Golden Dreams: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (2001)
Golden Dreams: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple Photos
Movie Info
Set in 1850s California (but actually filmed in Utah), this made-for-TV movie features Jena Malone as title character Lucy Whipple. The emphasis, however, is on Lucy's "mule-stubborn" mother Arvella Whipple (Glenn Close), who defies 19th century sexual stereotyping to try her luck as a gold prospector. Stuck in the ill-named California mining village of Lucky Diggins, Lucy is convinced that her maw is a bit "tetched" in the head. It takes a chance encounter in the nearby woods to show Lucy that perhaps Arvella is not as foolish as she seems, and that California is not the muddy hellhole that it appears to be at first glance. Adapted from a novel by Karen Cushman, Golden Dreams: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple was first broadcast by CBS on February 18, 2001.
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Cast
Glenn Close
as Arvella Whipple
as Arvella Whipple
Jena Malone
as Lucy Whipple
as Lucy Whipple
Olivia Burnette
as Annie
as Annie
Bruce McGill
as Mr. Scatter
as Mr. Scatter
Robert Pastorelli
as Clyde Claymore
as Clyde Claymore
Meat Loaf
as Amos
as Amos
Chloe Webb
as Sophie
as Sophie
Dennis Christopher
as Carrots
as Carrots
Judy Gold
as Buck McPhee
as Buck McPhee
Michael Welch
as Butte
as Butte
Andy Garrison
as Jimmy Whiskers
as Jimmy Whiskers
Wilford Brimley
as Scraggs
as Scraggs
Critic Reviews for Golden Dreams: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
All Critics (2) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (0)
Malone, who starred previously in Anjelica Huston's cable-TV version of Bastard Out of Carolina, is the genuine thing.
February 5, 2018 | Full Review…
Gold-rush-era heroine deals with issues like abuse, suicide.
November 1, 2012 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Audience Reviews for Golden Dreams: The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
½
For what is basically a Hallmark movie on the prairie this has a surprisingly high grade cast who all make more of the material than the script would normally provide.
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
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