An American quilt

Movie
German title	An American quilt
Original title	How to Make an American Quilt
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1995
length	112 minutes
Age rating	FSK 6
Rod
Director	Jocelyn Moorhouse
script	Jane Anderson
production	Sarah Pillsbury , Midge Sanford
music	Thomas Newman
camera	Janusz Kamiński
cut	Jill Bilcock
occupation
Winona Ryder : Finn Dodd Anne Bancroft : Glady Joe Cleary Ellen Burstyn : Hy Dodd Kate Nelligan : Constance Saunders Alfre Woodard : Marianna Jared Leto : Beck Kaelynn Craddick : Finn as a child Sara Craddick : Finn as a child Kate Capshaw : Sally, Finn's mother Adam Baldwin : Finn's father Dermot Mulroney : Sam Maya Angelou : Anna Jean Simmons : Em Reed Lois Smith : Sophia Darling Richards Claire Danes : young Glady Joe Cleary Alicia "Lecy" Goranson : young Hy Dodd Samantha Mathis : young Sophia Darling Richards Rip Torn : Arthur Cleary

Make an American Quilt (Original title: How to Make an American Quilt ) is an American film drama by Jocelyn Moorhouse from the year 1995 . The plot is based on a novel by Whitney Otto from 1991. The main role is played by Winona Ryder .

action

The College -Absolventin Finn Dodd prepares for her master's degree before. After her boyfriend Sam asked for her hand, she wants to spend time to herself and her semester break with her grandmother Hy Dodd, who moved in with her sister Glady Joe Cleary after her husband passed away. The two women’s friends are preparing to sew a new quilt at the same time . It turns out this is supposed to be a wedding present for Finn. The theme of the quilt is: "Where love lives."

The women, who all work part of their love stories into the quilt, tell their stories one by one. Finn becomes insecure because she doesn't believe in monogamy . Her mother Sally, who separated from her husband soon after Finn was born, exemplified this attitude. On one of the hottest days of summer, Finn meets a young man in the swimming pool who turns her head. She starts an affair with him and hopes that this will finally make her decide whether she wants to stay with her Sam or not.

After much back and forth, her mother makes the decision for her by announcing to her daughter that she will marry her father again. Finn is confused and has a guilty conscience about the affair. Her mother advises her not to say anything. After the quilt was finished, Finn decided to stay with Sam too.

Reviews

James Berardinelli wrote on ReelViews that the plot of the film was similar to a quilt. He praised the performances, especially those by Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn, Maya Angelou, Rip Torn, Claire Danes and Kate Capshaw. However, the number of characters in the film is too large.

Roger Ebert wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times that he was most moved by the life stories of Marianna and Sally. Most of the characters, however, looked as if they had been "reused" from dime novels. The scene in which the leaves of Finn's thesis are thrown through the gardens by a storm is unforgivable. The storm only serves as a "plot device" (as something that was cheated into the script because it is supposed to move the plot forward).

Awards

Winona Ryder and Dermot Mulroney were nominated for the MTV Movie Award in 1996. Maya Angelou and Alfre Woodard were nominated for the Image Award in 1996. The cast was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award in 1996.

Web links

• Make an American Quilt in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Make an American Quilt at Rotten Tomatoes (English)

Individual evidence

1. ^ Review by James Berardinelli
2. ↑ Roger Ebert. In: Chicago Sun-Times , October 6, 1995