Tales of the City
- Director: Alastair Reid
- Writer: Armistead Maupin; Richard Kramer
- Producer: Tim Bevan; Richard Kramer
CGiii Comment
This is not going to be pleasant - Anne Bancroft seemingly turned down the part of Mrs Madrigal because it was badly written. She was right - the whole thing is badly written.
If you haven't read the books...then, the utter monotony presented on screen will have you surrender in next to no time.
It has all the production values of a very cheap daytime soap with direction to match, Alastair Reid was a bizarre and uninspiring choice.
The acting is mediocre with a few startling bad performances. But, what this lacks is charm and vivacity - Maupin gained a huge reputation from some frilly little books that were engaging and ephemeral.
Tales of the City - the mini-series - is ethereal and unengaging.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Tales of the City chronicles the adventures of Mary Ann Singleton, a young secretary from Cleveland who takes a vacation to San Francisco and decides to stay. Set in 1976, before the days of AIDS and crack cocaine, the story depicts the city at the height of its boisterous gay, drug and disco cultures through the eyes of the innocent heroine.
Cast & Characters
Olympia Dukakis as Anna Madrigal;
Donald Moffat as Edgar Halcyon;
Chloe Webb as Mona Ramsey;
Laura Linney as Mary Ann Singleton;
Marcus D'Amico as Michael Tolliver;
Bill Campbell as Jon Fielden;
Thomas Gibson as Beauchamp Day;
Paul Gross as Brian Hawkins;
Barbara Garrick as DeDe Halcyon Day;
Nina Foch as Frannie Halcyon;
Edie Adams as Ruby Miller;
Robert Downey Sr. as Edgar's Doctor;
Meagen Fay as Binky Gruen;
Lou Liberatore as Chuck;
Country Joe McDonald as Joaquin