George Wallace (film)
George Wallace is a 1997 biographical two-part mini-series produced and directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Gary Sinise as the titular former Governor of Alabama. The mini-series's teleplay, written by Marshall Frady and Paul Monash, is based on the 1996 biography Wallace: The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace by Frady. Mare Winningham, Clarence Williams III, Joe Don Baker, Angelina Jolie, Terry Kinney, William Sanderson, Mark Rolston, Tracy Fraim, Skipp Sudduth, Ron Perkins, and Mark Valley also star.
| George Wallace | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Genre | Biographical |
| Based on | Wallace: The Classic Portrait of Alabama Governor George Wallace by Marshall Frady |
| Screenplay by | Paul Monash Marshall Frady |
| Story by | Paul Monash |
| Directed by | John Frankenheimer |
| Starring | Gary Sinise Mare Winningham Clarence Williams III Joe Don Baker Angelina Jolie Terry Kinney William Sanderson Mark Rolston Tracy Fraim Skipp Sudduth Ron Perkins Mark Valley |
| Theme music composer | Gary Chang |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Mark Carliner |
| Producer(s) | John Frankenheimer Julian Krainin |
| Cinematography | Alan Caso |
| Editor(s) | Tony Gibbs |
| Running time | 178 minutes |
| Production company(s) | TNT |
| Distributor | TNT |
| Release | |
| Original network | TNT |
| Original release | August 24, 1997 |
George Wallace was highly praised by critics and received various accolades: including Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing (Frankenheimer), Outstanding Lead Actor (Sinise), and Outstanding Supporting Actress (Winningham), and Golden Globes for Best Television Film and Best Supporting Actress (Jolie).
Plot
George Wallace portrays the political life of a complex man. Initially an ordinary Southern judge, Wallace transforms himself to achieve political success and glory, becoming one of the most reviled political figures in the U.S. Finally, a failed assassination attempt which leaves him paralyzed and in pain leads him to realize what he has become.
The film follows the story of Wallace's life from the 1950s, when he was a circuit court judge in Barbour County, to his tenure as the most powerful Governor in Alabama's history. The movie depicts his symbolic "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door", where Wallace attempted to block black students from entering the University of Alabama. It details his stance on racial segregation in Alabama at the time, which proved popular with his white constituents, and also depicts Wallace's rise as a presidential hopeful. This eventually leads to his attempted assassination—and his surprise victory in several states during the 1968 Presidential election.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Gary Sinise | George C. Wallace |
| Mare Winningham | Lurleen Wallace |
| Clarence Williams III | Archie |
| Joe Don Baker | Big Jim Folsom |
| Angelina Jolie | Cornelia Wallace |
| Terry Kinney | Billy Watson |
| William Sanderson | T.Y. Odum |
| Mark Rolston | Ricky Brickle |
| Tracy Fraim | Gerald Wallace |
| Skipp Sudduth | Al Lingo |
| Ron Perkins | Nicholas Katzenbach |
| Mark Valley | Robert F. Kennedy |
| Scott Brantley | Arthur Bremer |
| Kathryn Erbe | Mrs. Folsom |
| Steve Harris | Neal |
| Bobby Kirby | James Hood |
| Ketema Nelson | Vivian Malone |
Reception
The New York Times, Caryn James, wrote that events were "recreated with startling veracity and tension in the two-part mini-series called simply George Wallace." James wrote that Sinise was "amazing" and Mare Winningham was "extraordinary."[1]
Awards and nominations
1998 American Cinema Editors (Eddies)
- Won - Best Edited Episode from a Television Mini-Series — Antony Gibbs (for part 2)
1998 American Society of Cinematographers
- Won - Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Mini-Series — Alan Caso
1998 Art Directors Guild
- Won - Excellence in Production Design Award for a Television Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola, Arlan Jay Vetter
1997 CableACE Award
- Won - Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries — Gary Sinise
- Won - Best Directing a Movie or Miniseries — John Frankenheimer
- Won - Best Makeup — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman
- Won - Best Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin, Ethel Winant, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries — Joe Don Baker
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries — Angelina Jolie
- Nominated - Best Art Direction in a Dramatic Special or Serires/Movie or Miniseries — Michael Z. Hanan, Charles M. Lagola, Douglas A. Mowat
- Nominated - Best Editing a Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries — Antony Gibbs
- Nominated - Best Writing a Movie or Miniseries — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady
1998 Casting Society of America (Artios)
- Won - Best Casting for TV Miniseries — Iris Grossman
1998 Directors Guild of America
- Nominated - Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Specials — John Frankenheimer
1998 Emmy Awards
- Won - Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie — Gary Sinise
- Won - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — Mare Winningham
- Won - Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Movie — John Frankenheimer
- Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie — Angelina Jolie
- Nominated - Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special — Iris Grossman
- Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie — Alan Caso
- Nominated - Outstanding Makeup For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special — Janeen Schreyer, John E. Jackson, Matthew W. Mungle, Patricia Androff, Jamie Kelman, Keith Sayer, Cheryl Nick
- Nominated - Outstanding Miniseries — Mark Carliner, John Frankenheimer, Julian Krainin, Ethel Winant, Mitch Engel, James Sbardellati
1998 Golden Globe Awards
- Won - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Angelina Jolie
- Won - Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Nominated - Best Actor - Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Gary Sinise
- Nominated - Best Supporting Actress - Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television — Mare Winningham
1998 Humanitas Prize
- Won - PBS/Cable Category — Marshall Frady, Paul Monash
1998 Motion Picture Sound Editors (Golden Reel Award)
- Nominated - Best Sound Editing - Television Mini-Series - Effects and Foley — Brady Schwartz
1997 Peabody Award
- Won - Peabody Award — Mark Carliner
1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Won - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Gary Sinise
- Nominated - Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries — Mare Winningham
1998 Writers Guild of America Awards
- Nominated - Best Screenplay Adapted Long Form — Paul Monash, Marshall Frady
References
- James, Caryn (August 23, 1997). "Going Beyond Just Facts To Show a Hollow Soul". The New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2016.