Nobody's Fool (1994 film)

Nobody's Fool

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Robert Benton
Produced by Arlene Donovan
Scott Rudin
Written by Robert Benton
Based on Nobody's Fool by
Richard Russo
Starring Paul Newman
Music by Howard Shore
Cinematography John Bailey
Editing by John Bloom
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) December 23, 1994 (1994-12-23)
Running time 110 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $39,491,975[1]

Nobody's Fool is a 1994 American comedy-drama film based on the 1993 novel of the same name by Richard Russo. It stars Paul Newman, Jessica Tandy, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Dylan Walsh, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gene Saks, Josef Sommer, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Philip Bosco. The film was written for the screen and directed by Robert Benton. It was Tandy's final film before her death on September 11, 1994.

Contents

Plot

Donald "Sully" Sullivan is something of an oddball in the peaceful and snowy New York village of North Bath. He free-lances in the construction business, usually with his dim-witted young friend Rub by his side, and is often at odds with Carl Roebuck, a local businessman, flirting with Carl's wife Toby openly at every opportunity.

Sully is a tenant in the home of Miss Beryl, whose banker son strongly urges her to kick the boarder out. Family complications of his own develop for Sully with a visit from Peter, his estranged son. While they reconstruct their relationship, Sully strikes up a new one with his young grandson Will.

Jailed for punching a police officer named Raymer who has been persecuting him, Sully's luck seems to be all bad. But in turn his son and grandson warm up to him, his fortune takes a turn for the better and even the lovely Toby expresses a willingness to leave Carl and run away with him. At the end of the film, Sully is pretty much back where he began, boarding at Miss Beryl's, but this time the picture of contentment.

Cast

Production

Nobody's Fool was filmed in the Hudson Valley, New York towns of Beacon, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie, and Hudson. The setting for both the book and movie, the Southern Tier, New York village of North Bath, is based on the village of Ballston Spa in Saratoga County.

Accolades

Nobody's Fool was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Newman) and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. Paul Newman won the Silver Bear for Best Actor award at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival in 1995.[2]

References

External links