Cookie's Fortune (1999)

Written by Anne Rapp

Directed by Robert Altman

Running Time: 100 minutes (approx)

Production Year: 1999

Rating: 15 Certificate

Production Country: USA

Filmed in Colour

Starting as a quirky and lighthearted melodrama, this film focuses on a large Southern family and specifically on Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt's, the family's matriarch, relationship with her odd-job man.

Cookie (Patricia Neal) is the elderly matriarch of this family and the relationship she develops with her odd-jobs man, Willis Richmond (Charles S. Dutton) is a tender one.

However, despondent about her failing health, Cookie resolves to take her own life which she does successfully which takes the film onto somewhat unexpected and entirely welcome turn into straight and dark comedy.

When her niece, Camille Dixon (Glenn Close), finds the body, she is horrified to find tyhat her respected Aunt has decided to take such an undignified exit so decides to fake a burglary and murder.

An investigation into the death forces the local sheriff to reluctantly arrest Cookie's gentle caretaker and friend, and the return to town of the dead woman's grand-niece culminates in the revelation of a number of family secrets.

This results in a madcap plot that involves false arrests, paternity revelations, and all sorts of other intrigue. With a sly, clever script that consistently ratchets up the comic momentum, Cookie's Fortune builds to a delightfully funny climax.

Cast

	Glenn Close		Camille Dixon
	Julianne Moore		Cora Duvall
	Liv Tyler		Emma Duvall
	Chris O'Donnell		Jason Brown
	Charles S. Dutton		Willis Richland
	Patricia Neal		Jewel Mae 'Cookie' Orcutt
	Ned Beatty		Lester Boyle
	Courtney B. Vance		Otis Tucker
	Donald Moffat		Jack Palmer
	Lyle Lovett		Manny Hood
	Danny Darst		Billy Cox
	Matt Malloy		Eddie 'The Expert' Pitts
	Randle Mell		Patrick Freeman
	Niecy Nash		Wanda Carter
	Rufus Thomas		Theo Johnson
	Ruby Wilson		Josie Martin
	Preston Strobel		Ronnie Freeman
	Ann Whitfield		Mrs. Henderson Herodias
	Hank Worsham		Tigellinus
	Kenny Pillow		Soldier
	Derek Guyer		Soldier
	Emily Sindelar		Marlene
	Heath Lail		Prop Boy
	Shari Schneider		Mrs. Tippit
	John M. Sullivan II		Mr. Tippit
	Red West		Mr. Henderson
	Ferguson Reid		Deputy
	Christopher Coulson		Deputy
	Cheryl Cole		Picnic Lady
	Fred Sanders		Guitarist
	Jimmy Ellis		Drummer
	Solomon McDaniel		Keyboardist
	Terris Tate		Bass Guitarist