The Whales of August

Whales in August is an American film by British director Lindsay Anderson in 1987. It is based on the stage play The Whales of August by David Berry, who also wrote the screenplay.

Action

The sisters Libby and Sarah spend the summer since her youth in a wooden house on the cliffs of an island off the coast of the U.S. state of Maine. Previously, they could see the whales passing by in August, but this does not happen for several years more. Both are already in old age. Libby is blind and grumpy and Sarah, who lost her husband shortly after the marriage is childless and takes good care of her sister.

The sensitized to their environment Libby noted, however, that the neighbor Tisha intends Sarah to move to sell their house and move without Libby to her. The charming Russian immigrants Mr. Maranov which must soon worry about being homeless and destitute, and therefore lends itself subtly Sarah, Libby likes as little and shows him this also unabashedly.

Despite all disputes and their initial resistance, Libby agrees to the installation of a desired by Sarah panoramic window to the sea at the end - although it profit you nothing and it keeps both already too old for change. The two old ladies go out on a cliff and hope yet to see this year the whales.

Criticism

" It is possible that Anderson squints too much Tschechowscher melancholy, and that the secrets in the past the two old ladies often do not redeem in its simplicity the tension built up. But such an opportunity, two of the greatest actresses in the history of cinema to see it again, aged and putting apart with age, it will certainly not be again. "

"A film about aging and the attitude towards it, and a tribute to nearly 100 years of cinema, embodied in Lillian Gish and Bette Davis, whose charisma dominates the film. "

Background

Whales in August had its premiere on 16 October 1987 in New York.

The film was shot on the peaks Iceland in the U.S. state of Maine.

For Bette Davis it was the last film she veered completely. Two years later she appeared again in the film "Dance of the Witches" ( "Wicked Stepmother " ) in front of the camera, but the shooting broke out due to health reasons and because of differences with the director Larry Cohen prematurely.

In Japan, where old people is met with a special respect, the film ran for a year at the cinema and it was performed several stage versions. Even in Russia, Greece and the UK came the story after the movie on stage.

Awards

Lillian Gish was honored for her role in this film with the National Board of Review Award / Best Actress.

1987 in film Film score Alan Price National Board of Review Award for Best Actress
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