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MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 27% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Ironweed
"Hard times and Good times. Francis and Helen."
1987 2h 23m EN
😐
6.3
MID
🥫
58%
ROTTEN
😬
56
METACRITIC
⭐
6.7
IMDB
★6.3TMDB · 148🥫58%Rotten Tomatoes●56Metacritic★6.7IMDB · 10,809
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An alcoholic drifter spends Halloween in his hometown of Albany, New York after returning there for the first time in decades.
“Hard times and Good times. Francis and Helen.”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Jack Nicholson
Francis Phelan
Meryl Streep
Helen Archer
Carroll Baker
Annie Phelan
Michael O'Keefe
Billy
Diane Venora
Peg
Fred Gwynne
Oscar Reo
Margaret Whitton
Katrina
Tom Waits
Rudy
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Héctor Babenco
- Writers
- William Kennedy
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- 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 🍿
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ERA
Did you know
39 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
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DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Héctor Babenco, shot by Lauro Escorel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
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DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by John Morris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Anne Goursaud shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
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CAST
Did you know
Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep and Carroll Baker carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
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FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Hard times and Good times. Francis and Helen.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0093277 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Héctor Babenco directs. Lauro Escorel behind the camera. John Morris scores. Anne Goursaud cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 27% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 239 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Directed by Héctor Babenco, shot by Lauro Escorel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by John Morris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Anne Goursaud shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep and Carroll Baker carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "Hard times and Good times. Francis and Helen.".
- 8IMDB entry: tt0093277 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Classified under 16 themes, including "forgiveness", "loyalty", "homelessness", "drifter".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Lauro Escorel
- Original score
- John Morris
- Editing
- Anne Goursaud
- Production design
- Jeannine Oppewall
- Costume design
- Joseph G. Aulisi
- Makeup / hair
- Milton Buras
- VFX supervisor
- Paul Boyington
- Runtime
- 143 min · 2h 23m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $27,000,000
- Box office
- $7,300,000
- Return
- 27% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Ironweed (1987)
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 58% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 56/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.7/10 · 10,809 votes
- MPAA
- R
Awards
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Also by
Héctor Babenco
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- TA
Taft Entertainment Pictures
US
- KE
Keith Barish Productions
US
Key crew
- ProducerKeith Barish
- ProducerMarcia Nasatir
- EditorAnne Goursaud
- CastingBonnie Timmermann
- Production DesignJeannine Oppewall
- Art DirectionRobert Guerra
- Set DecorationLeslie A. Pope
- Costume DesignJoseph G. Aulisi
- Assistant Art DirectorBeth Kuhn
- Assistant Art DirectorClare Scarpulla
- Assistant Art DirectorEnno Poersch
- Construction CoordinatorJoseph Petruccio Sr.
- Special Effects CoordinatorSteve Kirshoff
- Visual Effects SupervisorPaul Boyington
- Script SupervisorCornelia 'Nini' Rogan
- HairstylistMilton Buras
- HairstylistJ. Roy Helland
- Key Hair StylistMarie-Ange Ripka
- Makeup Department HeadDavid Forrest
- Makeup ArtistDorothy J. Pearl
- NovelWilliam Kennedy
- StuntsRick Avery
- StuntsAndy Gill
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- forgiveness
- loyalty
- homelessness
- drifter
- accidental death
- alcoholic
- estranged father
- haunted by the past
- drunkenness
- ghosts of the past
- hobo
- 1930s
- living on the streets
- missions
- bums
- albany, new york
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1987-12-18R
Also known as
International titles
- La force du destinFR
- In Voor- en TegenspoedNL
- Estranhos na Mesma CidadePT
