The Ballad of the Sad Café (film)

The Ballad of the Sad Café
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySimon Callow
Written byMichael Hirst
Based onThe Ballad of the Sad Café
by Carson McCullers
The Ballad of the Sad Café
by Edward Albee
Produced byIsmail Merchant
Starring
CinematographyWalter Lassally
Edited byAndrew Marcus
Music byRichard Robbins
Distributed byAngelika Films
Release dates
Running time
100 minutes
CountriesUnited States
Canada
LanguageEnglish
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.