The Bridges of Madison County (film)

In the present, adult siblings Michael and Carolyn Johnson arrive at the Iowa farmhouse of their recently deceased mother, Francesca, to settle her estate. They are shocked upon learning that she had requested to be cremated and her ashes scattered from Roseman Covered Bridge, rather than be buried next to her late husband, Richard.

Michael initially refuses, but while he and Carolyn look through the safe deposit box, they discover an envelope containing photographs, letters, and a key. The photos are of Francesca taken at the Holliwell Covered Bridge and the letters are from a man named Robert Kincaid.

The key is to Francesca's locked hope chest. In it are three hardbound notebooks. There are also several National Geographic magazines, including one featuring Madison County's covered wooden bridges,^[6] old cameras, a book, and other mementos. The magazine includes a photo of Kincaid, who photographed the bridges; he is wearing Francesca's crucifix pendant.

As Michael and Carolyn begin reading Francesca's notebooks, the film flashes back to 1965. Francesca, a WWII war bride originally from Bari, Italy, stays home while her husband and teenage son and daughter attend the state fair for the next four days.

Robert Kincaid, a National Geographic photojournalist on assignment to photograph the county's historic bridges, arrives at the Johnson farm, asking for directions to Roseman Bridge. Francesca rides along to show him the way. Their subsequent affair occurs over four days.

Francesca details the intense affair and its lasting influence on her and Robert, hoping Michael and Carolyn will understand and honor her final request. She and Robert fell deeply in love and nearly ran away together. Francesca, confined to a passionless marriage, was unable to abandon her teenage children and loyal husband.

Though Francesca loved Robert, she questioned whether their spontaneous relationship could survive over time. He, moved by their brief encounter, found renewed meaning in life and his true calling as an artist. Memories of Robert helped sustain her through the remaining years on the farm.

After her husband's death, Francesca attempted to contact Robert, but he had left National Geographic and his whereabouts were unknown. She later learned that he died about three years after her husband, and left his belongings to her. Robert's ashes were scattered from Roseman Bridge.

In the present, Michael and Carolyn, struggling with their own marriages, are deeply moved by their mother's story. They find new directions to their individual lives and finally carry out their mother's wishes to scatter her ashes from Roseman Bridge.

• Clint Eastwood as Robert Kincaid
• Meryl Streep as Francesca Johnson
• Annie Corley as Carolyn Johnson
  • Sarah Kathryn Schmitt as young Carolyn
• Victor Slezak as Michael Johnson
  • Christopher Kroon as young Michael
• Jim Haynie as Richard Johnson
• Phyllis Lyons as Betty
• Debra Monk as Madge
• Richard Lage as Lawyer Peterson
• Michelle Benes as Lucy Redfield

Amblin Entertainment, a production company founded by Steven Spielberg, bought the film rights to Waller's novel for $25,000 in late 1991, before its publication—by the time of the film's release, the novel sold 9.5 million copies worldwide.^[3] Spielberg first asked Sydney Pollack to direct, who got Kurt Luedtke to draft the first version of the adaptation but then bowed out; Ronald Bass was brought in by Kathleen Kennedy and Spielberg to work on the script, but they were unsatisfied with the results.^[3] But a third draft by Richard LaGravenese was liked by Eastwood, who quite early had been cast for the male lead, and by Spielberg, both saw potential in the draft but decided to rewrite it together to adjust imperfections that they perceived and find the perfect voice for the project, Spielberg enjoyed so much working with Eastwood and LaGravenese writing the script with them that he considered making Bridges his next film after Schindler's List (1993), which was in post-production at the time.^[3] Both men liked that LaGravenese's script presented the story from Francesca's point of view; but Eastwood and Spielberg introduce the framing device of having Francesca's adult children discover and read her diaries.^[3] When Spielberg decided not to direct, he then brought in Bruce Beresford, who got Alfred Uhry to draft another version of the script; when Warner Bros. Pictures, Spielberg, and Eastwood all preferred their draft with LaGravenese, Beresford dropped out and Eastwood asked to direct the film and co-produce it with his production company Malpaso Productions to have more control over the movie and make the project move forward.^[3]

Catherine Deneuve and Isabella Rossellini did screen tests to play Francesca,^[7] but despite Spielberg's initial reluctance, Eastwood had advocated Meryl Streep for the role from the beginning.^[3]

Principal photography took 42 days, ending on November 1, 1994, ten days ahead of Eastwood's 52-day schedule; Eastwood filmed it chronologically from Francesca's point of view, "because it was important to work that way. We were two people getting to know each other, in real-time, as actors and as the characters."^[3] It was filmed on location in Madison County, Iowa, including the town of Winterset, and in the Dallas County town of Adel.^[2]

The MPAA ratings board initially gave the film an "R" rating, for the line "Or should we just fuck on the linoleum one last time?", a line of dialogue spoken sarcastically by Francesca; Eastwood appealed, and the rating was reduced to a PG-13.^[3]