Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool

"Love, just like in the movies."

2017 1h 45m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 184

RomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Love, just like in the movies.”

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Cast

Annette Bening
Gloria Grahame
Jamie Bell
Peter Turner
Julie Walters
Bella Turner
Stephen Graham
Joe Turner, Jr
Kenneth Cranham
Joe Turner
Leanne Best
Eileen
Vanessa Redgrave
Jeanne McDougall
Frances Barber
Joy

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Paul McGuigan
Writers: Matt Greenhalgh, Peter Turner
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 32% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 9 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Paul McGuigan, shot by Urszula Pontikos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Nick Emerson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Annette Bening and Jamie Bell and Julie Walters carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Love, just like in the movies.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt5711148 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Paul McGuigan directs. Urszula Pontikos behind the camera. Nick Emerson cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 32% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 9 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America.
4Directed by Paul McGuigan, shot by Urszula Pontikos. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Nick Emerson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Annette Bening and Jamie Bell and Julie Walters carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Love, just like in the movies.".
8IMDB entry: tt5711148 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Urszula Pontikos
Editing: Nick Emerson
Production design: Eve Stewart
Costume design: Jany Temime
Makeup / hair: Naomi Donne
VFX supervisor: Uel Hormann
Sound: Brendan Nicholson
Runtime: 105 min · 1h 45m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,000,000
Box office: $3,179,847
Return: 32% of budget
Original language: EN
IMDB: Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017)

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Paul McGuigan

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Peter McGinn2022-07-20
★ 8/10
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.
CinemaSerf2024-06-03
★ 7/10
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?