The Trip to Bountiful
The Trip to Bountiful
PG | 20 December 1985 (USA)
The Trip to Bountiful Trailers

Carrie Watts is living the twilight of her life trapped in an apartment in 1940s Houston, Texas with a controlling daughter-in-law and a hen-pecked son. Her fondest wish – just once before she dies – is to revisit Bountiful, the small Texas town of her youth which she still refers to as "home."

Reviews
Develiker terrible... so disappointed.
Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.
Hadrina The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Geraldine The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.
vincentlynch-moonoi There are some films you watch because they have a great story. This is not one of them.There are some films you watch because of a great acting performance. This is supposed to be one of those films. But in reality, it is not. I don't care that Geraldine Page won an Academy Award for this film; in my view it was a payback for having been nominated 7 times previously and not winning.Now, why do I say that her performance is not Oscar worthy. Go back and watch 1963's "Toys In The Attic" starring her, Dean Martin, and Wendy Hiller. Same performance, just a different script and different lines. I would have thought it was a fine performance had I not been familiar with "Toys In The Attic".What about supporting actor John Heard as the son. Wooden. Talking, not acting. Thumbs down (and yet I have seen Heard be very good in other films).How about Carlin Glynn as Heard's wife? Too shrill. Overacting.In my view, the only performance worth watching in the film was that of Richard Bradford in a somewhat small role as the sheriff. Nicely played. Actually, Rebecca De Mornay is fairly good as a fellow bus passenger, as well.Sorry, but this film -- the type of film I often like -- gets a BIG thumbs down from me.
Michael Neumann Horton Foote's poignant story of an old woman's desperate attempt to return to her childhood home in Texas offers more genuine emotion than most tearjerkers, thanks to his sensitive screenplay and to a compassionate performance by Geraldine Page as the elderly Carrie Watts, on the run from her henpecked son and his nagging wife, and from the four bare walls that frame her life. The supporting cast offers able support to what really should be regarded as a one-woman show, for which the actress won a well-deserved Oscar. And Peter Masterson's discreet direction helps transform what could have been little more than an exercise in period nostalgia into a modest but sentimental hymn to the essential decency of human nature.
preppy-3 This takes place in the 1940s. Carrie Watts (Geraldine Page), an elderly woman, is living with her son Ludie (John Heard) and his wife Jessie Mae (Carlin Glynn). Ludie is henpecked by Jessie Mae and Jessie treats Carrie like dirt. All Carrie wants is to visit her home town before she dies. Ludie and Jessie won't help her so she decides to go on her own.This is one of those quiet movies that people (mostly critics) fall all over themselves praising. Page won a well deserved Oscar for this but, aside from her acting, this is a slow-moving and frankly dull tale. Perhaps it worked well on stage but it certainly doesn't transfer to film. I have no problem with quiet slow-moving movies at all as long as they're interesting or innovative. This is neither. I knew exactly where this was going and exactly how it would end up. There were no surprises at all. Page's excellent performance doesn't disguise the fact that this is a totally predictable and boring movie. Just because a movie is quiet and slow doesn't automatically make it some work of art. Worth catching for Page and Rebecca De Mornay (a passenger Page meets on the bus) but little else. To make things worse the character of Jessie Mae is so unpleasant and cruel that she becomes a caricature. I don't blame the actress Glynn for it--I blame the writing. A slow, dull, wildly overpraised movie. I can only give it a 5.
fimimix I never know what to write about movies like "The Trip to Bountiful." So many users have already given it accolades; what else is there to write ? Once again, I stumbled on it on TCM in the middle of this film. I'd always wanted to see it. People who have not experienced the closeted atmosphere this plot depicts (several people living in a small apartment) are truly lucky - I have and am, although I'm not directly involved.Peter Masterson has directed a masterpiece from Horton Foote's script, although I doubt seriously if he had much to do with Geraldine Page's ("Carrie Watts") performance. She WAS "Carrie;" she portrayed this eccentric lady with a revelation seldom achieved by anyone. Although I missed the first half of the movie, I didn't need it - I could understand each character's personality clearly, although there were some whom I really didn't want to understand. But, isn't that life ? I did not recognize John Heard ("Ludie Watts"). He was perfect for that character, as was Carlin Glynn ("Jessie Mae"). Didn't you want to choke her? A fabulous performance. In the confines of their apartment, "Ludie" knew he was a failure in his life, because he had neither the courage to reprimand his wife nor gently accompany his mother to her dearest place on earth. He left that up to "the Sheriff" (Richard Branford)....another stellar performance.Every scene in this movie, I'm sure, was a gem, carried by Ms. Page. I was certain it was going to be "Thelma" (Rebecca de Mornay) to take "Carrie" to Bountiful.....she was so kindly aware of "Carrie's" predicament. Yet, that would have prevented the redemption of the other characters. "Ludie's" confession and demonstration of his love for "Carrie"; "Jessie Mae's" shock to receive the sweet kiss on her cheek by "Carrie", who accepted all of the demands of "the list". A touching shocker when "Carrie" let the magic of her life sift through her fingers as she scooped-up a handful of earth.....you know she saw her mom and dad on the porch.We all will make a "Bountiful" trip, either actual or imaginary. I'd jump into my auto right now, if I thought it would make it to Mississippi. Flying would be too abrupt - it's the build-up to the ultimate desire to re-connect with the past. This is a movie which should be shared by an entire family-viewing.......I've rated it at 50.