The Whole Wide World

This article is about the 1996 film. For other uses, see Whole Wide World (disambiguation).

The Whole Wide World
225px DVD cover
Directed by	Dan Ireland
Produced by	Carl Colpaert Dan Ireland Vincent D'Onofrio Kevin Reidy
Written by	Novalyne Price Ellis Michael Scott Myers
Starring	Vincent D'Onofrio Renée Zellweger
Music by	Harry Gregson-Williams Hans Zimmer
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Classics
Release dates	January 1996 (1996-01) (Sundance) September 8, 1996 (1996-09-08) (Toronto)
Running time	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1,300,000

The Whole Wide World is a 1996 American film depicting the relationship between pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard (Vincent D'Onofrio) and schoolteacher Novalyne Price Ellis (Renée Zellweger).

The film was adapted by Michael Scott Myers from Ellis's memoirs, One Who Walked Alone and Day of the Stranger: Further Memories of Robert E. Howard. The film was directed by Dan Ireland. Original music was provided by Harry Gregson-Williams and his mentor Hans Zimmer. This was their first collaboration as mentor and protegé.

Plot summary

In 1933 Texas school teacher and aspiring writer Novalyne Price is introduced by friends to pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard. A relationship soon develops between the two but it is doomed by personality conflicts and life events, such as the terminal illness of Howard's mother.

Cast

• Vincent D'Onofrio as Robert E. 'Bob' Howard
• Renée Zellweger as Novalyne Price
• Libby Villari as Etna Reed Price, Novalyne's mother
• Ann Wedgeworth as Mrs. Howard
• Harve Presnell as Dr. Howard
• Benjamin Mouton as Clyde Smith
• Michael Corbett as Mayor Booth Adams
• Helen Cates as Enid

Cast notes

• Olivia d'Abo, star of Conan the Destroyer, was intended for the role but was pregnant when shooting began.

Effects

When auditioning for the film Jerry Maguire, Zellweger met director Cameron Crowe several times but had trouble convincing him that she could play "a 20-something woman" rather than a girl. This was solved by Zellweger's agent sending Crowe a tape of The Whole Wide World.

Awards and honors

Nominated

• Grand Jury Prize at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival
• Best Female Lead for Renée Zellweger at the 1997 Independent Spirit Awards
• Best First Screenplay for Michael Scott Myers at the 1997 Independent Spirit Awards
• Best Film at the 1996 Verona Love Screens Film Festival

Won

• American Independent Special Jury Prize at the 1996 Seattle International Film Festival
• Best Actor for Vincent D'Onofrio (Golden Space Needle Award) at the 1996 Seattle International Film Festival
• Best Actress for Renée Zellweger at the 1996 Mar del Plata Film Festival
• Best Actor for Vincent D'Onofrio at the 1998 Lone Star Film & Television Awards
• Best Screenplay for Michael Scott Myers at the 1998 Lone Star Film & Television Awards
• Best Cinematography for Claudio Rocha at the 1996 Ft Lauderdale International Film Festival

References

Notes

External links

• The Whole Wide World at IMDb
• The Whole Wide World at AllMovie
• The Whole Wide World at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Whole Wide World at Barbarian Keep (Robert E. Howard site)