Touchstone and Beyond: A History of Disney’s “Cradle Will Rock”

What’s better than telling one story with a couple of lead characters in a film? Telling multiple stories with numerous talented actors all in one extravagant cinematic feast. Tim Robbins brings to life a turbulent time in American history with Cradle Will Rock.

Logline

It’s the 1930’s and amongst the Great Depression, the Federal Theatre Project is one of many initiatives that have been enacted by President Roosevelt to help the country recover. While the nation toils in unemployment, bread lines, and poverty, a small band of professional actors struggles to bring to life a new play in New York City.

Amidst the toil of production, an investigation into the Federal Theatre Project by the US House of Representative about communist infiltration, the actors fight to make their play seen. Union strikes might derail the production, but the actors push on, and when the director of the play is Orson Welles, the show will go on even if some rules need to be broken.

High Praise

Tim Robbins wrote and directed a masterpiece. Cradle Will Rock has multiple stories happening at once, and Robbins balances out the gigantic story with excellent pacing, and a thrilling story of international intrigue that debates the merits of art and freedom of choice.

Hank Azaria is a star. Though his work has been overshadowed by the success of The Simpsons, Azaria shows how talented he is with his work in Cradle Will Rock. Viewers will never lose sight of Azaria’s lead character, thanks to his subtle and creative performance.

Angus Macfadyen’s Orson Welles is a joy. He owns every scene he is in and brings the famed director to life in a unique and delightful way.

Cradle Will Rock has everything. Politics, unions, art, and the desire to fight against what keeps you down. This is a movie of depth and length and has a lot to stay.

What Were They Thinking

This is a movie with a lot to say, so if a big sprawling story is not your cup of tea, then perhaps you will want to skip this film.

Backlot Knowledge

  • Tim Robbins was nominated for the 1999 Palme d’Or for this film.
  • Robbins won two awards, for directing and best picture at the Catalonian International Film Festival.
  • Robbins also won a special achievement award from the National Board of Review.
  • The movie was also named as a top ten film of the year by the National Board of Review.
  • The film is based on the real Marc Blitzstein’s operetta The Cradle Will Rock. Much of what is on screen is based on fact.
  • Orson Welles himself had planned to make a film of this story in 1984, however he was unable to see it to fruition. Robbins insists that he has never read the published screenplay of Welle’s proposed movie.
  • The story of Nelson Rockefeller’s battle with Diego Rivera happens much earlier than the battle over the play.
  • The Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo story is better explored in the brilliant 2002 film Frida.
  • Tim Robbins has an uncredited role as the voice on the radio.

Critical Response

Snub-Skip this Film, Overexposed-Desperate for Something to Watch, Money Shot-A Perfect Film For Any Device, Magic Hour– You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Award Worthy– This Film is Cinema.}

Cradle Will Rock is not a film for everyone. It’s a sprawling epic about individuality vs authority, and it doesn’t have any explosions or comic book violence. It is a tale of reality set in the world of musical theatre and the mad cap insanity of the story is based on truth.

It may not be a billion-dollar bonanza, but Cradle Will Rock gets the Award Worthy award from me. It was incredible and film fans will love this movie.

Call Sheet

Production Team:

Directed by Tim Robbins

Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Cradle Productions Inc. / Havoc

Written by: Tim Robbins

Release Date: January 21, 2000

Budget: $36 million

Domestic Box Office Gross: $2,903,404

Worldwide Box Office Gross: $2,986,932

Coming Attractions

Next week a look at the sci fi action-drama Surrogates starring Bruce Willis.

Bill Gowsell
Bill Gowsell has loved all things Disney since his first family trip to Walt Disney World in 1984. Since he began writing for Laughing Place in 2014, Bill has specialized in covering the Rick Riordan literary universe, a retrospective of the Touchstone Pictures movie library, and a variety of other Disney related topics. When he is not spending time with his family, Bill can be found at the bottom of a lake . . . scuba diving