George Wallace (film)
| George Wallace | |
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George Wallace DVD Cover
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| Directed by | John Frankenheimer |
| Produced by | John Frankenheimer Julian Krainin |
| Screenplay by | Paul Monash Marshall Frady |
| Story by | Paul Monash |
| Based on | Wallace: The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace by Marshall Frady |
| Starring | Gary Sinise Mare Winningham Clarence Williams III Angelina Jolie Joe Don Baker William Sanderson Terry Kinney Tracy Fraim |
| Music by | Gary Chang |
| Cinematography | Alan Caso |
| Edited by | Antony Gibbs |
| Distributed by | Turner Network Television |
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Release dates
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August 24, 1997 |
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Running time
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178 minutes |
| Language | English |
George Wallace is a 1997 television film starring Gary Sinise as George Wallace, the former Governor of Alabama. It was directed by John Frankenheimer, who won an Emmy award for it; Sinise and Mare Winningham also won Emmys for their performances. The film was based on the 1996 biography Wallace : The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace by Marshall Frady, who also co-wrote the teleplay.
Frankenheimer's film was highly praised by critics: in addition to the Emmy awards, it received the Golden Globe for Best Miniseries/Motion Picture made for TV. Angelina Jolie also received a Golden Globe for her performance as Wallace's second wife, Cornelia.
Contents
Plot
George Wallace portrays the political life of a complex man. Initially an ordinary Southern judge, Wallace transforms himself to achieve political success and glory, becoming one of the most reviled political figures in America. Finally, a failed assassination attempt which leaves him paralyzed and in pain leads him to realize what he has become.
The film follows the history of its namesake, from the 1950s when Wallace was a circuit court judge in Barbour County, to his tenure as the most powerful Governor in Alabama's history. The movie depicts his symbolic "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door", where Wallace attempted to block black students from entering the University of Alabama. It details his stance on racial segregation in Alabama at the time, which proved popular with his white constituents, and also depicts Wallace's rise as a presidential hopeful. This eventually leads to his attempted assassination—and his surprise victory in several states during the 1968 Presidential election.
Historical Inaccuracies
In a sequence taking place in 1955 introducing Cornelia Wallace Nee Snively despite her in real life being 16, she is shown carried on the arms of Governor Jim Folsom at a much younger age.[clarification needed]
Production
The film was shot in California because the then-Governor of Alabama, Fob James, refused to cooperate with location shooting in Wallace's home state.
Reception
The New York Times Caryn James wrote that events were "recreated with startling veracity and tension in the two-part mini-series called simply George Wallace." James wrote that Sinise was "amazing" and Mare Winningham was "extraordinary."[1]
Featured cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Gary Sinise | George C. Wallace |
| Mare Winningham | Lurleen Wallace |
| Clarence Williams III | Archie |
| Joe Don Baker | Big Jim Folsom |
| Angelina Jolie | Cornelia Wallace |
| Terry Kinney | Billy Watson |
| William Sanderson | T.Y. Odum |
| Mark Rolston | Ricky Brickle |
| Tracy Fraim | Gerald Wallace |
| Skipp Sudduth | Al Lingo |
| Ron Perkins | Nicholas Katzenbach |
| Mark Valley | Robert F. Kennedy |
| Scott Brantley | Arthur Bremer |
| Kathryn Erbe | Mrs. Folsom |
| Steve Harris | Neal |
| Bobby Kirby | James Hood |
| Ketema Nelson | Vivian Malone |
Awards and nominations
1998 American Cinema Editors (Eddies)
- Won - Best Edited Episode from a Television Mini-Series — Antony Gibbs (for part 2)
1998 American Society of Cinematographers
- Won - Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Mini-Series — Alan Caso
1998 Art Directors Guild
- Won - Excellence in Production Design Award for a Television Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola, Arlan Jay Vetter
1997 CableACE Award
- Won - Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries — Gary Sinise
- Won - Best Directing a Movie or Miniseries — John Frankenheimer
- Won - Best Makeup — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman
- Won - Best Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin, Ethel Winant, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries — Joe Don Baker
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries — Angelina Jolie
- Nominated - Best Art Direction in a Dramatic Special or Serires/Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola, Douglas A. Mowat
- Nominated - Best Editing a Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries — Antony Gibbs
- Nominated - Best Writing a Movie or Miniseries — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady
1998 Casting Society of America (Artios)
- Won - Best Casting for TV Miniseries — Iris Grossman
1998 Directors Guild of America
- Nominated - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials — John Frankenheimer
1998 Emmy Awards
- Won - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie — Gary Sinise
- Won - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — Mare Winningham
- Won - Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Movie — John Frankenheimer
- Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — Angelina Jolie
- Nominated - Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special — Iris Grossman
- Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie — Alan Caso
- Nominated - Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman, Keith Sayer, Cheryl Nick
- Nominated - Outstanding Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin, Ethel Winant, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati
1998 Golden Globe Awards
- Won - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Angelina Jolie
- Won - Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Nominated - Best Actor - Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Gary Sinise
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Mare Winningham
1998 Humanitas Prize
- Won - PBS/Cable Category — Marshall Frady, Paul Monash
1998 Motion Picture Sound Editors (Golden Reel Award)
- Nominated - Best Sound Editing - Television Mini-Series - Effects and Foley — Brady Schwartz
1997 Peabody Award
- Won - Peabody Award — Mark Carliner
1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Won - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Gary Sinise
- Nominated - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Mare Winningham
1998 Writers Guild of America Awards
- Nominated - Best Screenplay Adapted Long Form — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady
See also
References
External links
- English-language films
- Wikipedia articles needing clarification from December 2014
- 1997 television films
- American television films
- TNT Network original films
- American biographical films
- American films
- 1990s biographical films
- 1990s drama films
- Films about paraplegics or quadriplegics
- Films based on actual events
- Films based on biographies
- Films set in Alabama
- Films directed by John Frankenheimer
- Peabody Award winning broadcasts
- Best Miniseries or Television Movie Golden Globe winners
