Movie Description
Jessica Lange stars as army wife Carly Marshall in Tony Richardson's last film, set in the early 1960s. Carly, a very beautiful woman, spices up the drabness of military life with the kind of promiscuity and exhibitionist behavior that has kept her husband, Hank (Tommy Lee Jones), from getting the promotions he's due while embarrassing her children, Glen (Chris O'Donnell) and Chris (Amy Locane), and keeping the family moving from one base to another as Carly wears out their welcome. After their most recent move to a base in Alabama, Carly starts flirting with base commander Gen. Vince Johnson (Powers Boothe) at the officers club and the general suddenly realizes that this would be the perfect time for Hank, an expert on atomic power, to go to Nevada to monitor some underground tests. Although he knows what's going on, Hank must obey, and Vince wastes no time in getting horizontal with Carly. When Hank uncovers evidence that civilians are being exposed to massive doses of radiation by leakage from the underground tests, everyone's life becomes even more complicated. Lange and Jones both do some of the best work of their careers in roles of a richness and complexity more often seen on the stage than in films. Richardson's BLUE SKY is a terrific finale for a unique talent.
| Credits | | Cast: | Amy Locane, Carrie Snodgress, Chris O'Donnell, Powers Boothe |
| Details | | Sound: | Stereo Sound |
Notes
The film was shot in 1990 but not released until 1994 because of Orion's financial problems.
Shot on location in Alabama, Texas and Florida. Most filming took place in Selma, Alabama, and nearby Fort Craig, an inactive air force base.
Director Tony Richardson died of AIDS shortly after completing BLUE SKY.
Music used in the film:
"(Baby) You've Got What It Takes" by Clyde Otis & Murray Stein, performed by Brook Benton and Dinah Washington.
"Malaguena" by Ernesto Lecuona, performed by the Billy Lawson Band.
"Young Mind" by Johnny Meyers, performed by Johnny Meyers & Amos Milburn.
"Gonna Do You No Wrong" by Cliff & Ed Thomas, performed by Cliff Thomas & the Heartbeats.
"Hello, Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)" by Gene Pitney, performed by the Billy Lawson Band.
"It's Only Make Believe" by Conway Twitty & Jack Nance, performed by the Billy Lawson Band.
"Venus" by Edward Marshall, performed by Frankie Avalon.
"Hernando's Hideaway" by Richard Adler & Jerry Ross, performed by the Billy Lawson Band.
"Art's Jam" by Art Wheeler, performed by Art Wheeler.
"National Emblem March" by E. E. Bagley, performed by the University of North Alabama Marching Band.
"Something's Got a Hold on Me" by James Wood Kirkland, performed by Etta James.
Editorial Reviews
"...Passionate and devastating..."
Rolling Stone - p.81 - Peter Travers
"...A powerful portrait of a family imploding....A lavish role for [Lange], and she brings to it fierce emotions and tact..."
New York Times - p.C8 - Caryn James
"...[Lange gives] a fierce, brave, sexually charged performance....It captures the mad grandeur..." -- Rating: B
Entertainment Weekly - p.38 - Owen Gleiberman
"...Compulsively watchable....[With] finely grained performances. Jessica Lange has already been lavishly praised and duly rewarded with an academy award for her turn..."
Sight and Sound - Leslie Felperin (06/01/1995)
"...A compelling and beautifully acted portrait....BLUE SKY's vibrancy points up how rare that quality has become..."
Los Angeles Times - Kenneth Turan (09/16/1994)
"...BLUE SKY is the kind of movie that constantly surprises us with the originality of its developments..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (09/16/1994)
"...[Lange's] most brilliant screen work to date..."
Premiere - p.135 - Bruce Bibby
Awards
1994Academy AwardsBest ActressJessica Lange
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