Projects » Avalon

Production Year: 1990
Directed by: Barry Levinson
Genre: Drama
Rating: 7.4/10 (1,707 votes)
Runtime: 126 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Certification: UK:U / USA:PG / Argentina:Atp / Chile:TE / Finland:S / Iceland:L / Sweden:7

Plot Outline: A Russian Jewish family comes to the USA at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. There, the family and their children try to make themselves a better future in the so-called promised land.

Awards

Avalon was nominated for 4 Oscars. It won 1 award and received another 11 nominations.

Academy Awards, USA 1991 - Nominated
Best Cinematography, Allen Daviau
Best Costume Design, Gloria Gresham
Best Music, Original Score, Randy Newman
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Barry Levinson
American Society of Cinematographers, USA 1991 - Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases, Allen Daviau.
Casting Society of America, USA 1991 - Nominated
Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama, Ellen Chenoweth.
Directors Guild of America, USA 1991 - Nominated
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, Barry Levinson.
Golden Globes, USA 1991 - Nominated
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Best Original Score - Motion Picture, Randy Newman
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture, Barry Levinson.
Grammy Awards 1992 - Won
Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television, Randy Newman
Young Artist Awards 1991 - Nominated
Best Young Actor Starring in a Motion Picture, Elijah Wood
Best Young Actor Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Grant Gelt
Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Mindy Loren Isenstein
Most Entertaining Family Youth Motion Picture - Drama

Cast

Leo Fuchs .... Hymie Krichinsky
Eve Gordon .... Dottie Kirk
Lou Jacobi .... Gabriel Krichinsky
Armin Mueller-Stahl .... Sam Krichinsky
Elizabeth Perkins .... Ann Kaye
Joan Plowright .... Eva Krichinsky
Kevin Pollak .... Izzy Kirk
Aidan Quinn .... Jules Kaye
Israel Rubinek .... Nathan Krichinsky
Elijah Wood .... Michael Kaye
Grant Gelt .... Teddy Kirk
Mindy Loren Isenstein .... Mindy Kirk
Shifra Lerer .... Nellie Krichinsky
Mina Bern .... Alice Krichinsky
Frania Rubinek .... Faye Krichinsky

Trivia

The slivovitz (a.k.a. "block and fall") the immigrant brothers recall their father drinking ("he never drank water, only slivovitz") is a real type of high-proof Hungarian plum brandy or schnapps made with the same kind of plums that give Sloe Gin its flavor. Slivovitz is not a brand name, but a generic term for this type of drink, and a definition of it can be found in some dictionaries.
Director Trademark: [Barry Levinson] Ralph Tabakin (Principal Dunn) has appeared in every Levinson picture from Diner (1982) to Liberty Heights (1999).
The streetcar wreck scene was staged with a plywood replica of a Baltimore PCC streetcar, with assistance by Baltimore-area streetcar historians. The location of the "wreck" actually was on an original Baltimore streetcar route.
Some of Levinson's relatives appear in the scene of Eva's funeral, which is based on the funeral of his own grandmother. When he started directing them, one of his cousis said, "Barry, we know what to do - we did this once before already."

Goofs

Anachronisms: Although the beginning of the picture is set in the late 1940s, the Christmas song "Silver Bells" is heard on Jules' car radio, sung by Bing Crosby. That version of the song was released in 1950.
Continuity: When Izzy, Jules and the two boys head to the new appliance store for its gala 4th of July sale, they are driving in Izzy's red '49 Studebaker convertible. When they arrive at the store, they are in a red '50 Oldsmobile convertible. The car later changes back into the original Studebaker.