A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)

Director:

Shainee Gabel

Writers (WGA):

Ronald Everett Capps (novel)
Shainee Gabel (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 January 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The heart is a lonely hunter.

Plot:

A headstrong young woman returns to New Orleans after the death of her estranged mother.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Funeral | Hospital | Singer | Alcoholism

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

John Travolta	...	Bobby Long
Scarlett Johansson	...	Pursy Will
Gabriel Macht	...	Lawson Pines
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Georgianna
Dane Rhodes	...	Cecil
David Jensen	...	Junior
Clayne Crawford	...	Lee
Walter Breaux	...	Ray
Sonny Shroyer	...	Earl
Carol Sutton	...	Ruthie
Warren Kole	...	Sean (as Warren Blosjo)
Bernard Johnson	...	Tiny
Gina 'Ginger' Bernal	...	Waitress
Douglas M. Griffin	...	Man #1 (as Douglas Griffin)
Earl Maddox	...	Man #2
Steve Maye	...	Man #3
Don Brady	...	Old Man
Will Barnett	...	Old Man #2
Patrick McCullough	...	Streetcar Boy
Leanne Cochran	...	Streetcar Girl
Nick Loren	...	Merchant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brooke Allen	...	Sandy (uncredited)
Darlene Moore	...	Jazz Club Guest (uncredited)
Doc Whitney	...	Alcoholic (uncredited)

Directed by
Shainee Gabel

Writing credits (WGA)
Ronald Everett Capps		(novel "Off Magazine Street")
Shainee Gabel		(screenplay)

Produced by
Anson Downes	....	associate producer
Randall Emmett	....	executive producer
Linda Favila	....	associate producer
George Furla	....	executive producer
Shainee Gabel	....	producer
Jamie Gordon	....	co-producer
Brad Krevoy	....	executive producer
David Lancaster	....	producer
Chad Marting	....	associate producer
Paul Miller	....	producer
R. Paul Miller	....	producer
Melanie Sloan	....	co-producer (as Melanie Johansson)
Bob Yari	....	producer

Original Music by
Nathan Larson

Cinematography by
Elliot Davis

Film Editing by
Lisa Fruchtman
Lee Percy

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Lisa Mae Fincannon
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich
Wendy Weidman

Production Design by
Sharon Lomofsky

Art Direction by
Adele Plauche

Set Decoration by
Leonard R. Spears

Costume Design by
Jill M. Ohanneson

Makeup Department
Michelle Bühler	....	makeup artist: Mr. Travolta (as Michelle Buhler)
Theresa A. Fleming	....	additional hair stylist
Allison Gordin	....	key makeup artist
Betty Hamnac	....	assistant hair stylist (as Betty Hammach)
Philip Ivey	....	assistant hair stylist (as Philip 'Mr. P' Ivey)
Kelly Nelson	....	hair department head
Paige Reeves	....	assistant makeup artist
LeDiedra Richard-Baldwin	....	makeup artist
Susan Spaid	....	additional makeup artist
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist: Mr. Travolta

Production Management
Betsy Mackey	....	unit production manager
Robert Katz	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)
Karri O'Reilly	....	production manager: additional photography (uncredited)
John Portnoy	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Paul Clark	....	first assistant director
Alexa Sheehan	....	second assistant director (as Alexa Motley)
Paul Uddo	....	additional second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Stuart Auld	....	scenic artist
Gail Briant	....	signwriter/scenic
Cassie Catalanotto	....	set dresser
Daniel Coe	....	carpenter
James Dupuy	....	foreman
Caleb Guillotte	....	art coordinator
Christina Gulotta	....	art department production assistant
Diana Jackson	....	art assistant
Vince Le Blanc	....	lead man
Michael S. Martin	....	property master
Danny Nick	....	set dresser
Eric William Pierson	....	set dresser
Marcus Turchi	....	carpenter
David Warburton	....	props

Sound Department
Jimmy 'Coach' Armstrong	....	cable person
Jimmy 'Coach' Armstrong	....	second boom operator
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Pud Cusack	....	production sound mixer
Paula Fairfield	....	sound effects editor
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Ruby C. Haupt	....	boom operator
Scott Hinkley	....	post-production sound recordist
Carla Murray	....	sound effects editor
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Ross Simpson	....	boom operator
David E. Stone	....	sound editor
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
David Emerson	....	line-up

Camera and Electrical Department
Glenn Brown	....	assistant camera
Ted Caloroso	....	director of photography: second unit
Ted Caloroso	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ryan Eustis	....	camera production assistant
Sean Finnegan	....	rigging gaffer
Dustin Frugé	....	assistant camera
John Johns	....	video playback operator
Michael D. Kennedy	....	additional camera production assistant
Giulio Magnolia	....	camera loader
Richard Mall	....	key grip
John Joseph Minardi	....	grip
Greg Morse	....	24 frame video
Jeff Murrell	....	gaffer
Allen Parks	....	electrician
Ray Patrick	....	super technocrane operator
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator
Henry Tirl	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Thomas Crawford	....	second company grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Coulon	....	extras casting
Timothee Hammond	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Chance	....	key set costumer
Dana Embree	....	costumer
Linda Gardar	....	costume supervisor
Jennifer Kamrath	....	costume production assistant
Giselle Spence	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Sheri Bylander	....	associate editor
Tim Fox	....	assistant editor
Teresa Garber	....	post-production executive
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
John W. Wayland	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Black	....	music supervisor
Jeffrey Haupt	....	music playback

Transportation Department
Tim Whisenant	....	transportation: John Travolta

Other crew
Scott August	....	production office coordinator
Jason C. Bitzer	....	office production assistant
Merrill Capps	....	stand-in: Gabriel Macht
Chip Carey	....	production secretary
Batou Chandler	....	assistant location manager
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Iddo Lampton Enochs Jr.	....	location manager
Peter Evangelatos	....	craft service: Mr. Travolta
Pam Fuller	....	script supervisor (as Pam Fuller Vasquez)
Cynthia Gates Fujikawa	....	production accountant
Justin Groetsch	....	production assistant
Daphne A. Guichard	....	on-set medic
Charles Hadley	....	dialect coach (as Dr. Charles 'Doc' O. Hadley)
Stephanie Herrera	....	production assistant
Carolyn Hufstetler	....	production assistant
Jillian Hultenius	....	stand-in: Scarlet Johansson
Alissa M. Kantrow	....	production coordinator
Michael J. Linowes	....	legal counsel
Nick Loren	....	stand-in: John Travolta
David Ross McCarty	....	location manager
Jessica Seifert McCarty	....	location coordinator
Alissa Miller	....	production coordinator (as Alissa Miller Kantrow)
Mark Miller	....	first assistant accountant
Matthew D. Miller	....	production assistant
Gwendalane Ramos	....	accounting clerk
Stephanie Salvaggio	....	assistant to director
Miguel Sánchez	....	security: Mr. Travolta (as Miguel A. Sanchez)
Patricia Story	....	unit publicist
Daniel Stutz	....	business and legal affairs executive
Tim Whisenant	....	assistant: Mr. Travolta
Todd Williams	....	production executive
Jason Calabro	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Shelly Strong	....	production executive (uncredited)
Ian Watermeier	....	production executive (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Destination Films
• El Camino Pictures
• Crossroads Films
• Bob Yari Productions
• Stratus Film Co. (in association with)
• Emmett/Furla Films (uncredited)

Distributors

• Lucky Red (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Moonlight Films (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• SND (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Tien (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Image Resolution, The (opticals)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Linowes & Burkin  legal consulting
• Louisiana Casting Database  extras casting
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Love Song (France) [fr]
Lovesong für Bobby Long (Germany) [de]
Secretos del pasado (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Uma Canção de Amor para Bobby Long (Brazil) [pt]
Una canción del pasado (Spain) (working title) [es]
Una canzone per Bobby Long (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated R for language including some sexual references.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Germany:6 | Brazil:16 | Malaysia:18SX | USA:R (certificate #41073) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (cut) | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) (uncut) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Sweden:7

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Destination Films

Trivia:

The production ran into budgetary problems halfway through. Several background extras were brought to a New Orleans location, fitted for costumes, fed dinner, and then sent home without pay because their scene had been cut. Some New Orleans retailers complained that thousands of dollars worth of clothes were returned unused because the scenes they were bought for were never filmed.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When playing guitar and singing with his friends, Bobby Long isn't really touching the strings of the guitar.

Quotes:

Bobby Long: It's all right, I can walk to the curb from here. Get me a beer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Santa Claus Santa Claus

Broken Hopes and Broken Lives: A Study of New Orleans

For those who have read Ronald Everett Capps' novel 'Off Magazine Street' and savor the slow, lugubrious, decadent pattern of life in the poor section of New Orleans, then Screenwriter/Director Shainee Gabel's transformation of those ideas into A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG will certainly satisfy. Though Gabel has manipulated characters names and identification to fit her sensitive interpretation of Capps' story into a visual manifestation, the changes are sound and serve to make this remarkably fine low budget film a humid, alcoholically lethargic slice of New Orleans as viable as, say, Tennessee Williams. There is a captured ambiance of the South complete with decay, shanties, intermittent rain, and aimless broken lives that sets a fine stage for a rather minimal story.

Purslane Hominy Will (Scarlett Johansson) is a young high school dropout living in trailer park trash in Florida with a low class boyfriend Lee (Clayne Crawford) when she learns of her mother Lorraine's death in New Orleans. Though she hasn't seen or heard from her obese, druggie, songwriter mother in years, she wants to attend her funeral and strikes out for New Orleans.

Arriving on the doorstep of her mother's rundown, rotting house, she discovers Bobby Long (John Travolta), an unkempt drunk who once was an English professor in a college in Alabama but fell into oblivion and alcohol when he lost his wife and family. He is living in filth with Lawson Pines (Gabriel Macht) who, as Bobby's teaching assistant whom Bobby has deemed gifted, has followed Bobby to write Bobby's biography - a work in progress that has stalemated in favor of alcoholism and disillusionment. Pursey hears that Booby and Lawson were Lorraine's closest friends (she had invited them to flop in her shabby house, entertained by their low key scholasticism and literature quoting), and that Lorraine had willed her home to the three of them.

Pursey moves in reluctantly - she has nowhere else to go - and immediately is at odds with her 'roommates'. Likewise Bobby and Lawson resist Pursey's presence and insist she 'get a life' by returning to high school, making use of her obvious intellect. The verbal sparing that eventually leads the three to find a sense of family lays the foundation for the predictable conclusion.

That is the simplicity of the tale - if it is storyline that is important to you. Gabel's distillation of Capps' novel is in the atmosphere she creates with these gifted actors. Bobby may be a drunk but he is the spokesman for a neighborhood of sad broken lives. The world is confined to the street that contains the local bar, churches, and graveyards - each of varying importance but all drenched in humidity and frequent rains and alcohol and aimless living. The local bar is tended by Georgiana (Deborah Kara Unger) with whom Lawson is having a strained affair. The folk who gather at Bobby's literature-spouting soirees include gardener Cecil (Dane Rhodes), Junior (David Jensen), to mention only a few well-defined characters. That anyone could alter the ennui in the way Pursey changes things is a minor miracle.

The minimal music score by Grayson Capps is atmospheric as are the off-screen comments and quotations of great literature of TS Eliot, Robert Frost, WH Auden et al. The cinematography by Eliot Davis is properly claustrophobic and decadent in atmosphere. And while some feel the movie is too long for the minimal story, the length and pacing are in keeping with the traditions and the literature of the South and for this viewer it works exceedingly well.

Travolta, Johansson, Macht, and Unger give multifaceted, highly sensitive performances. As for Shainee Gabel (whose only other film was the controversial 'Anthem') here is a writer and director to watch. The DVD contains some excellent deleted scenes and one of the more informative 'making of' segments with Gabel, Travolta, Johansson, Macht, and Rhodes speaking with quiet eloquence. Highly recommended.