The Trip to Bountiful (1985)
- Starring:
- Geraldine Page, John Heard, (more)
- Director(s):
- Peter Masterson
- Category:
- Drama
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Adapted by Horton Foote from his own television play, A Trip to Bountiful is set in 1947 Houston. Forced by circumstances to live her loathsome son (John Heard) and daughter-in-law (Carlin Glynn), elderly Geraldine Page wants nothing more out of life than to return to her home town of Bountiful. Escaping from her family's clutches, Page boards a bus to Bountiful, where she makes the acquaintance of young Rebecca DeMornay. The two women immediately hit it off, and their trip is a most pleasant one. Eventually, sheriff Richard Bradford, ordered to find Page and bring her back to her family, catches up with the old woman just 12 miles from Bountiful. Feeling sorry for Page, Bradford permits her to complete her sentimental journey, even though he knows full well that Bountiful is now a ghost town of empty ruins and dilapidated shacks. It doesn't matter, though: Page sees Bountiful just as it was when she left it, and for the first time in years she is truly happy and at peace with herself. After several near-misses, Geraldine Page finally won an Academy Award for A Trip to Bountiful (incidentally, the original TV production, which still exists in kinescope form, starred Lillian Gish and Eva Marie Saint). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 108 mins
Complete Cast:
- Geraldine Page - Mrs. Watts
- Carlin Glynn - Jessie Mae
- Rebecca De Mornay - Thelma
- Peggy Ann Byers - Downstairs Neighbor
- David Romo - Mexican Man
- Dean de Wulf - Young Ludie Watts
- Dave Tanner - Billy Davis
- Harvey Lewis - Bus Ticket Man
- Marilee VanWagenen - Family on the bus
- Larry Langley - News Vendor
- Ed Johnston - Man on Bus
- Frances Peterson - Young Carrie Watts
- Willie VanWagenen - Family on the bus
- John Torn - Twin
- Alexandra Masterson - Drugstore Waitress
- John Heard - Ludie Watts
- Richard Bradford - Sheriff
- Kevin Cooney - Roy
- Allison Marich - Blonde on Bus
- Arthur VanWagenen - Family on the bus
- Tony Torn - Twin
- Peter Masterson - Newspaper Boy
- Norman Bennett - Bus Ticket Man
- Wezz Tildon - Bus Passenger
- Mary Kay Mars - Rosella
- Jim Drake - Bus Station Derelict
- Kirk Sisco - Train Ticket Agent
- Andrew Van Wagenen - Family on the bus
- Don Wyse - Doctor
- Gil Glasgow - Stationmaster Gerard
- Director(s):
- Peter Masterson
- Writer(s):
- Horton Foote
- Producer(s):
- Sterling Van Wagenen, Dennis Bishop, Sam Grogg
- Categories:
- Drama
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1985 - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Screenplay
- 1985 - Independent Spirit Awards - Best Actress
- 1986 - National Media Owl - First Prize
