USA: ANJELICA HUSTON DIRECTS AND STARS IN "AGNES BROWN"

Record ID: 388924

  • Title: USA: ANJELICA HUSTON DIRECTS AND STARS IN "AGNES BROWN"
  • Date: 16th March 2000
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 12, 2000) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANJELICA HUSTON SAYING "Early feminist? She's working for herself, she's working for her kids, she has friendships with the people she works with. It's by necessity if she's a proto-feminist. That's good, it sounds like a breakfast cereal." (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARION O'DWYER SAYING "W
  • Embargoed: 31st March 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Communications
  • Reuters ID: LVA9HREQI0CJ8QDZRKGTTYEYKJ3P
  • Story Text: Anjelica Huston dons two hats with "Agnes Browne,"
    directing herself in the title role of a film adapted from the 1994 best-selling Irish novel "The Mammy."
    Agnes Browne, the second film directed by Oscar-winning actress Huston, is set in 1967 Dublin and is based on the best-selling Irish novel "The Mammy." "The Mammy" was hatched as a radio serial by O'Carroll, who wrote the screenplay for the film with John Goldsmith.
    Unlike her directorial debut, the TV film "Bastard Out of Carolina," in which she did not appear, Huston, who spent her childhood in Ireland, directs herself.
    When we first meet Agnes she has been recently widowed with seven children.To pay for her husband's funeral, she must borrow from the local Fagin-like loan shark Mr.Billy (Ray Winstone), which further increases her debts.Her only emotional support, besides her children, is her no-nonsense best friend Marion (Marion O'Dwyer), who is always by her side.O'Dwyer, who makes her screen debut in the film, believes the relationship signifies "the greates gift of friendship you can have, two women that really love each other and will do anything for each other to help out and make each other's dreams come true."
    Agnes tries to makemeet by selling produce at a market stand, where all manner of colorful local types drift by.
    Life for Agnes is further complicated when one of the sons takes after his father and gambles with the loan shark.
    For Agnes, a ticket to a sold-out concert from visiting star Tom Jones (played by who else, Tom Jones) seems like an unbelievable dream, and she is amazed when a French baker (Arno Chevrier) from an adjacent food stall takes a liking to her.
    For Huston, questions about her character's trailblazing feminist stand are beside the point."She's working for herself, she's working for her kids, she has friendships with the people she works with.It's by necessity if she's a proto-feminist," she says of her feisty character.
    The film was shot entirely on location in Dublin, with a crew comprised of Irish, American and English members.
    Huston prepared for the film by meeting with several women who work on Moore Street in Dublin, the real-life market area on which the film's Market Street is based."It's a great celebration and work of love and affection for those women and they still exist, happily in more affluent times," says O'Dwyer."They're still feisty and adorable and (have a) great sense of humor," she continues.
    "Agnes Browne" opened selectively in US theatres in December, in order to qualify for Oscar consideration.It has since re-opened for wide release this March.
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