In the late 1950s and early ’60s, artist Walter Keane achieves unbelievable fame and success with portraits of saucer-eyed waifs. However, no one realizes that his wife, Margaret, is the real painter behind the brush. Although Margaret is horrified to learn that Walter is passing off her work as his own, she is too meek to protest too loudly. It isn’t until the Keanes’ marriage comes to an end and a lawsuit follows that the truth finally comes to light.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Margaret Keane: Amy Adams
- Walter Keane: Christoph Waltz
- Dick Nolan: Danny Huston
- Enrico Banducci: Jon Polito
- DeeAnn: Krysten Ritter
- Ruben: Jason Schwartzman
- John Canaday: Terence Stamp
- Older Jane: Madeleine Arthur
- Young Jane: Delaney Raye
- Judge: James Saito
- Lily: Farryn VanHumbeck
- Dino Olivetti: Guido Furlani
- Olivetti Girl: Elisabetta Fantone
- 2nd Olivetti Girl: Emily Maddison
- Factory Boss: Brent Chapman
- Dad at Art Show: Gabe Khouth
- Boy at Art Show: Dylan Kingwell
- Real Estate Guy: Peter Kelamis
- Fancy Lady: Deni DeLory
- Tipsy Lady: Desiree Zurowski
- Tipsy Man: Vincent Gale
- Priest: Fred Keating
- Bathroom Man: Byron Bertram
- Gossipy Woman #1: Heather Doerksen
- Gossipy Woman #2: Eliza Norbury
- Nosy Gallery Guy: Ryan Beil
- Henri the Maitre’d: Frenchy Gagne
- Gallery Assistant: Fiona Vroom
- Gallery Patron: Jill Morrison
- Hippie Chick: Leela Savasta
- Jehovah’s Witness #1: Linda Sato
- Jehovah’s Witness #2: Traci Toguchi
- Coed #1: Stephanie Bennett
- Coed #2: Andrea Bucko
- Sexy Girl: Emily Fonda
- Early Buyer: Aaron Craven
- Proper Woman: Lear Howard
- Proper Woman: Heather Ireland
- Proper Woman: Linda Marr
- Proper Woman: Doreen McKenzie
- Proper Woman: Elizabeth Urrea
- Female Art Gallery Attendee: Kari-Ann Wood
- TV Host: Dale Wolfe
- Fan #1: Patricia Mayen-Salazar
- Fan #2: Tony Alcantar
- Snobby Artist #1: Darren Dolynski
- Snobby Artist #2: David Milchard
- Rich Man: Andrew Airlie
- Civic Leader: Forbes Angus
- NY Society Man: Michael Kopsa
- Society Man #1: Alan MacFarlane
- Society Man #2: Thomas Potter
- Mrs. Teasdale: Colleen Winton
- Radio DJ: Pomaika’i Brown
- Reporter #1: Dan Cooke
- Reporter #2: L.G. Michael Brown
- Gannett Lawyer: Barclay Hope
- Autograph Seeker: Mia Adams
- Margaret’s Lawyer: Michael St. John Smith
- Cal Tjader: Timothy Van Cleave
- Gannett Lawyer #2: Eric Keenleyside
- Gannett Lawyer #3: Greg Kean
- Bailiff: Sean Campbell
- Hungry i Patron: Julie Johnson
- Hipster Lady: Brittney Irvin
- Hipster Man: Matthew Kevin Anderson
- Beatnik (uncredited): John Lobato
Film Crew:
- Production Design: Rick Heinrichs
- Producer: Tim Burton
- Original Music Composer: Danny Elfman
- Casting: Jeanne McCarthy
- Costume Design: Colleen Atwood
- Executive Producer: Bob Weinstein
- Executive Producer: Harvey Weinstein
- Director of Photography: Bruno Delbonnel
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Tom Johnson
- Locale Casting Director: Heike Brandstatter
- Locale Casting Director: Coreen Mayrs
- Writer: Scott Alexander
- Writer: Larry Karaszewski
- First Assistant Director: Katterli Frauenfelder
- Key Costumer: Donna O’Neal
- Music Consultant: Michael Higham
- Foley Editor: Hugo Adams
- Music Editor: Peter Clarke
- Supervising Art Director: Chris August
- Stunt Coordinator: Rocky Capella
- Sound Effects Editor: James Harrison
- First Assistant Makeup Artist: Gitte Axen
- Additional Hairstylist: Roy Sidick
- Producer: Lynette Howell Taylor
- Executive Producer: Jamie Patricof
- Makeup Department Head: Victoria Down
- Set Designer: Cheryl Marion
- Boom Operator: Jon Lavender
- Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Paul Massey
- Stunt Driver: Melissa R. Stubbs
- Stunts: Krista Bell
- Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
- Songs: Lana Del Rey
- Casting: Nicole Abellera
- Executive Producer: Derek Frey
- Line Producer: Brendan Ferguson
- Consulting Producer: Tommy Harper
- Post Production Supervisor: Jessie Thiele
- Stunts: Janene Carleton
- Makeup Department Head: Connie Parker
- Supervising Sound Editor: Bjorn Ole Schroeder
- “B” Camera Operator: David Crone
- Set Supervisor: Carolyn Bentley
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Michael Semanick
- Chief Lighting Technician: Drew Davidson
- Assistant Art Director: James Philpott
- Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Taylor
- Script Supervisor: Susan Lambie
- Additional Hairstylist: Pauline L. Tremblay
- Additional Hairstylist: Danna Rutherford
- Music Editor: Michael Connell
- Stunt Coordinator: Scott Nicholson
- Hair Department Head: Sanna Seppanen
- Additional Hairstylist: Lisa Leonard
- Set Designer: Michael Toby
- “A” Camera Operator: Des Whelan
- Supervising Sound Editor: Oliver Tarney
- Dialogue Editor: Rob Killick
- Editor: JC Bond
- Set Decoration Buyer: Shannon Gottlieb
- Assistant Sound Editor: Nick Del-Molino
- Hairstylist: Codey Blair
- Additional Hairstylist: Jill Winston
- Still Photographer: Leah Gallo
- Production Coordinator: Nicole Oguchi
- Sound Mixer: Chris Duesterdiek
- First Assistant “A” Camera: Paul Guenette
- Digital Imaging Technician: Simon Jori
- Additional Hairstylist: Sharon Markell
- Key Grip: Finn King
- Stunt Double: Dan Redford
- Second Assistant Director: David Klohn
- Costumer: Lana S. Krause
- Leadman: Michael Church
- Assistant Set Decoration: Sigrid Spade
- First Assistant Makeup Artist: Vanessa Giles
- Stand In: Tiffani Timms
- Additional Hairstylist: Sharon Mosley
- Hairstylist: Diane Holme
- Art Department Assistant: Natalie Van Hest
- Costume Supervisor: Jennifer Grossman
- Set Costumer: Jody Leanne Petford
- Stunt Double: Shaun Magee
- Stunts: Tammy Nera
- Second Assistant Director: Gordon Piper
- Second Assistant “B” Camera: Rodrigo Carcamo Parga
- First Assistant “B” Camera: David Lourie
- Second Assistant “A” Camera: Steve Krasznai
- Stand In: Michael Cound
- Stand In: Gabriella Kriss
- Assistant Art Director: Ricardo Sandoval
- Art Department Coordinator: Nadine Sekora
- Cableman: Tim Crich
- Video Assist Operator: Justin Johns
- First Assistant Editor: Melody Gehrman
- First Assistant Editor: Alex Anstey
- Costumer: Judith Feller
- Set Decoration Buyer: Elizabeth Roberts
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: Film making could be the windows of the soul…
Directed by Tim Burton and written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski, Big Eyes brings to the screen the story of artist Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who was producing a number of paintings of waifs with big eyes that captured the art world’s imagination. Unfortunately her charlatan husband (Christolph Waltz) manipulated the interest in her work to claim it as his own, leading to Margaret having to front up to the lie and take the case to court.
Quite often the beauty of filmic cinema is that it can bring notice to the public about certain topics in history. The story of Margaret Keane is a story well worth telling, it may not be all encompassing as a biography since it is just about the key part of her life, but getting the story out there is to be applauded. I myself knew nothing about the Keane case, but I’m glad I do now, this film adaptation forcing me to seek out further reading on the subject.
It actually doesn’t matter if you have a bent for art on canvas (me, but I do find those paintings beautifully beguiling), this is more about the human spirit, the crushing of such and the birth of. However, sadly to a degree the film often seems at odds with itself via tonal flows. There’s whimsy where there shouldn’t be, the drama should be front and centre, whilst Waltz’s performance is awfully cartoonish, way too animated, and these problems are laid firmly at Burton’s door, an odd choice of director for the material, it’s like they felt the off kilter look of the paintings marked Burton as a shoe-in to direct.
Conversely he gets a sparkling turn out of Adams, she plays Margaret as being so vulnerable but radiant, yet she’s perfectly infuriating as well, tugging our heart strings whilst troubling our anger senses. It’s the strength of Adams’ turn that steers Big Eyes away from choppy waters, for even as the court case that makes up the finale is given too little time to breath and make the ultimate mark, Adams as Margaret holds her own court and seals the deal for a big uplift – which in turn marks Big Eyes out as a film of great warmth and importance. 7.5/10