The Whole Wide World **** (1996, Vincent D’Onofrio, Renée Zellweger, Ann Wedgeworth, Harve Presnell) – Classic Movie Review 10,795

Director Dan Ireland’s 1996 biographical film The Whole Wide World is an intriguing and excellently done real-life 1930s Texas-set drama exploring the relationship between pulp-fiction author Robert E Howard (Vincent D’Onofrio), creator of the comic-strip hero Conan the Barbarian, and schoolteacher-writer Novalyne Price (Renée Zellweger).

Michael Scott Myers’s expert, fascinating screenplay is based on Novalyne Price’s memoirs One Who Walked Alone and Day of the Stranger: Further Memories of Robert E Howard, and the film is lovingly crafted by Dan Ireland, with notable period production design by John Frick. As expected, the ideally cast D’Onofrio (who is also one of the producers) and Zellweger give polished, first-class performances, both roles suiting their unusual, individual personalities.

Howard committed suicide in 1936 at the age of 30 after holding vigil at his adored, long-ailing mother’s deathbed. His suicide note said: ‘All fled, all done, so lift me on the pyre, the feast is over, and the lamps expire.’

Also in the cast are Ann Wedgeworth as Mrs Howard, Harve Presnell as Dr Howard, Benjamin Mouton as Clyde Smith, Helen Cates as Enid, Leslie Buesing as Ethel, Chris Shearer as Truett, Sandy Walper as Mammy, Dell Aldrich as Mrs Hemphill, Libby Villari as Novalyne’s mother Etna Reed Price, and Michael Corbett as Mayor Booth Adams, with Antonia Bogdanovich and Elizabeth D’Onofrio.

Low budget though it was at $1,300,000, it grossed only $375,757 in the US, even released by Sony Pictures Classics, and such small films as this are an endangered species.

The music is by Harry Gregson-Williams and his mentor Hans Zimmer in their first collaboration.

It was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in January 1996 and then at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 1996 before it US release on 20 December 1996.

The Whole Wide World is directed by Dan Ireland, runs 111 minutes, is made by Cineville and the Kushner-Locke Company, is released by Sony Pictures Classics (1996) (US) and Film Four (UK), is written by Michael Scott Myers, based on Novalyne Price’s memoir One Who Walked Alone, is shot by Claudio Rocha, is produced by Vincent D’Onofrio, Dan Ireland, Carl Colpaert and Kevin Reidy, and is scored by Harry Gregson-Williams and Hans Zimmer, with production design by John Frick.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,795

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com