Main Cast: Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Carroll Baker, Michael O'Keefe, Diane Venora
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 135 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Based on the William Kennedy novel of the same name Ironweed is set in the waning years of the Depression. Jack Nicholson plays Francis Phelan, a washed-up ballplayer (a onetime infielder for the Washington Senators) who deserted his family back in the 1910s when he accidentally killed his infant son by dropping him. Since that time, Phelan has been a shabby barfly, living from drink to drink; he spends his days palling around with Rudy (Tom Waits), with whom he works a motley series of jobs in exchange for a place to lay his head and an occasional jug of wine. Wandering into his hometown of Albany, New York, Phelan blearily seeks out his girlfriend and erstwhile drinking companion of nine years, Helen Archer (Meryl Streep), who has begun prostituting herself for drink and lodging. The two derelicts touch base in a mission managed by minister James Gammon, and later in Fred Gwynne's squalid gin mill. Over the next few days, Phelan takes a few minor jobs to support his habit, while his mind wavers between past and present. Eventually, a chance for a reconciliation with his wife (Carroll Baker) emerges. Directed by Hector Babenco following his enormous success with Kiss of the Spider Woman , Ironweed netted Oscar nominations for Nicholson and Streep. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Fred Gwynne - Oscar Reo, Singing Bartender; Margaret Whitton - Katrina; Tom Waits - Rudy; Jake Dengel - Pee Wee; Nathan Lane - Harold Allen; James Gammon - Rev. Chester; Hy Anzell - Rosskam, Junk Dealer; Paul A. DiCocco, Jr. - Bus Driver; William Duell - Moose; James Dukas - Finny; Laura Esterman - Nora; Joe Grifasi - Jack; Richard Hamilton - Donovan; Bethel Leslie - Librarian; Ted Levine - Pocono Pete; Matt McGrath - Goblin; Jeff Morris - Michigan Mac; Pamela Payton-Wright - Mother; Frank Whaley - Young Francis; Will Zahrn - Rowdy Dick; Priscilla Caroline Smith - Sandra; Black-Eyed Susan - Clara; Nebraska Brace - Andy; Pat Devane - Nurse; Ean Ehas - Danny; Phyllis Guttung - Old Woman; Cori Irwin - Young Girl; Robert Manion - Raider; Boris McGiver - Clerk; Michael O'Gorman - Strike Leader; Terry O'Reilly - Aldo Campione; Lola Pashalinski - Fat Woman with Turkey; Martin Patterson - Foxy Phil Tooker; Louise Phillips - Flower Girl; George Rafferty - Raider; Marjorie Slocum - Elderly Woman; Lena Spencer - Slatternly Woman; Louis St. Louis - Piano Man; Lois Barden Stilley - Mrs. Dillon; Jared Swartout - Guard Captain; Jordan Valdina - Youth at Strike; James Yoham - Bald Man; John Wright
Credit
Robert Guerra - Art Director, Bonnie Timmermann - Casting, C.O. Erickson - Co-producer, Gene Kirkwood - Co-producer, Joseph G. Aulisi - Costume Designer, Hector Babenco - Director, Anne Goursaud - Editor, Rob Cohen - Executive Producer, Joseph H. Kanter - Executive Producer, Denis Blouin - Executive Producer, John Morris - Composer (Music Score), Benny Davis - Songwriter, James Thornton - Songwriter, Tom Waits - Songwriter, David Forrest - Makeup, Robert Guerra - Production Designer, Jeannine Oppewall - Production Designer, Lauro Escorel - Cinematographer, Keith Barish - Producer, Rob Cohen - Producer, Joseph H. Kanter - Producer, Marcia Nasatir - Producer, Elaine O'Donnell - Set Designer, Leslie Pope - Set Designer, Steve Kirshoff - Special Effects, Robert J. Litt - Sound/Sound Designer, Elliot Tyson - Sound/Sound Designer, Alan R. Gibbs - Stunts, Tom Benedek - Screenwriter, William Kennedy - Screenwriter, Ludwig van Beethoven - Featured Music, Hoagy Carmichael - Featured Music, Con Conrad - Featured Music, Gus Edwards - Featured Music, J. Russel Robinson - Featured Music, Stanley Adams - Featured Music, William Kennedy - Book Author
Major portions of the film were shot on location in Albany, New York, including Jay Street at Lark Street and the Miss Albany Diner on North Pearl Street.
The film is set in the later years of the Depression.
Francis Phelan (Jack Nicholson) is a washed-up baseball player who deserted his family back in the 1920s when he accidentally dropped his son while drunk and killed him. Since then, Phelan has been a shabby barfly, living from drink to drink.
Wandering into Albany, New York, Phelan seeks out his girlfriend and drinking companion, Helen Archer (Meryl Streep). The two meet up in a mission managed by Reverend Chester (James Gammon), and later in Oscar Reo's (Fred Gwynne) gin mill. Over the next few days, Phelan takes a few minor jobs to support his habit, while he thinks about the past and present.
A chance for a reconciliation with his wife Annie Phelan (Carroll Baker) is abandoned when a group of local reformers, who have baseball bats, take it upon themselves to drive the homeless out of Albany.
The film was received with enthusiasm because of the presence of stars Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. Movie critic Roger Ebert wrote, "Nicholson and Streep play drunks in Ironweed, and actors are said to like to play drunks, because it gives them an excuse for overacting. But there is not much visible 'acting' in this movie; the actors are too good for that." Ebert gave the film three stars out of four.[2] The film has an 90% rating in the film website Rotten Tomatoes.[3] Ms. Streep received raves from most critics; Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote that "Meryl Streep, as ever, is uncanny. Miss Streep uses the role of Helen as an opportunity to deliver a stunning impersonation of a darty-eyed, fast-talking woman of the streets, an angry, obdurate woman with great memories and no future. There isn't much more to the film's Helen than this, and indeed the character may go no deeper, but she's a marvel all the same. Behind the runny, red-rimmed eyes, the nervous chatter and the haunted expression, Miss Streep is even more utterly changed than her costar, and she even sings well. The sequence in which Helen entertains the real and imagined patrons of a bar room with a rendition of 'He's Me Pal' is a standout."[4]
