The Trip To Bountiful is a great story of a literary work that had to find the right medium to make it a success. Back in 1953 aspiring playwright Horton Foote did this as a play on Broadway. It had a very limited run even with the presence of Lillian Gish in the starring role. 32 years later now a successful screenwriter Horton Foote adapted his flop play to the screen and it brought home an Oscar nomination for best screenplay adapted from another medium.
More important this work brought home an Oscar for Geraldine Page after seven nominations without the big prize. Geraldine will keep you glued to your seat watching this film, her performance runs quite the gamut of emotions. Page plays a widow living with her milquetoast son John Heard and his domineering wife Carlin Glynn. For Glynn the only value Page has is the Social Security check she brings in every month to keep the family going. In fact Glynn grabs it every month to make sure the bills are paid. Truth be told we learn that Heard was laid up with some undisclosed malady for a couple of years and now is starting with a new company and a new job in Houston. Still that money is something Glynn has gotten used to controlling.
I can identify with Page in her longing to return to familiar places and surroundings and get away from her daughter-in-law. For her what she wants most to see is Bountiful, Texas where she grew up.
My guess is that Horton Foote growing up in Texas himself saw a lot of towns like Bountiful go belly up, probably because there was oil there at one time and now the fields are played out. That's what's happened to Bountiful, the bounty ran out. But that does not deter Page one single bit.
As good as Page is in her role I think some recognition should be given to John Heard and Carlin Glynn in the Supporting categories. I can't believe neither was nominated, especially Glynn. Also Rebecca DeMornay has a fine part as a young wife journeying to join her in-laws while her husband is overseas.
No doubt that Horton Foote wanted to keep the setting in the Fifties when the play was written and the film was successful in doing that. But the story is a timeless one and could easily have been done in the year of 1985 when it came out.
Geraldine Page is wonderful in the part that finally brought her the Oscar. But the whole film is a well done piece of ensemble casting and the best in direction. Most of all it's for fans of Geraldine Page.
More important this work brought home an Oscar for Geraldine Page after seven nominations without the big prize. Geraldine will keep you glued to your seat watching this film, her performance runs quite the gamut of emotions. Page plays a widow living with her milquetoast son John Heard and his domineering wife Carlin Glynn. For Glynn the only value Page has is the Social Security check she brings in every month to keep the family going. In fact Glynn grabs it every month to make sure the bills are paid. Truth be told we learn that Heard was laid up with some undisclosed malady for a couple of years and now is starting with a new company and a new job in Houston. Still that money is something Glynn has gotten used to controlling.
I can identify with Page in her longing to return to familiar places and surroundings and get away from her daughter-in-law. For her what she wants most to see is Bountiful, Texas where she grew up.
My guess is that Horton Foote growing up in Texas himself saw a lot of towns like Bountiful go belly up, probably because there was oil there at one time and now the fields are played out. That's what's happened to Bountiful, the bounty ran out. But that does not deter Page one single bit.
As good as Page is in her role I think some recognition should be given to John Heard and Carlin Glynn in the Supporting categories. I can't believe neither was nominated, especially Glynn. Also Rebecca DeMornay has a fine part as a young wife journeying to join her in-laws while her husband is overseas.
No doubt that Horton Foote wanted to keep the setting in the Fifties when the play was written and the film was successful in doing that. But the story is a timeless one and could easily have been done in the year of 1985 when it came out.
Geraldine Page is wonderful in the part that finally brought her the Oscar. But the whole film is a well done piece of ensemble casting and the best in direction. Most of all it's for fans of Geraldine Page.