# Grey Gardens (2009 film)

Grey Gardens is a 2009 American biographical drama television film about the lives of Edith Bouvier "Little Edie" Beale, played by Drew Barrymore, and her mother Edith Ewing "Big Edie" Bouvier, played by Jessica Lange. Co-stars include Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jacqueline Kennedy, Little Edie's cousin, and Ken Howard as Phelan Beale, Little Edie's father. The film, directed by Michael Sucsy and co-written by Sucsy and Patricia Rozema, flashes back and forth between various events and dates ranging from Little Edie as a young débutante in 1936 moving with her mother to their Grey Gardens estate through the filming and premiere of the actual 1975 documentary Grey Gardens.
Filming began on October 22, 2007. It premiered on HBO on April 18, 2009.
The film was nominated for 17 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning six including Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (for Lange) and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (for Howard). It was also nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, winning two for Best Miniseries or Made for Television Movie and Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film (for Barrymore). It was also nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, winning one (for Barrymore). The film also won the 2009 Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials.

## Plot

The film is based on the life stories of the eccentric paternal aunt and first cousin of Jackie Kennedy, both named Edith Bouvier Beale. The elder Edith Bouvier Beale was the sister of Jackie Kennedy's father John Vernou Bouvier III and was nicknamed "Big Edie" while her daughter was called "Little Edie". The Beale women were members of New York City's high society but in their later years they withdrew from city life, living at their Long Island summer home/estate Grey Gardens. The house fell into a state of disrepair that gave the Beale women notoriety.
Through flashbacks, we are shown the history of the family's move into the estate. Phelan Beale, husband of Big Edie and father of Little Edie, eventually divorced his wife. In the movie, Little Edie decides to move to New York to pursue a career in acting and an ill-fated romance with high-profile married man Julius "Cap" Krug. Her father tells her that she has to find a husband to support her lifestyle. Little Edie sadly and slowly realizes her fate is to remain her mother's companion at Grey Gardens. After Phelan dies, their two sons tell their mother that there is little money and she should sell the estate and move to Florida. Despite her son's attempt to help, Big Edie pridefully declares that the house is in her name, and that the only way she'll leave is if she dies. The two women become reclusive and known around town as the highly eccentric proprietors of the home, which has become decrepit and full of stray animals which are taken in by the Beale women. Because of this, the Suffolk County, New York health department comes with a warrant to inspect the mansion and see how it is overrun by cats, raccoons, and mountains of garbage. This causes them to condemn the property and put an eviction notice on the door.
Soon after, Jackie visits and is shocked by the home's condition and by the oddball behavior of the women. Seeing as how she does not want to let the location or many of her childhood memories be taken down, she and her sister, Lee Radziwill, pay for the cleanup and restoration of the mansion.
During one of Radziwill's trips to the mansion, she introduces Big and Little Edie to documentarians Albert and David Maysles, who are making a film about her. A year later, the Maysles come back and say that Radziwill stopped cooperating but they decided that since they found Big and Little Edie to be the most interesting parts of the footage they shot, they asked to do one on them. The film then depicts the filming of various scenes of the documentary, Grey Gardens. When the documentary is finished, Little Edie plans to attend the premiere but her mother tries to discourage it out of spite and the two women fight before Little Edie escapes. Finding one of Big Edie's favorite cats, Whiskers, Little Edie goes back to her and Big Edie tearfully realizes that she has held her daughter back from having a life. She proclaims that she should have let her stay in New York. Reconciling, Big Edie gives her blessing for Little Edie to attend the premiere, and gives her her wedding earrings and necklace to wear, as she intended to give them to her when she got married. As Little Edie attends the premiere, she receives a standing ovation from the audience after its conclusion. Back at the mansion, Big Edie receives a call from Walter Goodman of The New York Times, and when he asks if he can get a comment from her of what she thinks about the Maysles film, she says, "No, Mr. Goodman, it's all in the movie", before she hangs up on him. She laughs as she repeats her last remark to Whiskers.
The movie ends with Little Edie singing "Tea for Two" at the Reno Sweeney cabaret in Greenwich Village and the quote "My mother gave me a truly priceless life."

## Cast

* Drew Barrymore as Edith "Little Edith" Bouvier Beale
* Jessica Lange as Edith "Big Edith" Bouvier Beale
* Jeanne Tripplehorn as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
* Ken Howard as Phelan Beale
* Kenneth Welsh as Max Gordon
* Arye Gross as Albert Maysles
* Justin Louis as David Maysles
* Daniel Baldwin as Julius Krug
* Malcolm Gets as George "Gould" Strong
* Louis Grise as Young Buddy Beale
* Joshua Peace as Adult Buddy Beale
* Neil Babcock as Young Phelan Beale Jr.
* Ben Carlson as Adult Phelan Beale Jr.
* Olivia Waldriff as Young Jackie Bouvier
* Neil Girvan as The Concierge

## Production

Michael Sucsy said that he used primary sources to flesh out the story including letters and journals kept by Little Edie. He also interviewed family members and friends including Lois Wright who lived in the house and wrote her own book about the events. Albert Maysles is credited as a source in the movie. Sucsy said that the house facade as well as the interior were created from blueprints. Sucsy said that an aerial shot of the house circa 1936 was historically accurate on the placement of the house in relation to other mansions in East Hampton at the time (although requiring CGI enhancements to create the illusion). As with many movies based on historical events, some events in the Beales' lives, such as the timing of Big Edie and Phelan's divorce, were shifted to make a more coherent story.
The entire film was shot in Ontario, with most of the shots in metropolitan Toronto. The Valley Halla Estate in Rouge Park was the setting of exterior shots of Grey Gardens. Waterfront shots were on Centre Island in the Toronto Islands. Hotel shots were at the Fairmont Royal York. Studio work was done at Toronto Film Studios.
The aerial shot of The Pierre was licensed from An Affair to Remember.
Post-production was done in New York and Los Angeles. The DVD commentary was done in the same studio where the Maysles mixed the original documentary.

## Reception
### Critical response

The movie has been lauded by many critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 100% out of 10 professional critics gave the film a positive review. Ben Lyons from At the Movies raved: "Drew Barrymore is fantastic in this film." Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers also raved: "The script hits a few bumps, but Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are magnificent as the bizarro Beales. Barrymore is a revelation. Aging into her 60s and transformed in voice and bearing, she finds Edie's unquenchable spirit. Brava."

### Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
| 2009 | Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Movie | Ellen Parks and Robin D. Cook | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Motion Picture | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Jessica Lange | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Ken Howard | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Jeanne Tripplehorn | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Michael Sucsy | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Editing in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Nominated |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Lighting in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Production Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Won |
| 2009 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Sound in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Made for Television Movie | Lucy Barzun Donnelly, Rachael Horovitz, Michael Sucsy, and David Coatsworth | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Drew Barrymore | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Jessica Lange | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Ken Howard | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Jeanne Tripplehorn | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special | Michael Sucsy | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or Dramatic Special | Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie | Kalina Ivanov, Brandt Gordon, and Norma Jean Sanders | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or Special | Ellen Parks and Robin D. Cook | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie | Mike Eley | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or Special | Catherine Marie Thomas and Mickey Carleton | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or Movie | Jenny Fifield-Arbour and Nancy E. Warren | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries or Movie (Non-Prosthetic) | Linda Dowds, Susan Hayward, and Vivian Baker | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or Special | Vivian Baker, Linda Dowds, Bill Corso, and Sean Sansom | Won |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) | Rachel Portman | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries or Movie | Alan Heim and Lee Percy | Nominated |
| 2009 | Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie | Henry Embry and Rick Ash | Nominated |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards | Best Motion Picture Made for Television | | Won |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2009 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television | Jessica Lange | Nominated |
| 2009 | Television Critics Association Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials | | Won |
| 2009 | Women Film Critics Circle Awards | Best Theatrically Unreleased Movie by or About Women | | Won |
| 2009 | Women's Image Network Awards | Outstanding Mini-Series / Made for Television Movie | | Won |
| 2009 | Women's Image Network Awards | Outstanding Actress Made for Television Movie / Mini-Series | Jessica Lange | Nominated |
| 2010 | American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Miniseries or Motion Picture for Television | Alan Heim and Lee Percy | Won |
| 2010 | Art Directors Guild Awards | Excellence in Production Design Award – Television Movie or Mini-series | Kalina Ivanov, Brandt Gordon, Colin Woods, Tucker Doherty, Jason Clarke, Jeff Helgason, and Jean Sanders | Won |
| 2010 | Cinema Audio Society Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Movies and Miniseries | Henry Embry and Rick Ash | Won |
| 2010 | Costume Designers Guild Awards | Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries | Catherine Marie Thomas | Won |
| 2010 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Picture Made for Television | | Won |
| 2010 | Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television or Miniseries | Michael Sucsy | Nominated |
| 2010 | Dorian Awards | TV Drama of the Year | | Won |
| 2010 | Dorian Awards | Campy Flick of the Year | | Nominated |
| 2010 | Dorian Awards | TV Performance of the Year: Drama | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2010 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Miniseries or Television Film | | Won |
| 2010 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2010 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film | Jessica Lange | Nominated |
| 2010 | Gracie Awards | Outstanding Female Actor in a Leading Lead in a Drama Special | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2010 | Producers Guild of America Awards | David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television | Lucy Barzun Donnelly, Rachael Horovitz, Michael Sucsy, and David Coatsworth | Won |
| 2010 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie | Drew Barrymore | Won |
| 2010 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie | Jessica Lange | Nominated |
| 2010 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Long Form – Original | Michael Sucsy and Patricia Rozema | Nominated |
| 2019 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Hall of Fame – Television Programs | | Inducted |

## Soundtrack

The Academy Award-winning composer Rachel Portman provided the film score. In addition to Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, the album includes vocal performances by the movie's lead actresses, Jessica Lange (on "We Belong Together" and "I Won't Dance" sung with Malcolm Gets) and Drew Barrymore (on "Tea for Two").

### Additional credits

| Jeff Atmajian – orchestrator Stephanie Diaz-Matos – music supervisor Chris Dibble – scoring mixer Jim Dunbar – music supervisor James Fitzpatrick – orchestra contractor (Tadlow Music) Bob Garrett – singing coach (Lange & Barrymore) Simon Haram – musician (soprano sax) Jan Holzner – assistant scoring engineer Alex Hustoles – musician (clarinet) Evyen J. Klean – music consultant Jaromir Klepac – musician: piano Stewart Lerman – music mixer, music producer (on-screen songs) | Petr Matejak – concert master Yann McCullough – auricle operator Randall Poster – music supervisor Jennifer Reeve – music coordinator George Seara – recordist (on-screen songs) Jiri Simunek – music preparation David Snell – conductor Erich Stratmann – music editor Stanja Vomockava – music translator Chris Cozens – auricle control systems (uncredited) Philip Tallman – music editor (uncredited) Youki Yamamoto – music associate (uncredited) |