A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998)

Director:

James Ivory

Writers (WGA):

Kaylie Jones (novel)
James Ivory (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The city of lights. A famous American author and the decade that changed a generation...forever.

Plot:

This fictionalized story, based on the family life of writer James Jones, is an emotionless slice-of-life story...

Plot Keywords:

Author | Adopted Son | Ambulance | Treehouse | Sexual Reference

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Kris Kristofferson	...	Bill Willis
Barbara Hershey	...	Marcella Willis
Leelee Sobieski	...	Charlotte Anne 'Channe' Willis, Age 14
Jane Birkin	...	Mrs. Fortescue
Dominique Blanc	...	Candida
Jesse Bradford	...	Billy Willis, Age 14
Harley Cross	...	Keith Carter
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Mamadou (as Isaac De Bankole)
Macha Méril	...	Madame Beauvier (as Macha Meril)
Nathalie Richard	...	Mademoiselle Fournier
Anthony Roth Costanzo	...	Francis Fortescue
Bob Swaim	...	Bob Smith
Virginie Ledoyen	...	Billy's Mother
Luisa Conlon	...	Young Charlotte Anne 'Channe' Willis, Age 7
Samuel Gruen	...	Benoit / Young Billy Willis, Age 7

Also Known As:

La fille d'un soldat ne pleure jamais (France)
Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (Australia) (TV title)
La hija de un soldado nunca llora (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
Die Zeit der Jugend (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Elämän sylissä (Finland) [fi]
En krigers datter græder aldrig (Denmark) (video title) [da]
Filha de Soldado Nunca Chora (Portugal) [pt]
I kori tou stratioti den klaiei pote (Greece) [el]
La figlia di un soldato non piange mai (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

France | UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Fujicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Iceland:L | UK:15 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R | Germany:6 (f)

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Capitol Films

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The family is watching Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) on TV, which was not even released to theatres until 1974, but we later see a date on a gravestone of 1973 (which means the TV scene was probably set in 1972, since there was an intervening New Year's Eve scene).

Movie Connections:

References Le grand voyage (1974)

Soundtrack:

Mon coeur d'attache

Enjoyable, Rambling Story With "True Life" Feel

We got this video from library without knowing anything about it, except for the good reputations of the actors & director. The story rambles along following the lives of a young American girl & family living in Paris -- their adoption of a French boy, and how their lives change as the two grow up, eventually moving to North Carolina. The acting is good, and the story details are fascinating and off-beat (her teenage boy friend who sings great soprano opera, for example). Perhaps the father is too good to believe (from a kid's point of view) but it's a warm story that just kind of ends after the father dies. I can see why it might not be hugely popular, but it provides much food for thought and discussion within families as to choices, values, etc. Another plus - great location photography.