Themes: Interracial/Cross-Cultural Romance, Nannies and Caregivers, Servants and Employers
Main Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Ray Liotta, Tina Majorino, Wendy Crewson, Larry Miller, Erica Yohn
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 114 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
In this comedy-drama set in the late 1950s, Manny Singer (Ray Liotta) is a songwriter who makes his living penning jingles for radio and television commercials. Manny's wife has recently died, leaving him an emotionally broken man; Manny buries himself in his work rather than deal with his grief. His young daughter Molly (Tina Majorino) is taking it even harder; since her mother's passing, Molly has refused to speak. Manny realizes that he needs help taking care of the house and looking after Molly, so he places an ad looking for a maid who can double as a nanny. After a long series of unsuitable applicants, Manny meets Corrina Washington (Whoopi Goldberg), who isn't much on cooking, cleaning, or domestic chores -- but who strikes an immediate chord with Molly. Corrina gets the job, and her vivacious, unconventional personality brings the joy of living back to the Singer home. A romance also begins to bloom between Manny and Corrina, though Manny quickly discovers that being in an interracial relationship in 1959 is not always easy or pleasant. Joan Cusack and Don Ameche highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Jessie Nelson's Corrina, Corrina takes such potentially touchy topics as race relations and the grieving process of a young girl who has lost her mother, and fashions a friendly, feel-good love story. The soft-peddled script would make the movie nearly unbearable if not for the skill of Ray Liotta, Whoopi Goldberg, and especially Tina Majorino, who has been given the cute moppet role but is doing her best to play the initially mute child as a real human. Liotta writes jingles while Goldberg dreams of writing liner notes for jazz albums. This connection leads to some excellent uses of the late-'50s setting, and allows just enough ground for their relationship to feel like it is based on something other than plot necessities. But like her later film I Am Sam, Nelson avoids confronting the messiest aspects of the lives of her characters. Corrina, Corrina could have been a sharply observed period piece and character study (the actors certainly seemed up for the task), but settles instead for mushy feel-good sentiment. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Don Ameche - Grandpa Harry; Jenifer Lewis - Jevina; Joan Cusack - Jonesy; Harold Sylvester - Frank; Steven Williams - Anthony T. Williams; Patrika Darbo - Wilma; Lucy Webb - Shirl; Courtland Mead - Howard; Asher Metchik - Lewis; Sue Carlton - Mrs Werner; June C. Ellis - Miss O'Herlihy; Karen Leigh Hopkins - Liala Sheffield; Cathy Moriarty; Louis Mustillo - Joe Allechinetti; Lin Shaye - Repeat Nanny; Brent Spiner - Brent Witherspoon; K.T. Stevens - Mrs Morgan; Lynette Walden - Annie; Maud Winchester - Mrs Rodgers; Bryan Gordon - Business Associate; Don Pugsley - Delivery Man; Curtis Williams - Percy; Noreen Hennesey - High Heels; Pearl Huang - Mrs Wang; Mimi Lieber - Rita Lang; Sean Moran - Delivery Man; Barbara Cohen; Mary Gail Artz; Marcus Toji - Tommy
Credit
Dina Lipton - Art Director, Joseph Fineman - Associate Producer, Mary Gail Artz - Casting, Francine Jamison-Tanchuck - Costume Designer, John Hayles - Costume Designer, Phillip Christon - First Assistant Director, Jessie Nelson - Director, Lee Percy - Editor, Wayne Wahrman - Editor, Bernie Goldmann - Executive Producer, Ruth Vitale - Executive Producer, Rick Cox - Composer (Music Score), Thomas Newman - Composer (Music Score), Jeannine Oppewall - Production Designer, Eric McLeod - Production Designer, Bruce Surtees - Cinematographer, Paula Mazur - Producer, Steve Tisch - Producer, Jessie Nelson - Producer, Eric McLeod - Producer, Lauren M. Gabor - Set Designer, Louisa Bonnie - Set Designer, Lou Carlucci - Special Effects, David Kelson - Sound Mixer, Michael Jenning - Screenwriter, Jessie Nelson - Screenwriter, Jessie Nelson - Book Author
Corrina, Corrina is a 1994 feature film set in 1959 about a widower (Ray Liotta) who hires a housekeeper-nanny (Whoopi Goldberg) to care for his daughter (Tina Majorino). It was written and directed by Jessie Nelson. It was the last film ever made with Don Ameche. He died after the filming was over.[1]
After his wife dies, Manny Singer begins looking for a housekeeper/nanny to take care of his daughter, Molly. After several unsuccessful interviews, including a closet alcoholic (Joan Cusack) who tries to seduce him, Manny has a black woman named Corrina interview for the position. Because she is totally without qualifications, he initially chooses not to hire her. After seeing Molly outside with Corrina who acknowledges her existence, Manny hires the no-nonsense housekeeper. Corrina forms a bond with Molly very quickly, and eventually Molly speaks to her. Manny and Corrina start to fall in love, but they face difficulties due to their different racial backgrounds. Corrina's sister wants her to date a fellow black man, and Manny's best friend wants him to date a perky white woman with two children. At the end, Manny and Corrina attempt to begin a relationship, with her having quit her position.
The film received primarily mixed reviews with many film critics criticizing Nelson's failure to fully address the complications surrounding a romantic interracial relationship in the 1950s. Roger Ebert confessed that he enjoyed the film but wrote, "...seems almost as shy as the characters about the charged issues of race and romance. After it was over I felt that, yes, it was warm and good-hearted, but there was more of a story there to be told." [2]Janet Maslin of The New York Times praised the actors and actress for their work on the film but echoed a similar criticism to Ebert's regarding Manny and Corrina's relationship, "The affection between them is evident, but not even by the end of her story has Ms. Nelson decided what sort of affection it is. That may be true to life, but for an otherwise mainstream movie, it's trouble." [3]
