Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Release date: 2017-11-17
Votes: 178
Genres: Romance, Drama
Liverpool, 1978: What starts as a vibrant affair between a legendary femme-fatale, the eccentric Academy Award-winning actress Gloria Grahame, and her young lover, British actor Peter Turner, quickly grows into a deeper relationship, with Turner being the person Gloria turns to for comfort.
Reviews
Peter McGinn
I really liked Annette Bening in films like Regarding Henry and An American President, so I am a little surprised I didn’t catch this film closer to its release date. It is an excellent movie, well written and with strong acting across the board. The drama queen movie star is nearly a movie cliche, but it isn’t overplayed here by Bening or the script. M When movies are based on real people I tend to do a little research out of curiosity, and Gloria Grahame’s life story is an interesting one. She made medical decisions that were destined to shorten her life, but one can argue that it reflected her overall attitude and the fact that she packed the days of her life more than most of us manage to do. And I was quite surprised to learn she had been merely 16 years old when she played bombshell blonde Violet on It’s a Wonderful Life. She seemed to be one of those people the camera loves. Of course this movie is based on a memoir written by Gloria’s younger lover Peter Turner who, as happens in other biopics, is given a cameo appearance in this movie. Of course, he was an actor in hos own right, so it wasn’t an empty gesture.
CinemaSerf
Based on Peter Turner's book, this is quite a touching story of the last few years of Gloria Grahame's battle against breast cancer. She (Annette Bening) had been struggling with the disease for many years but refused to let it defeat her when she arrived in the UK to perform on stage. That's when she encounters the young Peter (Jamie Bell). He's struggling to make a living treading the boards, and at just twenty-eight is completely unaware of the Hollywood pedigree of his new neighbour. Quickly they are much more than that; she is introduced to his family and then he is whisked off to the US to meet her's. There is quite a contrast between the affection she receives from his mother (Julie Walters) and that which he receives from her's (Vanessa Redgrave) and we start to see strains in their relationship. The audience is aware of the reasons for some of the strains, but Peter is not. Not until he has returned home and she returns for a fling on stage that, well that's where history takes over. It's quite a poignantly presented story with at times lively, at others more considered performances from both Bening and Bell. They have fun, and it's easy to see why she falls for this diverting young man who makes her feel alive again. He is completely smitten, too - but his affections more visceral. It's also quite an interesting look at just how a woman once so fêted and honoured by her profession was now reduced to sharing lodgings and doing English provincial theatre to pay the bills. Almost completely ignored on the awards circuit - perhaps it was just a bit too close to home?
Movie Recommendation
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks2017-04-22An African-American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s.More...
To the Stars2019-01-25Under small-town scrutiny, a withdrawn farmer’s daughter forges an intimate friendship with a worldly but reckless new girl in 1960s Oklahoma.More...
Cosmos2015-12-03Two young men seek the solitude of the country; their peace is disturbed when a set of random occurrences suggest to their susceptible minds a pattern with sinister meanings.More...
Of Horses and Men2013-08-30A country romance about the human streak in the horse and the horse in the human. Love and death become interlaced and with terrible consequences. The fortunes of the people in the country through the horses' perception.More...
Hitler: A Film from Germany1978-06-07A structure-free, four-part examination of the rise and fall of the Third Reich. Each part explores a different topic, from Hitler's cult of personality in propaganda to how said propaganda was associated with pre-Nazi German cultural, spiritual, and national heritage to the Holocaust and the ideology behind it, particularly from Himmler's point of view.More...
Awakening the Zodiac2017-06-09The story follows a down-on-their-luck couple who discovers a serial killer's film reels. They decide to take the law into their own hands, risking everything for the chance at a $100,000 reward. It isn't long until they find themselves in the killer's lethal cross-hairs.More...
Hallow Road2025-04-16Two parents enter a race against time when they receive a distressing late-night phone call from their daughter after she caused a tragic car accident.More...
The Gendarme in New York1965-10-28Sergeant Cruchot and his faithful comrades have been sent to the International Congress of Gendarmerie in N.Y.More...
I'm Your Man2021-07-01Alma is a scientist coerced into participating in an extraordinary study in order to obtain research funds for her work. For three weeks, she has to live with a humanoid robot tailored to her character and needs, whose artificial intelligence is designed to be the perfect life partner for her. Enter Tom, a machine in human form in a class of its own, created solely to make her happy.More...
Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret2014-07-01Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability.More...
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster2010-10-16Scooby-Doo and the gang are on the case when a mysterious lake monster starts scaring the guests at a summer resort in Erie Point, where Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy have taken on seasonal jobs to pay for a barn they accidentally burned down. But in addition to sneaking suspicions, there's some romance in the air.More...
Frost/Nixon2008-10-15For three years after being forced from office, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans. Likewise, Frost's team harboured doubts about their boss's ability to hold his own. But as the cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted.More...
Escape from L.A.1996-08-09Into the 9.6-quaked Los Angeles of 2013 comes Snake Plissken. His job: wade through L.A.'s ruined landmarks to retrieve a doomsday device.More...
Tulip Fever2017-07-13An artist falls for a married young woman while he's commissioned to paint her portrait. The two invest in the risky tulip market in hopes to build a future together.More...
My Week with Marilyn2011-11-23London, 1956. Genius actor and film director Laurence Olivier is about to begin the shooting of his upcoming movie, premiered in 1957 as The Prince and the Showgirl, starring Marilyn Monroe. Young Colin Clark, who dreams on having a career in movie business, manages to get a job on the set as third assistant director.More...
Irreplaceable You2018-02-16A stunning cancer diagnosis spurs Abbie to seek a future girlfriend for fiancé and childhood sweetheart Sam, who's clueless when it comes to dating.More...
The Kid Who Would Be King2019-01-16Old-school magic meets the modern world when young Alex stumbles upon the mythical sword Excalibur. He soon unites his friends and enemies, and they become knights who join forces with the legendary wizard Merlin. Together, they must save mankind from the wicked enchantress Morgana and her army of supernatural warriors.More...
Mudbound2017-11-16In the post–World War II South, two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad.More...
Foxcatcher2014-11-14The greatest Olympic Wrestling Champion brother team joins Team Foxcatcher led by multimillionaire sponsor John E. du Pont as they train for the 1988 games in Seoul - a union that leads to unlikely circumstances.More...
It Boy2013-03-0638-year-old Alice has everything to become the next editor-in-chief of Rebelle magazine except for her uptight image. But when the young and charming Balthazar, barely 20, crosses Alice's path, she realizes that he holds the key to her promotion.More...
Similar Movies
The Miracle Worker
1962-05-23The true story of the frightening, lonely world of silence and darkness of 7-year-old Helen Keller who, since infancy, has never seen the sky, heard her mother's voice or expressed her innermost feelings. Then Annie Sullivan, a 20-year-old teacher from Boston, arrives. Having just recently regained her own sight, the no-nonsense Annie reaches out to Helen through the power of touch, the only tool they have in common, and leads her bold pupil on a miraculous journey from fear and isolation to happiness and light.The Queen
2006-09-15The Queen is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning.Rocky Balboa
2006-12-20When he loses a highly publicized virtual boxing match to ex-champ Rocky Balboa, reigning heavyweight titleholder Mason Dixon retaliates by challenging the Italian Stallion to a 10-round exhibition bout. To the surprise of his son and friends, Rocky agrees to come out of retirement and face an opponent who's faster, stronger and thirty years his junior. Rocky takes on Dixon in what will become the greatest fight in boxing history!Frida
2002-08-29A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.Lamborghini: The Man ...
2022-11-17Follow the launch of Lamborghini’s career as a manufacturer of tractors, a creator of military vehicles during World War II, and the designer of Lamborghini cars, which he launched in 1963 as the high-end sports car company Automobili Lamborghini.The Virgin Suicides
2000-04-21A group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents.The Last King of Scot...
2006-09-27Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.Emma's Bliss
2006-07-16Upon being informed that he is fatally ill with cancer, Max, who works at a used car store, steals money which his boss has gained through illegal means. When fleeing from the scene of the crime Max crashes his car. He is pulled unconscious from the destroyed vehicle by a homely young woman, Emma, who lives alone on a farm where Max decides to stay in order to hide from the police and his boss.House of Gucci
2021-11-24When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.The Pursuit of Happyn...
2006-12-14A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career.La Vie en Rose
2007-02-14From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most famous concert halls, Edith Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother's brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee, who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France's immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th century.Breakfast on Pluto
2005-11-16In the 1970s, a young transgender woman called “Kitten” leaves her small Irish town for London in search of love, acceptance, and her long-lost mother.Tears of Cem Karaca
2024-01-26Against a backdrop of political unrest in Turkey, this biopic charts the life of Anatolian rock singer Cem Karaca, focusing on his revolutionary ideals. Heightened emotions and moments of threat reflect the country's rising tensions.Mary Queen of Scots
2018-12-07In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.Andrei Rublev
1966-12-16An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter Andrei Rublev. Drifting from place to place in a tumultuous era, the peace-seeking monk eventually gains a reputation for his art. But after Rublev witnesses a brutal battle and unintentionally becomes involved, he takes a vow of silence and spends time away from his work. As he begins to ease his troubled soul, he takes steps towards becoming a painter once again.Birdman of Alcatraz
1962-07-04After killing a prison guard, convict Robert Stroud faces life imprisonment in solitary confinement. Driven nearly mad by loneliness and despair, Stroud's life gains new meaning when he happens upon a helpless baby sparrow in the exercise yard and nurses it back to health. Despite having only a third grade education, Stroud goes on to become a renowned ornithologist and achieves a greater sense of freedom and purpose behind bars than most people find in the outside world.Cinderella Man
2005-06-02The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, following his retirement in the 1930s, makes a surprise comeback in order to lift his family out of poverty.Seven Years in Tibet
1997-09-12Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer journeys to the Himalayas without his family to head an expedition in 1939. But when World War II breaks out, the arrogant Harrer falls into Allied forces' hands as a prisoner of war. He escapes with a fellow detainee and makes his way to Lhasa, Tibet, where he meets the 14-year-old Dalai Lama, whose friendship ultimately transforms his outlook on life.Gandhi
1982-12-01In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.Persona
1966-10-18A young nurse, Alma, is put in charge of Elisabeth Vogler: an actress who is seemingly healthy in all respects, but will not talk. As they spend time together, Alma speaks to Elisabeth constantly, never receiving any answer.