Lackawanna Blues is a 2005 American biographical drama television film directed by George C. Wolfe and written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. It aired on HBO on February 12, 2005. It is based on the play of the same name by Santiago-Hudson. Wolfe had commissioned the stage version.[1]
| Lackawanna Blues | |
|---|---|
 Television release poster | |
| Genre | Biographical drama |
| Based on | Lackawanna Blues by Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| Screenplay by | Ruben Santiago-Hudson |
| Directed by | George C. Wolfe |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Meshell Ndegeocello |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Nellie Rachel Nugiel |
| Cinematography | Ivan Strasburg |
| Editor | Brian A. Kates |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | February 12, 2005 |
For her work in the movie, S. Epatha Merkerson won a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2006.
Premise
editLackawanna Blues is the true story of Ruben Santiago Jr. growing up in Lackawanna, New York. He was raised by his father and mother and the neighborhood boarding house lady known as Rachel "Nanny" Crosby. Ruben was born in 1956 to his Puerto Rican father Ruben Santiago and his African-American mother Alean Hudson. His mother was too mentally unstable to take good care of him; residing in mental hospitals, Alean disappears and reappears throughout Ruben's life. His father stayed at Nanny's boarding house, but he was frequently not around due to working long hours or out looking for work. Nanny more or less took care of Ruben Jr. as a mother figure. The television movie depicts his life growing up there and the diverse characters that he meets during his and their stays at the boarding house.
Cast
edit- S. Epatha Merkerson as Rachel "Nanny" Crosby
- Hill Harper as Ruben Santiago Jr. as an adult
- Marcus Carl Franklin as Ruben Santiago Jr. as a boy, ages 7–10
- Jimmy Smits as Ruben Santiago Sr., Ruben's father
- Terrence Dashon Howard as Bill Crosby, Nanny's much younger husband
- Mos Def as The Bandleader
- Carmen Ejogo as Alean Hudson, Ruben's mother
- Louis Gossett Jr as Ol'lem Taylor, a retired Negro league baseball player
- Macy Gray as Pauline, a resident and Jimmy's girlfriend
- Michael K. Williams as Jimmy, a resident and Pauline's boyfriend
- Ernie Hudson as Dick Barrymore, a cabaret owner
- Delroy Lindo as Mr. Lucious, a resident
- Rosie Perez as Bertha, a hairdresser and resident
- Adina Porter as Ricky, a resident
- Jeffrey Wright as Small Paul
- Barry Shabaka Henley as Shakey Winfield, a resident and Nanny's cousin
- Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Freddie Cobbs, a World War II veteran
- Saul Williams as Lonnie, a resident and war veteran
- Liev Schreiber as Ulysses Ford, a social worker
- Julie Benz as Laura, an abused wife
- Henry Simmons as Jesse, Laura's abusive husband
- Patricia Wettig as Laura's Mother
- Ron Kellum as Fish Fry guest
- Robert Bradley as Otis McClanahan (credited as "Robert A. Bradley" in some sources)
The blind Detroit street singer Robert Bradley from the band Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise appears in the film. He performs on-screen and has three songs featured on the soundtrack (including a duet with Macy Gray).
Production
editBegan shooting March 1, 2004 and completed shooting April 1, 2004.[2]
Awards and nominations
editNotes
edit- ^ Tied with Joseph Sargent for Warm Springs.
References
edit- ^ Lee, Felicia R. (2005-02-06), "Lost and Found In Lackawanna", New York Times
- ^ "Lackawanna Blues".
- ^ "2005 Artios Awards". www.castingsociety.com. Retrieved November 1, 2005.
- ^ "Past Winners & Nominees". Humanitas Prize. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
- ^ "9th Annual TV Awards (2005)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ "Lackawanna Blues". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ "Nominees & Winners – Satellite™ Awards 2005 (10th Annual Satellite™ Awards)". International Press Academy. Satellite Awards. Archived from the original on February 2, 2008. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ^ "Alphabet tops TCA nominations". Variety. June 2, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
- ^ Newcott, William R. (March 2006). ""Fifth Annual Movies for Grownups"". AARP the Magazine. Washington, DC. pp. 50–51.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". IMDb. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Jamie Foxx leads BET nominees". Today. May 17, 2006.
- ^ "Black Reel Awards – Past Winners". Black Reel Awards. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Nominees/Winners". IMDb. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
- ^ "7th Costume Designers Guild Awards". Costume Designers Guild. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
- ^ "58th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Lackawanna Blues – Golden Globes". HFPA. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ "Sound editors sing praise". Variety. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
- ^ "2006 Gracies Gala Winners". Gracie Awards. 24 October 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ "36 Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Independent Spirit Awards. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
- ^ ""Brokeback," "Capote," "Crash," "Transamerica" Honored With Spirit Awards". indieWire. 2006-03-05. Retrieved 2012-08-21.
- ^ "Randy Jackson, Aisha Tyler, Kimberly Elise, James Pickens JR., and Kevin Frazier Join New Naacp President and Ceo Bruce S. Gordon to Announce the "37th Naacp Image Awards" Nominations". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 10, 2006.
- ^ "2005 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
- ^ McNary, Dave (January 22, 2006). "PGA on cowboy trail". Variety. Archived from the original on September 22, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
- ^ "The 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
- ^ "Previous Nominees & Winners: 2008 Awards Winners". Writers Guild Awards. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2014-05-07.