One of the most eagerly awaited directorial debuts at this year's festival comes from actress Anjelica Huston, a lady who needs no introduction. Nor does her late father, John Huston, a man considered to be one of the greatest filmmaking talents of his generation. It was under her father's direction that Huston won her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her performance in Prizzi's Honour.
To Anjelica goes the burden and pressures of following a film legend whose own directorial debut in 1941 resulted in three Oscar nominations. That film was, of course, The Maltese Falcon.
If that was not enough, Anjelica arrives with a film, Bastard out of Carolina, that carries its own stigma of notoriety like an illegitimate child in Victorian England. The film was considered too strong in content to be aired by TNT which left it, I suppose, technically speaking, an orphan. Turner Pictures was still selling on the feature as recently as the AFM, but the film is now heading for a new home, most likely at Fine Line (ironically, another company in the Turner fold), and a probable career on the big rather than small screen.
Turner felt that it was the fairest decision to pass on the film as it would have required too many cuts to air on network television in the US. "It is a wonderful film," enthused Bob Osher, Turner Picture Group, executive vice president, in conversation with Moving Pictures this week. "But to edit it for television would have compromised its integrity."
Bastard out of Carolina is based on Dorothy Allison's best-selling novel. Set in Greenville County, South Carolina, in the early 50s, the story revolves around the Boatwrights, a family of hard-drinking men and strong-willed women who marry too young and age too quickly.
Observing everything that goes on with the keen eye of a child is Bone, a young girl (played by Jena Malone), who herself is caught up in a vicious and destructive family triangle that continuously tests her mother's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) love.
Bone's new step-father, Daddy Glen (Ron Eldard), is at first gentle with the child, but he steadily becomes colder and more furious with her, making her life unbearable. In the end, Bone is forced to choose a life for herself after a final harrowing abusive encounter with Glen from which there is no turning back.
Slim Pikins
Prod Co: Out of Carolina
Productions Prod: Jamey Cohen
Dir: Anjelica Huston
Scr: Anne Meredith
Ph: Anthony Richmond
Prod des: Nelson Coates
Music/Score: Van Dyke Parks
Editor: Eva Gardos
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ron Eldard, Jena Malone, Glenne Headly, Lyle Lovett
Running time: 97mins
