the three women in his life.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Lymon was thirteen years old when the teenage group Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers erupted from radios and jukeboxes with their 1956 hit, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?" and appeared in the movie Rock, Rock, Rock (1956).
After Mr. Rock and Roll (1957), Lymon started a solo singing career, but it all fell apart. Lymon's career was over by the time he was eighteen years old, and he died of a heroin overdose eight years later.
Jumping from the 1950s to the 1980s, the film traces the rise and fall of Lymon (Larenz Tate) in a series of flashbacks as courtroom claims on Lymon's royalties are outlined by three women: Zola Taylor (Halle Berry) of the Platters R&B group; Elizabeth Waters (Vivica A. Fox), who became a prostitute to cover the costs of Lymon's recovery from addiction; and schoolteacher Emira Eagle (Lela Rochon).
Little Richard also makes a courtroom appearance, while Miguel A. Nunez Jr. portrays Little Richard in scenes set in the 1950s.
The film ends with Elizabeth winning Frankie's estate, however later the ruling is overturned by the Court and Emira gets Frankie's estate.
[edit] Background
The screenplay of the film, written by actress-turned-screenwriter Tina Andrews, took fifteen years to be produced. Director Gregory Nava used most of the technical staff from his prior film Selena.[2]
[edit] Filming locations
Filming locations include: Jacksonville, Florida; Los Angeles, California; and Starke, Florida.
[edit] Exhibition and box office
The film was first presented at the Urbanworld Film Festival, New York, on August 8, 1998.
The film opened in wide release on August 28, 1998 (1,369 theatres) and sales the opening weekend were $3,946,382. Why Do Fools Fall in Love ran for 8 weeks domestically (66 days) and eventually grossed $12,506,676 in the United States. At its widest release the film was shown in 1,377 screens.[3]
[edit] Critical reception
The film opened to mixed reviews. Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times was disappointed in the screenplay and ultimately Nava's directon of the film. He said, "There are several angles this material might have been approached from, and director Gregory Nava tries several without hitting on one that works. By the end of the film we're not even left with anyone to root for; we realize with a little astonishment, waiting for the court verdict, that we don't care who wins."[4]
Yet, film critic Peter Stack liked the film and believes director Nava smartly juggles a lot of elements in the picture. He wrote, "Why Do Fools Fall in Love is a fresh, enlightening example of how to take a tragic American show-business story and make it funny, warm and terrifically entertaining...[it] brims with joyful spirit and raucous comedy...[and the film] deftly juggles a surprising number of elements, but they all work."[5]
[edit] Cast and ratings
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Argentina: | 16 |
| Chile: | 18 |
| Iceland: | 12 |
| Portugal: | M/12 |
| Singapore: | M18 |
| United Kingdom: | 15 |
| United States: | R |
- Halle Berry as Zola Taylor
- Vivica A. Fox as Elizabeth 'Mickey' Waters
- Lela Rochon as Emira Eagle
- Larenz Tate as Frankie Lymon
- Paul Mazursky as Morris Levy
- Pamela Reed as Judge Lambrey
- Alexis Cruz as Herman Santiago
- Jon Huertas as Joe Negroni
- David Barry Gray as Peter Markowitz
- Miguel A. Núñez Jr. as Young Little Richard
- Clifton Powell as Lawrence Roberts
- Lane Smith as Ezra Grahme
- Ben Vereen as Richard Barrett
- Paula Jai Parker as Paula King
- Marcello Thedford as Drug Dealer
- Norris Young as Jimmy
- Little Richard as Himself
- Aries Spears as Redd Foxx
[edit] Soundtrack
The film was an obvious showcase for great period music of the 1950s. As such, an original motion picture soundtrack was released by Rhino Records on September 8, 1998. The CD contained fourteen tracks including five of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers's original recordings. Other performers in the sountrack include: Little Richard, The Platters, the Shirelles, Otis Redding, and a few others.
A second CD was released on the same date by East West Records featuring music by Lymon and the Teenagers, performed by modern artists such as En Vogue, Melanie Brown, Missy Elliott, Destiny Child, Coko, and others.
[edit] Awards
Wins
- ALMA Awards: Outstanding Latino Director of a Feature Film, Gregory Nava, 1999.
- American Black Film Festival: Black Film Award; Best Actor, Larenz Tate, 1999.
Nominations
- ALMA Awards: Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film in a Crossover Role, Miguel A. Núñez Jr.; Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film, Alexis Cruz, 1999.
- American Black Film Festival: Black Film Award; Best Screenplay, Tina Andrews; Best Soundtrack, 1999.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Why Do Fools Fall in Love at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Savada, Elias. Nitrate Online Review, August 28, 1998.
- ^ The Numbers box office data.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun-Times, film review, August 28, 1998.
- ^ Stack, Peter. San Francisco Chronicle, "Captivating 'Fools' Hits Right Notes Superb acting in pop idol's biopic," film review, Section D-16, January 1, 1999.
