The Ballad of the Sad Café (film)
| The Ballad of the Sad Café | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Simon Callow |
| Written by | Michael Hirst |
| Based on | The Ballad of the Sad Café by Carson McCullers The Ballad of the Sad Café by Edward Albee |
| Produced by | Ismail Merchant |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Walter Lassally |
| Edited by | Andrew Marcus |
| Music by | Richard Robbins |
| Distributed by | Angelika Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 100 minutes |
| Countries | United States Canada |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3.5 million |
| Box office | $200,000 (US) |
The Ballad of the Sad Café is a 1991 Southern Gothic drama film directed by Simon Callow in his directorial debut, and starring Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, and Rod Steiger. Its plot follows Amelia, a moonshiner in rural 1930s Georgia whose lonely life is interrupted by the arrival of two men: First, her long-lost cousin, and later, her former husband recently released from prison.
A co-production between the United States and Canada, the film's screenplay was written by Michael Hirst, adapted from the Edward Albee play, which in turn was based on a novella in a collection of short stories of the same title by American writer Carson McCullers. The film was entered into the 41st Berlin International Film Festival.