The Brave (film)

Last updated

The Brave
The Brave.jpg
Promotional release poster
Directed by Johnny Depp
Screenplay by
  • D. P. Depp
  • Johnny Depp
  • Paul McCudden
Based onThe Brave (novel)
by Gregory Mcdonald
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
  • Vilko Filač
  • Eugene D. Shlugleit
Edited by
Music by Iggy Pop
Distributed byMajestic Films International
Release dates
  • May 10, 1997 (1997-05-10)(Cannes Film Festival)
  • July 30, 1997 (1997-07-30)(France)
Running time
123 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5-6 million [1]

The Brave is a 1997 American independent neo-western film [2] adapted from the Gregory McDonald novel of the same title. It was directed and co-written by Johnny Depp. The cast includes Depp and Marlon Brando. [3]

Contents

This film was Depp's directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with his brother. The film was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival [4] where it received generally negative reviews. The film was released in theaters and on DVD internationally, but not in the United States. [5]

Plot

A Native American man named Raphael lives with his wife and two children in a remote community, near a garbage dump. He sells whatever he can to make a living. Raphael, seeing the hopelessness of his situation and his inability to provide for his family, agrees to star in a snuff film for a large sum of money that he hopes will give his family a chance for a better life.

Having been given part of the money in advance, Raphael is given a week to live and then return to be tortured and killed in front of the camera. Over the course of his final week of his life Raphael changes his relationship with his wife and children and faces his own personal anguish with his fate.

Cast and characters

Production

The initial script, written by Paul McCudden and based on a book by Gregory Mcdonald, attracted interest from Hollywood studios in 1993, despite the dark nature of the story. [1] Disney's Touchstone Pictures eventually picked up the film, and work on it was set to happen at the start of 1994. [1] In December 1993 however, Aziz Ghazal (the first time director from USC film school who was attached to the picture) killed his wife and daughter before committing suicide. [1] His body would not be found by Los Angeles police for over a month. [1] With the director of the film missing and presumed responsible for the murder of his family, Touchstone immediately suspended production. [1]

In spite of this major setback, McCudden and his production partner Charles Evans persisted in trying to get the film made, as they had already invested a substantial amount of their own money into it. [1] In 1994, they were able to convince Johnny Depp to rewrite, direct and produce the film. [1] Depp didn't like the original script, but still took on the project as he was moved by "the idea of sacrifice for family." [1]

Rock legend Iggy Pop wrote and performed all the music to the film. Some of the songs on the film were later released on Iggy Pop's 1999 studio album Avenue B . Johnny Depp cast himself in the lead role as a means to attract interest from potential financers. [1] The film had an estimated production budget of $5 million and Depp agreed to pay if the cost went over, and may have put as much as $2 million of his own money into the film. [1]

Reception

The initial 1997 reviews from American critics were highly negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 33% based on reviews from 6 critics. [6] Variety dismissed the film as "a turgid and unbelievable neo-western." [2] Time Out says there's nothing inherently wrong with the film but that "[b]esides the implausibilities, the direction has two fatal flaws: it's both tediously slow and hugely narcissistic as the camera focuses repeatedly on Depp's bandana'd head and rippling torso." [7]

The negative reviews led to Depp's decision to not give The Brave a formal release in the United States, either in theaters or on home media. [5] [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Depp</span> American actor (born 1963)

John Christopher Depp II is an American actor and musician. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for three Academy Awards and two BAFTA awards. His films, in which he has often played eccentric characters, have grossed over $8 billion worldwide, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.

<i>Dead Man</i> 1995 Western film

Dead Man is a 1995 American acid Western film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch. It stars Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop, Crispin Glover, John Hurt, Michael Wincott, Lance Henriksen, Gabriel Byrne, Mili Avital, and Robert Mitchum in his final film performance. The movie, set in the late 19th century, follows William Blake, a meek accountant on the run after murdering a man. He has a chance encounter with enigmatic Native American spirit-guide "Nobody", who believes Blake is the reincarnation of the visionary English poet William Blake.

<i>Viva Zapata!</i> 1952 film by Elia Kazan

Viva Zapata! is a 1952 American Western film directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando. The screenplay was written by John Steinbeck, using Edgcomb Pinchon's 1941 book Zapata the Unconquerable as a guide. The cast includes Jean Peters, and in an Academy Award-winning performance, Anthony Quinn.

<i>One-Eyed Jacks</i> 1961 film

One-Eyed Jacks is a 1961 American Western film directed by and starring Marlon Brando, his only directorial credit. Brando portrays the lead character Rio, and Karl Malden plays his partner, "Dad" Longworth. The supporting cast features Pina Pellicer, Katy Jurado, Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens. In 2018, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

<i>Don Juan DeMarco</i> 1995 American film

Don Juan DeMarco is a 1995 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Johnny Depp as John Arnold DeMarco, a man who believes himself to be Don Juan, the greatest lover in the world. Clad in a cape and domino mask, DeMarco undergoes psychiatric treatment with Marlon Brando's character, Dr. Jack Mickler, to cure him of his apparent delusion. But the psychiatric sessions have an unexpected effect on the psychiatric staff, some of whom find themselves inspired by DeMarco's delusion; the most profoundly affected is Dr. Mickler himself, who rekindles the romance in his complacent marriage.

<i>A Dry White Season</i> 1989 film by Euzhan Palcy

A Dry White Season is a 1989 American drama film directed by Euzhan Palcy and starring Donald Sutherland, Jürgen Prochnow, Marlon Brando, Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae and Susan Sarandon. It was written by Colin Welland and Palcy, based upon André Brink's novel A Dry White Season. Robert Bolt also contributed uncredited revisions of the screenplay. It is set in South Africa in 1976 and deals with the subject of apartheid. Brando was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

<i>Cry-Baby</i> 1990 film by John Waters

Cry-Baby is a 1990 American teen musical romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters. It was the only film of Waters's over which studios were in a bidding war, coming off the heels of the successful Hairspray. The film stars Johnny Depp as 1950s teen rebel Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker, and also features a large ensemble cast that includes Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell, Iggy Pop, Ricki Lake, Traci Lords, and Polly Bergen, with appearances by Troy Donahue, Mink Stole, Joe Dallesandro, Joey Heatherton, David Nelson, Patricia Hearst, and Willem Dafoe.

<i>Kansas City</i> (film) 1996 American crime film by Robert Altman

Kansas City is a 1996 American crime film directed by Robert Altman, and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, Michael Murphy and Steve Buscemi. The musical score of Kansas City is integrated into the film, with modern-day musicians recreating the Kansas City jazz of 1930s.

Charles Evans Jr. (Charles Evans Jr. is an American film producer and director. He produced Johnny Depp's directorial effort, The Brave. Charles was also a producer on Howard Hughes’ biopic, The Aviator. Evans is the son of and EVAN PICONE founder and motion picture producer Charles Evans and the nephew of former film studio executive and producer Robert Evans.

<i>The Libertine</i> (2005 film) 2004 British-Australian drama film

The Libertine is a 2005 period drama film, the first film directed by Laurence Dunmore. It was adapted by Stephen Jeffreys from his play of the same name, and stars Johnny Depp and Samantha Morton as John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester and Elizabeth Barry, with John Malkovich, Rosamund Pike, Rupert Friend, and Kelly Reilly in supporting roles. Set in 1675 England, the film chronicles the life of the decadent but brilliant Earl of Rochester, who is asked by King Charles II to write a play celebrating his reign, while simultaneously training Elizabeth Barry to improve her acting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infinitum Nihil</span> American film production company

Infinitum Nihil is an American film production company, founded by Johnny Depp. The company is run by Depp's sister Christi Dembrowski. Depp founded the company in 2004 to develop projects where he will serve as actor and/or producer.

<i>Cannes Man</i> 1996 American film

Cannes Man is a 1996 independent comedy film directed by Richard Martini, and Susan Hillary Shapiro. The film stars Seymour Cassel and Francesco Quinn. The film also features more than 15 famous Hollywood actors including Johnny Depp, Jon Cryer, Benicio del Toro, John Malkovich, Dennis Hopper, Kevin Pollak, Jim Jarmusch and Chris Penn. The film was released as Direct-to-DVD in many countries.

<i>Go Go Tales</i> 2007 Italian film

Go Go Tales is an independent 2007 film by Abel Ferrara. Ferrara based the film on The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, directed by John Cassavetes. It stars Willem Dafoe as a strip club owner and co-stars Bob Hoskins, Asia Argento and Matthew Modine. Ferrara had the cast improvise much of their lines. He described the film as his "first intentional comedy".

<i>Listen to Me Marlon</i> 2015 documentary film

Listen to Me Marlon is a 2015 British documentary film written, directed and edited by Stevan Riley about the movie star and iconic actor Marlon Brando.

<i>My Golden Days</i> 2015 French film

My Golden Days, also titled My Golden Years, is a 2015 French drama film directed by Arnaud Desplechin. It stars Quentin Dolmaire, Lou Roy-Lecollinet, and Mathieu Amalric. It is a prequel to the 1996 film My Sex Life... or How I Got into an Argument. It was screened as part of the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the SACD Prize.

<i>Planetarium</i> (film) 2016 film

Planetarium is a French-Belgian drama film directed by Rebecca Zlotowski. The film stars Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp. The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and was released on 16 November 2016, by Ad Vitam Distribution.

<i>Jeanne du Barry</i> (film) 2023 biographical film

Jeanne du Barry is a 2023 historical drama film directed, co-written and produced by Maïwenn and starring herself and Johnny Depp in the leading roles. It also stars Pierre Richard, Benjamin Lavernhe, Noémie Lvovsky, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud, and India Hair. Its plot centres on Madame du Barry, who uses her intelligence and allure to rise in society. She becomes King Louis XV's favourite, they fall in love, and against all propriety and etiquette, du Barry moves to Versailles, where her relationship with the king scandalises the court.

Modì is an upcoming biographical drama film based on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. It is directed by Johnny Depp from a screenplay by Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski, which is based on the play Modigliani by Dennis McIntyre. Produced by Depp's IN.2 Film, Salome Productions, Barry Navidi Productions, and Proton Cinema, it is a co-production between the United Kingdom, Italy, and Hungary. It stars Riccardo Scamarcio in the leading role, with Al Pacino, Luisa Ranieri, Antonia Desplat, Stephen Graham, Bruno Gouery, Ryan McParland, Benjamin Lavernhe, and Sally Phillips playing supporting roles. The artist's life story, which was previously adapted for Modigliani (2004), is Depp's second directorial effort, following the 1997 film The Brave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Mullins (musician)</span> Musical artist

Lawrence Edward Mullins, also known as Toby Dammit, is an American musician, record producer, and composer. A multi-instrumentalist, Mullins is best known as a member of the bands Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Swans, as well as a former member of The Stooges and other incarnations of Iggy Pop’s bands. He has also worked extensively in music for films and television, and had a performance role in the German cable series Babylon Berlin.

<i>Being Maria</i> 2024 film by Jessica Palud

Being Maria is a 2024 biographical drama film directed by Jessica Palud from a screenplay by Palud and Laurette Polmanss, freely adapted from Vanessa Schneider's 2018 memoir My Cousin Maria Schneider. It is about the actress Maria Schneider (1952–2011) and dramatizes her experiences working on Bernardo Bertolucci's feature film Last Tango in Paris (1972). It stars Anamaria Vartolomei in the title role, with Céleste Brunnquell, Giuseppe Maggio, Yvan Attal, Marie Gillain, Jonathan Couzinié and Matt Dillon in supporting roles.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "The Sad, Strange Journey of Johnny Depp's 'The Brave'". Los Angeles Times . May 19, 1997. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Cheshire, Godfrey (May 25, 1997). "The Brave". Variety .
  3. Wallace, Chris (June 28, 2013). "Equal Status, Kemo Sabe Johnny Depp Revises Tonto in 'The Lone Ranger'". The New York Times .
  4. "Festival de Cannes: The Brave". festival-cannes.com. Festival de Cannes . Retrieved September 21, 2009.
  5. 1 2 Free, Erin (May 27, 2016). "Movies You Might Not Have Seen: The Brave (1997)". filmink.com.au. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
  6. "The Brave (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes .
  7. "The Brave". Time Out . February 9, 2006.