Bright Leaves (2004): Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Bright Leaves is a 2004 documentary directed by Ross McElwee. It runs 1 hour 47 minutes and earned $77,888 worldwide. It earned 2 award nominations, including Best Documentary at the Spirit Awards 2005. Critics gave it 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 79 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 47m (107 min)
- Director
- Ross McElwee
- Genre
- Documentary
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- First Run Features
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Bright Leaves About?
The premise of Bright Leaves without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Filmmaker Ross McElwee explores his family’s connection to the tobacco industry in this documentary, tracing the history of their Bull Durham brand. Through candid interviews with cancer survivors, former employees, and industry figures, the film examines the complex legacy of tobacco production and its impact on public health. It offers a nuanced look at the forces that have shaped the industry and its consequences.
Bright Leaves Themes & Keywords
· 31 tags- autobiographical documentary
- family relationships
- home movie
- north carolina
- great grandfather
- family history
- wheelchair
- american south
- rivalry
- personal quest
- motel
- lung cancer
+19 more Show fewer
- film theory
- film within a film
- family legacy
- duke family
- collector
- cemetery
- tobacco industry
- rise and fall
- parade
- doctor
- cathedral
- affair
- quitting smoking
- old movie
- film critic
- film buff
- father son relationship
- beauty queen
- cigarette smoking
The Director of Bright Leaves
Directed by Ross McElwee.
- Director Ross McElwee
More from Ross McElwee
One more film directed by Ross McElwee: Photographic Memory.
Bright Leaves Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Bright Leaves 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 79 on Metacritic.
-
Rotten Tomatoes 85% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 72%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 79 Metascore
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 69% User score
See on TMDB
Bright Leaves Plot Summary
What happens in Bright Leaves from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Brant Royle, portrayed by Gary Cooper, returns to his hometown of Kingsmont, North Carolina, with the intent to settle his late uncle’s estate. The shadow of his past looms large; years ago, the influential tobacco tycoon Major Singleton, played by Donald Crisp, forced Brant and his father out of town. This upheaval happened because the Royles cultivated the finest bright leaf tobacco and because young Brant dared to love Singleton’s daughter, Margaret, portrayed by Patricia Neal.
Full summary
The whole story of Bright Leaves, scene by scene
Bright Leaves Box Office
Bright Leaves grossed $77,888 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$77.9K
- US & Canada
- $77.9K
Bright Leaves Awards & Nominations
Bright Leaves earned 2 award nominations, including Best Documentary at the Spirit Awards 2005. The 2 nominations come from 2 ceremonies.
2 nominations2 ceremonies
-
Spirit Awards 2005 1 nomination- Nominated Best Documentary
-
DGA Awards 2005 1 nomination- Nominated Documentaries – Ross McElwee
How Well Do You Know Bright Leaves?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main character returning to Kingsmont, North Carolina?
Bright Leaves Also Known As
4 alternative titles, including “Tabaco de Virginia” and “Prozářené listy”.
- Also known as
-
- Tabaco de Virginia
- Prozářené listy
- Яркие листья
- La Splendeur des McElwee
Seen Bright Leaves?
Movies Like Bright Leaves
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Backyard, Tobacco Road and Bright Road.
Bright Leaves FAQ: Box Office, Awards & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Bright Leaves, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Bright Leaves?
Bright Leaves runs 1 hour 47 minutes (107 minutes).
When was Bright Leaves released?
Bright Leaves was released on August 25, 2004.
Who directed Bright Leaves?
Bright Leaves was directed by Ross McElwee.
More films by Ross McElwee How much did Bright Leaves make at the box office?
Bright Leaves grossed $77,888 worldwide.
How is Bright Leaves rated?
Bright Leaves has 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.
Was Bright Leaves nominated for any awards?
Bright Leaves received 2 nominations across 2 ceremonies.
Does Bright Leaves have a post-credit scene?
No. Bright Leaves has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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