Unstrung Heroes
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Unstrung Heroes is a 1995 American dramedy film directed by Diane Keaton. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese is based on an autobiographical novel by sportswriter Franz Lidz.
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[edit] Plot synopsis
When young Steven's mother Selma is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and becomes increasingly ill, his eccentric inventor father Sid - despite deep reservations - allows him to live with his dysfunctional uncles, pack rat Arthur and delusional paranoid Danny, in their cluttered apartment in the rundown King Edward Hotel. The two, who live in a setting worthy of the Collyer brothers, rechristen the boy with the more colorful name Franz and help him cope with his emotions by teaching him to value his own uniqueness. Learning from the odd pair that even though hope and science may fail us, art always survives, Franz secretly begins to create a memorial to his mother before she dies, filling a box with personal mementos - a tube of lipstick, an empty Chanel bottle, a cigarette lighter, and the like.
[edit] Production notes
The film shifted the original story's setting of New York to Southern California, and the four uncles from the novel were condensed into two.
Keaton's previous directing credits were the 1987 documentary Heaven and the 1991 television movie Wildflower.
The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1995. Prior to its release, it was shown at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Boston Film Festival, both held in September 1995 [1].
During its widest release in the US, the film played at only 576 theaters. It grossed $7,929,000 [2].
[edit] Principal cast
- Andie MacDowell ..... Selma Lidz
- John Turturro ..... Sid Lidz
- Michael Richards ..... Danny Lidz
- Maury Chaykin ..... Arthur Lidz
- Nathan Watt ..... Steven/Franz
- Celia Weston ..... Amelia
- Candice Azzara ..... Joanie
- Jack McGee ..... Lindquist
[edit] Principal production credits
- Producers ..... Susan Arnold, Bill Badalato, Donna Roth
- Original Music ..... Thomas Newman
- Cinematography ..... Phedon Papamichael
- Production Design ..... Garreth Stover
- Art Direction ..... Chris Cornwell
- Set Decoration ..... Larry Dias
- Costume Design ..... Jill M. Ohanneson
[edit] Critical reception
In her review in the New York Times, Janet Maslin called it "a warm, surprising, gently incandescent film . . . [that] becomes a celebration of quirky independence and the sustaining powers of art and memory . . . [it] also succeeds in becoming very moving without being maudlin . . . [the] screenplay runs the risk of being generically uplifting, even bland; instead, it has a sharply distinctive flavor, honest pathos and a hint of delightful household magic. Thomas Newman's sparkling musical score echoes that buoyant tone." [3]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said the film "has been directed by Diane Keaton with an unusual combination of sentiment and quirky eccentricity. There are moments so touching that the heart almost stops." [4]
In the San Francisco Chronicle, Edward Guthmann called it "a picture that bears comparison to To Kill a Mockingbird . . . [it] is that rare mainstream film that doesn't shout in our ear to make its points. It draws us in, subtly and gracefully, and casts a lingering charm." [5]
Rita Kempley of the Washington Post described it as "a sensitive coming-of-age story in the sublime tradition of My Life as a Dog." [6]
In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers opined, "The movie works like a charm . . . Keaton has crafted something rare: a screwball comedy that cuts to the heart." [7]
[edit] Awards and nominations
Thomas Newman was nominated for the Academy Award for Original Music Score and the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television. Despite the primarily serious nature of his role, Michael Richards was nominated for the American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.
