The Myth of Fingerprints
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Tim Perell
Mary Jane Skalski
| The Myth of Fingerprints | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Bart Freundlich |
| Written by | Bart Freundlich |
| Produced by | Bart Freundlich Tim Perell Mary Jane Skalski |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Stephen Kazmierski |
| Edited by | Ken J. Sackerham Kate Williams |
| Music by | David Bridie John Phillips |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Classics |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2 million[1] |
| Box office | $458,815[2] |
The Myth of Fingerprints is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by Bart Freundlich. It stars Blythe Danner, Roy Scheider, Noah Wyle, and Julianne Moore.[3] The story follows the gathering of a dysfunctional family during Thanksgiving in New England.
The film premiered at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival and later received a limited release on September 17, 1997. The film's title originates from Paul Simon's 1986 song "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" and is a reference to the idea of blood ties and differing personalities amongst family members.[1][4]
Three adult children reconvene at their family homestead in Maine for the Thanksgiving holiday. Though mother Lena is warm and engaging, father Hal is aloof. Artist Mia, the eldest sibling, arrives with her psychotherapist boyfriend, Elliott. Jake, who was considered the popular jock of the family, brings along his outspoken girlfriend Margaret. Warren, the youngest son, arrives alone, having not been home for three years. Youngest kid Leigh still lives with her parents.
Over the course of the weekend, long-simmering resentments between family members come to the surface. Jake cannot bring himself to admit his love for Margaret, while Warren, still pining for his ex-girlfriend Daphne, meets up with her while in town and learns some upsetting news which leads to a physical confrontation with his father. Mia reunites with Cezanne, a former grade-school classmate who has long had a crush on her.
Cast
- Julianne Moore as Mia
- Roy Scheider as Hal
- Blythe Danner as Lena
- Noah Wyle as Warren
- Arija Bareikis as Daphne
- Hope Davis as Margaret
- Laurel Holloman as Leigh
- Michael Vartan as Jake
- Brian Kerwin as Elliott
- James LeGros as Cezanne
- Chris Bauer as Jerry
Production
Writer-director Bart Freundlich was able to secure big names for the ensemble cast on the strength of his screenplay. Said Roy Scheider, ''I did it because of the story. Bart wrote characters you wanted to play. All of us know it's unlikely the film will make money, but we're always looking for something this interesting. He wrote characters that really grab you.''[5]
Of the film's title, Freundlich explained, "A fingerprint points to the fact that all these people are genetically related and, in a lot of ways, are very similar to one another. But the children in the family have also developed very differently from one another. The question it presents is: how much are their identities tied to where they grew up and to who was around them? And how much of their personalities have they had to create from scratch in order to go on with their lives? That's what fingerprints represent to me--these people's identities: something that on the one hand is genetic, and thus inherited, and yet at the same time is completely unique."[4]
The film was shot in Andover at The Merrill House, and in Bethel, and Waterville, Maine.[1]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival,[6] where it was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. A theatrical release was initially planned for that April, but Sony decided to hold onto it until the fall season.[1]