Robert Altman revisits the lighthearted territory of his 1970s comedies BREWSTER MCCLOUD and A WEDDING and once again comes out a rousing success. This time, a tightly wound narrative by first-time screenwriter Anne Rapp keeps the laughs rolling as the story unfolds over an eventful Easter weekend in the small town of Holly Springs, Mississippi. The town residents are peaceful, kind folk--with the exception of Camille Dixon (Glenn Close)--a pushy theatre director with an incredibly shy younger sister, Cora (Julianne Moore), whose estranged daughter Emma (Liv Tyler) has just returned to town. On the heels of her latest play, Camille is shocked to discover that her Aunt Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt (Patricia Neal) has committed suicide. Terrified at the thought of how this will tarnish the family name, she eats the suicide note to make it look like a burglary. This set-up leads the police to one main suspect, Willis Richland (Charles S. Dutton), who also happens to be Cookie's best friend. Although the rest of the town is convinced Willis didn't commit the crime, an outside investigator (Courtney B. Vance) isn't so sure. As Easter Sunday and opening night of the play arrive, the truth comes out, revealing more secrets than anyone could have possibly imagined. Director Altman tells his story at a leisurely pace, beautifully recreating the eccentricities of small town life in this sweet-natured tale.

Screenwriter Anne Rapp spent several years as a script supervisor before getting noticed as a writer.

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Letterbox - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital - 5.1 - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary: by Altman
Cast & Crew Bigraphies Filmographies
English Captioned
French Subtitled
Spanish Subtitled
Trailers: Theatrical Trailer

Glenn Close: American actress/producer
Charles S. Dutton: Actor/Director
Patricia Neal: Oscar winning American actress, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S
Julianne Moore: Actress, THE HOURS, FAR FROM HEAVEN, BOOGIE NIGHTS
Liv Tyler: Actress, model, THE STRANGERS, THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2008)
Chris O'Donnell: American actor
Ned Beatty: American character actor
Courtney B. Vance: Supporting Actor/Male
Donald Moffat: British Actor
Lyle Lovett: American Singer/Actor
Danny Darst: 
Rufus Thomas: Musician/Actor
Randle Mell: 

Robert Altman: Director/Screenwriter/Film Producer, NASHVILLE (1975)

Robert Altman: Director/Screenwriter/Film Producer, NASHVILLE (1975)

David Levy: Associate Producer, mostly Robert Altman films

Anne Rapp: Screenwriter

David A. Stewart: SONGWRITER/EURYTHMICS

Abraham Lim: Editor

"...An intoxicating dose of Southern comfort from Robert Altman..." -- 4 out of 5 stars
"...Altman and his actors take their tempo from the slow, mournful blues which fills the soundtrack..."
"...[Altman] is in top form....[He] creates an atmosphere that brims with the pleasures of the unexpected..."
"...COOKIE'S FORTUNE is Robert Altman's sunniest film....He's a master of stories that interconnect a lot of people, and here one of the pleasures is discovering the hidden connections..."
"...Warm, witty and wise..." -- 4 out of 5 stars
"...Sweetly satirical and frequently downright mellow....The performers are splendid down to the smallest roles....The movie keeps getting better and better..."
"...A gem....Full of good humor and mature wisdom....This is a film filled with a patient and loving understanding and a knowledge of the value of subtlety and ease..."
"The sweet assurance and guerilla wit of Robert Altman's vintage ensemble films makes a serenely captivating return with COOKIE'S FORTUNE..."