Rambling Rose

Rambling Rose

10/9/1991 1h 52m 6.1/10

Overview

In the Deep South of the 1930s, Rose is taken in by the Hillyer family to serve as housemaid so that she can avoid falling into a life of prostitution. Her appearence and personality is such that all men fall for her, and she knows it. She can't help herself from getting into trouble with men.

Director

Martha Coolidge

Top Billed Cast

John Heard

John Heard

Older Willcox "Buddy" Hillyer

Robert Duvall

Robert Duvall

Mr. Hillyer

Laura Dern

Laura Dern

Rose

Diane Ladd

Diane Ladd

Mrs. Hillyer

Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas

Willcox "Buddy" Hillyer

Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway

Dr. Martinson

Reviews

Wuchak

7/20/2024

6/10

**_Sexcapades in the Deep South during the Depression_** In 1935, a young woman with a dubious past (Laura Dern) moves in with a family in a small town in Georgia, but her extraordinary sexuality causes complications for the patriarch (Robert Duvall) and his precocious 13 years-old son (Lukas Haas). Dern’s mother, Diane Ladd, is on hand as the Columbia-educated matriarch. “Rambling Rose” (1991) is an adult-oriented period drama with coming-of-age elements similar to the later “The Cider House Rules,” the contemporaneous “The Man in the Moon” and the earlier “Ode to Billy Joe,” not to mention "The Great Santini.” While it’s the least of these, it’s not far off and worth checking out for those interested, but some might be turned off by the risqué bits. Duvall is always entertaining while Haas is outstanding. The book and script writer, Calder Willingham, wanted Tatum O’Neal to play the part of Rose. The role was reportedly also offered to Jodie Foster, Helen Mirren and Meryl Streep, but they declined for obvious reasons. Laura does a fine job in the challenging role, but she wasn't the stunning beauty that the story required. For instance, when she's walking down the street and literally every guy's jaw drops. Why Sure! Don’t get me wrong, she could’ve better fit the role if she were 7-8 years younger, like in “Grizzly II: Revenge.” The flick runs 1 hour, 52 minutes, and was shot in Ivanhoe, North Carolina, and EUE/Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, which is 30 miles southeast of Ivanhoe on the coast. GRADE: B-

Similar Movies

White Material

6.8

White Material

2010

Behind Blue Skies

6.5

Behind Blue Skies

2010

The Time to Live and the Time to Die

7.3

The Time to Live and the Time to Die

1985

Marvelous and the Black Hole

6.6

Marvelous and the Black Hole

2022

A Handful of Dust

6.0

A Handful of Dust

1988

The Happy Housewife

5.9

The Happy Housewife

2010

The Goddess of 1967

6.3

The Goddess of 1967

2000

My Paper Dolls

6.1

My Paper Dolls

2023

Break any spell

0.0

Break any spell

2021