Beyond the Sea (2004)

Director:

Kevin Spacey

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Spacey (written by) and
Lewis Colick (written by)

Release Date:

29 December 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music | Musical

Tagline:

BOBBY DARIN . . . in the era of cool he was the soundtrack.

Plot:

A swooning study of "Mack the Knife" singer Bobby Darin (Spacey) specifically, and his relationship with his wife Sandra Dee (Bosworth).

Plot Keywords:

Sibling | Filmmaking | Mother Son Relationship | Mother Daughter Relationship | Election

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Bobby Darin
Kate Bosworth	...	Sandra Dee
John Goodman	...	Steve Blauner
Bob Hoskins	...	Charlie Cassotto Maffia
Brenda Blethyn	...	Polly Cassotto
Greta Scacchi	...	Mary Duvan
Caroline Aaron	...	Nina Cassotto Maffia
Peter Cincotti	...	Dick Behrke
William Ullrich	...	Little Bobby Darin
Michael Byrne	...	Dr. Andretti
Matt Rippy	...	David Gershenson
Gary Whelan	...	Jules Podell
Jake Broder	...	1st Assistant Director
Tayfun Bademsoy	...	Ahmet Ertegun
Tomas Spencer	...	Delivery Guy

Also Known As:

Beyond the Sea - Musik war sein Leben (Germany)
Bobby Darin Biopic (USA) (working title)
Beyond the Sea (Finland) [fi]
Pera apo ti thalassa (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and a scene of sensuality.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-3 | New Zealand:M | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41250) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

As research for his role of pop crooner Bobby Darin, Kevin Spacey attended several of Michael Bublé's performances.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Bobby is campaigning with Robert Kennedy, Kennedy has a Secret Service detail. RFK did not have and was not entitled to a Secret Service detail. That was changed after his murder.

Quotes:

Bobby Darin: Memories are like moonbeams, we do with them what we will.

Movie Connections:

References Hud (1963)

Soundtrack:

Artificial Flowers

Magnificent Obsession

Watching Kevin Spacey's new film musical biography about the life of Bobby Darin, "Beyond the Sea", I couldn't help but think of the great film critic, Pauline Kael's assessment of Diana Ross in the film version of the 70's Black retelling of "The Wizard of Oz", "The Wiz". "Ms. Ross's insistence at the age of thirty nine of playing Dorothy age twelve in 'The Wiz'," wrote Ms. Kael, "amounts to a whim of iron." That's not to say that "Beyond the Sea" does not have merit. It does, and a lot of it. Or, that Kevin Spacey is inappropriately cast. Finally, he's not. In fact, it's hard to imagine anyone else who could bring to this part what Spacey does. But having directed as well as co-produced, co-written, starred and done all of his own singing, one cannot escape that "Beyond the Sea" is ultimately much about Spacey as it is Bobby Darin;in the same manner that "Citizen Kane" is about Orson Welles as William Randolph Heart or, a.k.a. Charles Foster Kane. Spacey's strong ties to his own mother have been reported and Bobby Darin's relationship with his mother is at the focal point of the story, as well as Sandra Dee's, Darin's wife. Both appear as intellectuals with an artist's arrogance and both relish in an often droll delivery. And both, clearly, know how to sing.

Owing some stylish influence to Fosse's "All That Jazz" and even Coppola's "One From the Heart", "Beyond the Sea" shows off Spacey's strong grasp of cinematic story telling moving between surrealism and reality, and his even stronger vocalizing ability in sounding about as close to Darin as you could expect. He moves, he struts and there are moments when he quietly strikes an uncanny pose that looks just like some of those famous record covers. What Spacey can't escape is that at forty five, he is eight years older than when Darin died. Because we are so familiar with Darin's face the difference is noticeable. For some, this may amount to an impossible suspension of disbelief, much in the same manner of last year's "The Human Stain", where many found it impossible to buy Anthony Hopkins as a fair skinned Negro.

This is a shame because Spacey's work is formidable and an impact is made. A life is realized and rendered effectively, often brilliantly and I was moved at the end. If nothing else, one looks forward to what Spacey does next, both in front of and behind the camera. No doubt, his production of Oedipus Rex would be spectacular.