Blaze (1989 film)

Blaze
Blaze
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ron Shelton
Screenplay by	Ron Shelton
Based on	Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry; by Blaze Starr; Huey Perry;
Produced by	Gil Friesen; Dale Pollock;
Starring	Paul Newman; Lolita Davidovich;
Cinematography	Haskell Wexler
Edited by	Robert Leighton; Michael King
Music by	Bennie Wallace
Production; companies	Touchstone Pictures; Silver Screen Partners IV; A&M Films;
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date	December 13, 1989;
Running time	120 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$22 million
Box office	$19,131,246

Blaze is a 1989 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Ron Shelton. Based on the 1974 memoir Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry by Blaze Starr and Huey Perry, the film stars Paul Newman as Earl Long and Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr, with Starr herself making a cameo appearance.

At the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990, the film then received a nomination for Best Cinematography for Haskell Wexler. However, the award went to Freddie Francis for Glory. This was Wexler's 5th and final nomination, having won previously for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and Bound for Glory (1976).

Plot[]

The film tells the highly fictionalized story of the latter years of Earl Long, a flamboyant Governor of Louisiana, brother of assassinated governor and U.S. Senator Huey P. Long and uncle of longtime U.S. Senator Russell Long. According to the novel and film, Earl Long allegedly fell in love with a young stripper named Blaze Starr.

Cast[]

Paul Newman as Governor Earl Long
Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr
Jerry Hardin as Thibodeaux
Gailard Sartain as LaGrange
Jeffrey DeMunn as Eldon Tuck
Richard Jenkins as Picayune
Brandon Smith as Arvin Deeter
Robert Wuhl as Red Snyder
James Harper as Willie Rainach
Rod Masterson as Reporter

Reception[]

The film received mixed reviews from critics.^[2]^[3]

Box office[]

Blaze debuted at number 9 at the North American box office on its opening weekend.^[4]

References[]

^ "AFI|Catalog".
^ Benson, Sheila (1989-12-13). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Blaze' Sizzles Even Over Low Flame". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ Maslin, Janet (1989-12-13). "Movie Review - Blaze - Review/Film; 'Blaze,' a Story of a Rogue and a Stripper". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ "Weekend Box Office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-06-13.

External links[]

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[1] "AFI|Catalog".

[2] Benson, Sheila (1989-12-13). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Blaze' Sizzles Even Over Low Flame". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[3] Maslin, Janet (1989-12-13). "Movie Review - Blaze - Review/Film; 'Blaze,' a Story of a Rogue and a Stripper". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[4] "Weekend Box Office". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-06-13.

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