Themes: Fighting the System, Race Against Time, Death Row
Main Cast: Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney, Gabriel Mann, Matt Craven
Release Year: 2003
Country: US/UK/DE
Run Time: 130 minutes
Plot
The mystery of one man's guilt or innocence literally becomes a matter of life and death in this drama. David Gale (Kevin Spacey) was the head of the philosophy department at Austin University and the author of several well-regarded books; he was also an active and visible member of Deathwatch, an anti-capital punishment activist group. One of Gale's best friends was Constance Harraway (Laura Linney), a fellow Deathwatch activist with whom he became especially close, particularly since Gale's wife, Sharon (Elizabeth Gast), who had taken a lover in Spain, was usually absent. One night, Gale was seduced by an attractive student from his class, Berlin (Rhona Mitra), who had too much to drink; later, the remorseful student accused Gale of rape. While Gale was eventually cleared of the charges, the negative publicity cost him his career as an educator, and with no job and no wife, Gale turned to drink. When Harraway was found raped and murdered a few years later, Gale was charged with the crime, and convicted despite the best efforts of his well-meaning but ineffectual lawyer Braxton Belyeu (Leon Rippy). Now Gale awaits execution, and less than a week before his date with the fatal injection, Gale agrees to tell his story to Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet), a nervy journalist from a major newsmagazine, who arrives with her assistant, Zack Stemmons (Gabriel Mann). As Bloom discusses the facts of the Harraway murder with Gale, it occurs to her that the details simply don't add up, and soon a mysterious stranger slips evidence to her that suggests Gale has been framed -- leaving Bloom and Stemmons only a few days to solve the mystery and save Gale from the executioner. The Life of David Gale was co-produced by actor Nicolas Cage, who originally commissioned the script and intended to star in the film before prior commitments led him to hand the project over to director Alan Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Leon Rippy - Braxton Belyeu; Elizabeth Gast - Sharon Gale; Cleo King - Barbara Kreuster; Constance Bridges Jones - A. J. Roberts; Lee Ritchey - Joe Mullarkey; Michael Crabtree - Gov. Hardin; Jim Beaver - Duke Grover; Vernon Grote - Door Guard; George Haynes - Interviewee; James Huston - Death Watch Chief/TV Reporter; Robert Lott - Bullhorn Protester; Marco Perella - TV Host; Matthew Posey - Inmate Cook; Kirk Sisco - TV Reporter; Mark Voges - Bullhorn Protester; Katherine Willis - Bullhorn Protester; Charles Sanders - John; Julio Cedillo - Officer Ramirez; Michael Fontaine - TV Assistant Director; Jack Gould - Chaplain; Maurice Moore - Belyeu's Clerk; Cliff Stephens - University President; Rhona Mitra - Berlin; Amparo Garcia - TV Reporter; Ampero Moreno - Sharon's Maid; Brandy Little - Motel Waitress; Melissa McCarthy - Goth Girl "Nico"; Brian Orr - TV Reporter; Asia DeMarcos - TV Reporter; Chris Warner - Hospital Orderly; Kathy Lamkin - Interviewee; Jack Watkins - Photographer; Donald Braswell - TV Tenor; Barbara Petricini Buxton - TV Reporter; Chuck Cureau - Greer; David Dahl - TV Reporter; Nick Dawson - Interviewee; Jesse De Luna - Supervising Guard; Chris Drewy - Radio Shed Executive; Pilar Ferreiro - Barcelona Neighbor; Steve Flanagin - Interviewee; Patrick Fries - News Cameraman; Joan Gispert - Guillermo; Jennifer Halverson - College Girl; Sean Hennigan - Ross; Julia Kay-Laskowski - TV Soprano; Janis Kelly - Liù; Julia LaShae - New Homeowner; Justin Lavender - Calaf; Evelyn Lindsey - Interviewee; Gwyn Little - Religious Woman; Katie Lott - Berlin's Classmate; Lynn Mathis - Warden; T.J. McFarland - Interviewee; Catenya McHenry - TV Reporter; Christopher Meister - Officer Hasermann; Cindy Michelle - Constance's Doctor; Rick Morrow - Section 1835 Guard; Claudia Parker - Mail Girl; Katina Potts - Rosie; Brenda Sendejo - Belyeu's Assistant; Cassandra L. Small - TV Reporter; Kimberly Tortorice - Grad Student; Noah Truesdale - Jamie Gale; Oliver Tull - TV Reporter; Michelle Valen - TV Reporter; Cindy Waite - Margie; Larissa Wolcott - Babysitter; Tanya Zieger - TV Reporter; Mark Richardson - Timur; Jeff Gibbs - Josh; Kathrine James - Beth
Credit
Steve Arnold - Art Director, Jennifer Williams - Art Director, Juliet Taylor - Casting, Howard Feuer - Casting, John Hubbard - Casting, Jo Edna Boldin - Casting, Julia Taylor - Casting, Silvia Menendez-Cauche - Casting, Nick Ingman - Conductor, Moritz Borman - Co-producer, Lisa Moran - Co-producer, Renee Ehrlich Kalfus - Costume Designer, Elizabeth Shelton - Costume Designer, K.C. Hodenfield - First Assistant Director, Jeff Okabayashi - First Assistant Director, Philip Hardage - First Assistant Director, Brian Steward - First Assistant Director, Daniel J. Shaw - First Assistant Director, Alan Parker - Director, Gerry Hambling - Editor, Moritz Borman - Executive Producer, Nigel Sinclair - Executive Producer, Guy East - Executive Producer, Norm Golightly - Executive Producer, Drew Dillard - Location Manager, David Wimbury - Line Producer, Alex Parker - Composer (Music Score), Jake Parker - Composer (Music Score), Sarah Monzani - Makeup, Mike Proudfoot - Camera Operator, Edward J. Adcock - Camera Operator, Geoffrey Kirkland - Production Designer, Michael Seresin - Cinematographer, Nicolas Cage - Producer, Alan Parker - Producer, David MacMillan - Production Sound, Craig "Pup" Heath - Recording, Robert Renga - Recording, Jennifer Williams - Set Designer, Jann K. Engel - Set Designer, The Mill - Special Effects, Kenny Gorrell - Special Effects, Jack Lynch - Special Effects, Kerry Rossall - Stunts Coordinator, Doug Coleman - Stunts Coordinator, Yves de Bono - Special Effects Supervisor, Alma Kuttruff - Unit Production Manager, Charles Randolph - Screenwriter, Kathy Nelson - Executive Music Producer, Graham Sutton - Music Editor, Lisa Davidson - Production Coordinator, Andy Nelson - Re-Recording Mixer, Anna Behlmer - Re-Recording Mixer, Denis St. Amand - Re-Recording Mixer, Gina Grande - Script Supervisor, David Luckenbach - Steadicam Operator, Eddy Joseph - Supervising Sound Editor, Charleen Richards - ADR Mixer, David Lucarelli - ADR Recordist, Patricia Kerrigan - Casting Associate, Nick Lowe - Dialogue Editor, Pauline Griffiths - Foley Artist, Jennie Lee Wright - Foley Artist, Peter Holt - Foley Editor, Martin Samuel - Key Hairstylist, Robert F. Kocourek - Production Controller, Louis Elman - ADR Voice Casting, Edward Colyer - Foley Mixer, Kevin LaRosa - Pilot, Rod Tinney - Pilot, Russell Tyrrell - Special Effects Foreman, John Johns - Video Playback, Craig Denham - Graphic Design, Ellen Lampl - Graphic Design, Andi Scull - Graphic Design
The Life of David Gale (2003) is an Americandrama film. Kevin Spacey stars as the titular college professor and active opponent of capital punishment, whose life is turned upside down when he's falsely accused of raping a student. He is fired from his job and eventually put on death row for the brutal murder of a colleague. Kate Winslet plays Bitsy Bloom, an ambitious journalist who interviews Gale in his final days before execution.
Some time before the current timeline of the movie, David Gale was the head of the philosophy department at the (fictional) University of Austin and the author of several well-regarded books; he was also an active and visible member of Deathwatch, an anti-capital punishment activist group. One night at a graduation party, an inebriated David was seduced by Berlin, an attractive student from his class; earlier he had refused her advances to raise her failing grade, resulting in her expulsion from school. She then used the physical evidence of their sexual encounter to falsely accuse Gale of rape in revenge. While Berlin dropped the charges and fled town shortly afterwards, the negative publicity cost him his career as an educator and activist, and his marriage; with no wife and no job, Gale turned to drinking.
One of Gale’s best friends was Constance Harraway, a fellow Deathwatch activist with whom he became particularly close, especially after Gale’s wife, Sharon, left with their son to Spain; the custody laws there favor the mother and her father was the American ambassador, effectively shutting Gale out of his child’s life. When Harraway was found raped and murdered a few years later, Gale was charged with the crime, and convicted despite the best efforts of his well-meaning but ineffectual lawyer Braxton Belyeu. Now Gale awaits execution, and less than a week before the date of his fatal injection, Gale agrees — for a substantial fee — to tell his story to Bitsy Bloom, a nervy journalist from a major news magazine who arrives with the office intern, Zack Stemmons. As Bloom discusses the facts of the Harraway murder with Gale, it becomes clear to her that the details simply do not add up. A mysterious stranger slips evidence to her that suggest Gale has been framed—leaving Bloom and Stemmons only a few days to solve the mystery and save Gale from execution.
As their investigation proceeds, the implication that the rapist videotaped the assault is replaced by the revelation that Harraway recorded herself committing suicide, since she was going to die soon regardless from an ongoing battle with leukemia. The video showing the suicide isn’t found until moments before Gale’s death; in a frenzy, Bloom struggles by car, and then by foot to present the evidence to stop the execution. Unfortunately, she doesn’t reach the courthouse in time, and Gale dies an innocent man. The tape is released after his death, resulting in a media and political uproar. In an epilogue, the mysterious stranger delivers Gale’s interview fee from the magazine to Gale’s wife in Spain, along with a postcard from Berlin confessing to and apologizing for the rape accusation (his ex-wife looks distraught, knowing he told the truth and that she effectively stole their child away from him). Another videotape is delivered to Bloom, labeled "Off the Record": the tape shows Dusty Wright—the mysterious stranger, who once also belonged to Deathwatch but was asked to leave the organization due to his extremist beliefs-confirming Harraway's death, and then stepping aside to allow Gale, also present, to leave his thumb print on the plastic bag which Harraway used to suffocate herself. This way he could be executed and then proven innocent (according to the first tape), giving evidence of the injustices in capital punishment. It appears that the three — and is implied that even Gale’s "ineffectual" attorney — meticulously planned everything.
Reviews were generally negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie had a 20% rating based on 152 reviews. On Metacritic, the movie had a score of 31 (Generally negative reviews) out of 100.[1]Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert gave it zero stars, his lowest rating, and stated, "I am sure the filmmakers believe their film is against the death penalty. I believe it supports it and hopes to discredit the opponents of the penalty as unprincipled fraudsters... But while Texas continues to warehouse condemned men with a system involving lawyers who are drunk, asleep or absent; confessions that are beaten out of the helpless, and juries that overwhelmingly prefer to execute black defendants instead of white ones, you can't make this movie. Not in Texas." Wrote Ebert, "Spacey and Parker are honorable men. Why did they go to Texas and make this silly movie? The last shot made me want to throw something at the screen--maybe Spacey and Parker."[2] However, Ebert's co-host on the television show Ebert & Roeper, Richard Roeper, did not hesitate to give the movie a "thumbs up" rating. Likewise, Leonard Maltin gave the film a positive three-star (out of a possible four) rating.
Most recently, the soundtrack (composed by Alex and Jake Parker) has been used in various film trailers, specifically the track "The Life of David Gale". The score has been used in the trailers for World Trade Center, Munich, In the Valley of Elah, and most recently, Milk.
References
^ Critic compiler website Metacritic rated the film 31 out of 100, indicating "generally negative reviews." See Metacritic entry. Rotten Tomatoes gave it only a 20% "fresh" (positive) rating; only 15% among those the site identified as "Top Critics." See Rotten Tomatoes entry.
