This Boy's Life (film)

Infobox Film
name = This Boy's Life


director = Michael Caton-Jones
producer = Fitch Cady
Art Linson
writer = Tobias Wolff (novel), Robert Getchell (screenplay)
starring = Robert De Niro
Ellen Barkin
Leonardo DiCaprio
music = Carter Burwell
cinematography = David Watkin
editing = Jim Clark
distributor = Warner Bros.
released = April 9, 1993
runtime = 115 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget = Unknown
amg_id = 1:49512
imdb_id = 0108330

"This Boy's Life" was a film adaptation of the memoir of the same name by Tobias Wolff. The 1993 film is directed by Michael Caton-Jones and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Tobias Wolff, Robert De Niro as stepfather Dwight Hansen, and Ellen Barkin as Toby's mother, Caroline Wolff-Hansen. The film also features Chris Cooper, Carla Gugino, and Eliza Dushku, as well as Tobey Maguire in a small role.

Largely filmed in the state of Washington, the town of Concrete, Washington, (where Tobias Wolff's teen years were spent with his mother and stepfather, Dwight) was transformed to its 1950s appearance for a realistic feel. Many of the town's citizens were used as extras, and all external scenes in Concrete (and some internal scenes, as well) were shot in and around the town, including the former elementary school buildings and the still-active Concrete High School building.

The soundtrack of "This Boy's Life" used many songs from the 1950s and early 1960s. The main titles (filmed in Professor Valley, Utah) feature Frank Sinatra's version of "Let's Get Away from It All" from his 1958 album "Come Fly with Me" and Toby and his mother sing "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair" from the popular postwar musical South Pacific. However, most of the music in the film reflects Toby's fondness for rock and roll and doo wop, including songs by Eddie Cochran, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and Link Wray. Carter Burwell composed the film's pensive score, which featured New York guitarist Frederic Hand.

Plot summary

Nomadic, flaky Caroline Wolff just wants to settle down in one place, find a decent guy, and provide a better home for her and her son, Toby. When she moves to Seattle and meets the seemingly respectable Dwight Hansen (in real life Dwight Thompson; at that time a mechanic for Seattle City Light), she thinks she has got it made. Toby, however, feels differently after Dwight's true personality is revealed after spending a few months with Dwight and his children away from Caroline. The boy's stepfather-to-be seems to want to mold Toby into a better person, but his method includes emotionally, verbally, and physically abusing the boy.

The marriage proceeds, and soon Caroline, too, recognizes Dwight's need to dominate everyone around him. She sticks with it, though, convinced it is the best thing for her son, and several years of dysfunction ensues. During this time, Toby befriends another misfit, the possibly homosexual young Arthur, while continuing to chafe under the yoke of his repressive stepfather.

Cast

Trivia

*Jason Abramowitz was almost selected for the role of Toby
*Tobey Maguire auditioned for the role of Toby.
*Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro were reunited in Marvin's Room.

External links

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